Creation...Literally?

No one actually reads the Bible literally. Some people think they do. When it comes to the issue of creation, the 'literalists' insist that a six day creation and a young earth are the only truly biblical position. But six-day-ers and young-earth-ers do not actually read the Bible literally. Disagree? Let me show you what I mean.
The creation debate usually centers on Genesis 1-2. However, these are but two chapters among several that speak about creation. Let us look a couple of the other places where creation is addressed.

Job 38:4-11: Apparently the earth is a building full with a foundation, bases/footings, and a cornerstone. "That is obviously a metaphor," someone would say. Really? It comes directly from the mouth of God. Not only that, but at the time, the earth was actually conceived of as a flat place with a foundation set on pillars (footings).

Psalm 74.12-17: When God created, he broke open the waters (separated the waters above from the waters below), and crushed the heads of the sea monster Leviathan. Again, that is obviously not literal, right? Well, if we are going to read Leviathan as literal in Job 41 (and most do), is he not literal here? Well, this is a Psalm, we cannot take anything in the Psalms literally, because it is poetry. Really? Genesis 1 is clearly poetic as well.


The point with citing these two passages is not to say that they are to be read literally. Rather, I mean to point out that Genesis 1-2 are not the only creation texts. I also mean to point out that none of us read everything the Bible says about creation literally. All of us should agree that the Bible talks about creation in non-literal ways.

To take this a step further, I do not think that 'literalists' actually read Genesis 1-2 literally. Disagree? Let me show you.
In 1.7 God creates a firmament. What is a firmament? Literally, the Hebrew term (raqia) refers to what you and I would call a dome, a firm (thus the firmament) spherical ceiling that holds up the waters above. As Genesis 7.11 suggests, the dome has windows so that rain can come from the waters above. Furthermore, 1.14 says the sun, moon, and stars are all underneath that dome. Literally speaking that is.
Genesis 2.4 refers to "the day when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." The NIV and ESV fudge and put "When." But literally it says 'the day.' The day?! I thought there were 7, 'the days'. If we are being literal, how can God create on 7 days, and 1 day? Some will say, "Well if we look at Genesis 1.1, the day is the first day." Well then, literally speaking, God created the man on the first day, according to 2.7.
In Genesis 2, the creation order goes, the man, the animal, the woman. In Genesis 1, it goes, the animals, the people. Sure, the NIV and ESV again fudge the translation in 2.19 to say "had formed" instead of simply "formed." But make no mistake, the verb here is simply sequential, not a flashback. Literally speaking, how could this be true. How could God form many animals on day 5 before people, and form all the animals after the man?

What am I saying? No one reads the Bible literally. The 'literalists' only read two of the dozen or so creation texts literally, and then they even read those less literally than they claim. The point is simply this: literality is a quality that no position on creation truly has cornered.
Just some thoughts. I would love to hear yours...

Of God, People, and Primates

You want to see a fundamentalist get red in the face? Ask him his opinion about evolution. Worse yet, tell him you don't the conflict between the Bible and modern science, you think they should peacefully co-exist. Then get ready for some fireworks!
What is it about the issue of creation and evolution that brings out such emotional combativeness? Is it righteous anger? Passion? Insecurity? Fear? Doubt?
The Nicene Creed begins "We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible." In my view, the belief that God is the creator of all things is essential Christian doctrine. It is one of the core affirmations of our faith.
However, within Christian circles the debate is not so much about whether God created all things but how. The three prevailing opinions are as follows:
1) Young Earth Creationism: the belief that earth was created in 6 literal days about 5,000-10,000 years ago. Many who hold this view regard it as the only legitimate Christian view because all other views distort the plain truth of scripture.
2) Old Earth Creationism: the belief that the 6 days either stand for 6 eras, or are figurative. So then the earth was created billions of years ago as scientists suggest. However, the basic outline and means of Genesis 1-2 are true.
3) Theistic Evolution: the belief that God used evolutionary processes to create. Genesis 1-2 then are taken as literary polemics or poems answering questions more applicable to Moses and the Israelites than to modern science.
Many hold variations of these views, but these are the basic categories.
I believe that so long as we maintain that the Lord is truly creator of all things, we can hold any one of these views.
What do you think?
Which is your view? Do you think there is room for all of these views or not?
What issues are most important to you as you think about this debate?