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What Did the Reformers Believe About the Age of the Earth?
During the Middle Ages, an allegorical approach to the Bible prevailed. Many theologians abandoned a literal understanding of Scripture and instead began looking for spiritual parables, often turning history into allegory. The Reformation changed all that as the Reformers called the church back to the authority of Scripture. They championed a return to sound biblical interpretation - reading the Bible carefully in context.
In this booklet, Dr. Joel Beeke examines the writings of Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin to determine what they believed and taught about the days of Genesis 1, arguing that a robust doctrine of creation provides a strong foundation for our faith!
In this booklet, Dr. Joel Beeke examines the writings of Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin to determine what they believed and taught about the days of Genesis 1, arguing that a robust doctrine of creation provides a strong foundation for our faith!
- GenresTheology
16 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
17 people want to read
About the author
Joel R. Beeke
449 books357 followersDr. Joel R. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church, Heritage Reformed Congregation, since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 1, 2023
This short pamphlet by Beeke begins by stating that all true Christians believe that God the Father is maker of heaven and earth. If this is not consented to, then there are larger issues that need addressed than the age of the earth. Within the view that God created all things, some affirm an allegorical reading of Genesis and others a literal reading.
· Two views of Genesis 1 in Christian History ·
Beeke lists several historical Christians who affirmed a literal interpretation of Genesis 1. Basil of Caesarea wrote that morning, evening, and day, refer to a day of 24 hours. Ambrose wrote in his Genesis commentary that "The length of one day is twenty-four hours in extent." Bede wrote that the first day of creation was "without a doubt a day of twenty-four hours."
But not all historical Christians held to this. Beeke mentions others such as Origen who rejected a literal interpretation of Genesis 1. Augustine taught that the six days of creation had nothing to do with time, but simply the manner in which God taught the angels about creation. Beeke states that the reasons people believed this is because they were wrongly influenced by the ancient Jewish book Sirach and not by Scripture. Additionally, they were trying to reconcile Scripture with Greek philosophy. The allegorical approach to Genesis 1 was the dominant view in Christendom through the middle ages, although there were still some Christians who resisted that understanding. Peter Lombard affirmed a literal interpretation and agreed that it was indeed six literal days of creation. Bonaventure also took a literal approach coining the phrase "in the space of six days" that the Westminster Confession picks up later on. Despite the differences between the literal approach and the allegorical approach, Beeke argues that both parties by far and away affirmed that the earth was only several thousand years old.
· The Reformation and the Interpretation of Genesis ·
Beeke argues that the Reformers issued a return to the literalist approach to scripture. Tyndale affirmed a strict literalist position. Luther argued that "We know from Moses that the world was not in existence before 6,000 years ago." Luther would go on to ridicule those who tookan allegorical approach or those who stood with Aristotelian thought in holding that Aristotle would have thought it a quaint myth.
· Calvin on the Time of Creation ·
Beekes explains that Calvin read Genesis as "The history of creation" and that the earth had "not yet attained 6,000 years." Calvin, according to Beeke, was aware that many in his time thought that the world came to be by mere chance and that Calvin thought this to be ridiculous. Calvin responds to the common objection that the sun was created on the fourth day while light was created on the first by stating that "The Lord, by the very order of creation, bears withess that He holds in His hands the light, which He is able to impart to us without the sun and moon."
· Additonal Major Reformers ·
Beeke notes four other major reformers that agreed with Calvin's synopsis on Genesis 1. Wolfgang Musculus affirmed that the six days of creation were "natural". Peter Martyr Vermigli affirmed a young earth, demanding that the Christian not follow after Aristotelian thought when interpreting Genesis. Henry Bullinger likewise affirmed a young earth, stating that from Genesis 1 to Moses spanned exactly 2,488 years. Zacharias Ursinus cites the opinion that at his time in history only 5,534 years had passed since the creation of the world. He is a little off from Luthers estimation of 5,576 years, Melanchthon of 5,579 years, the Genevan theologians of 5,559 years, and Beroaldus of 5,545 years. Beeke states that to sum up his study of the Reformers, they affirmed firstly that the earth is about 6000 years old today. Secondly, that God created all things in six twenty-four hours days. And thirdly that there were no gaps of time in the creation days.
· Lutheran and Early Reformed Confessions on Creation ·
Beeke states that there was no real reason to devote much writing to the doctrine of creation during the Reformation because it largely was undisputed between the Roman Catholic church and the Reformers. Although they did not write about the times of creation individually, it is interjected to the confessions of faith. For example the Brlgic confession speaks that "God created man out of the dust of the earth" as well as James Ussher's Irish Articles which speak to creation being "in the space of six days."
· The Westminster Standards on Creation ·
Beeke goes on to say that the Westminster Confession and Catechisms argue for a young earth. They taught a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-2 as well. They used the term "in the space of six days" instead of merely saying "in six days" to confirm two things. First that they were speaking of a definite period of time of six ordinary days. Second; they were affirming with past theologians that this was a literal six day creation. The writers of the confession individually affirmed a young earth according to Beeke. Thomas Vincent wrote in his explanation to the shorter catechism that "God created all things in the space of six days." Beeke admits that there are strong reformed men who affirn the Westminster Standards who disagree with Beeke here and instead hold that these terminologies are used to disallow instantaneous creation.
This was helpful as a resource, but doesn’t go into the reasons why we should affirm what the Reformers affirmed in this regard, outside of the comment that sounded like “It’s what we’ve always done.” Still, in terms of compiling quotes from the Reformers on this specific topic, it does quite well.
· Two views of Genesis 1 in Christian History ·
Beeke lists several historical Christians who affirmed a literal interpretation of Genesis 1. Basil of Caesarea wrote that morning, evening, and day, refer to a day of 24 hours. Ambrose wrote in his Genesis commentary that "The length of one day is twenty-four hours in extent." Bede wrote that the first day of creation was "without a doubt a day of twenty-four hours."
But not all historical Christians held to this. Beeke mentions others such as Origen who rejected a literal interpretation of Genesis 1. Augustine taught that the six days of creation had nothing to do with time, but simply the manner in which God taught the angels about creation. Beeke states that the reasons people believed this is because they were wrongly influenced by the ancient Jewish book Sirach and not by Scripture. Additionally, they were trying to reconcile Scripture with Greek philosophy. The allegorical approach to Genesis 1 was the dominant view in Christendom through the middle ages, although there were still some Christians who resisted that understanding. Peter Lombard affirmed a literal interpretation and agreed that it was indeed six literal days of creation. Bonaventure also took a literal approach coining the phrase "in the space of six days" that the Westminster Confession picks up later on. Despite the differences between the literal approach and the allegorical approach, Beeke argues that both parties by far and away affirmed that the earth was only several thousand years old.
· The Reformation and the Interpretation of Genesis ·
Beeke argues that the Reformers issued a return to the literalist approach to scripture. Tyndale affirmed a strict literalist position. Luther argued that "We know from Moses that the world was not in existence before 6,000 years ago." Luther would go on to ridicule those who tookan allegorical approach or those who stood with Aristotelian thought in holding that Aristotle would have thought it a quaint myth.
· Calvin on the Time of Creation ·
Beekes explains that Calvin read Genesis as "The history of creation" and that the earth had "not yet attained 6,000 years." Calvin, according to Beeke, was aware that many in his time thought that the world came to be by mere chance and that Calvin thought this to be ridiculous. Calvin responds to the common objection that the sun was created on the fourth day while light was created on the first by stating that "The Lord, by the very order of creation, bears withess that He holds in His hands the light, which He is able to impart to us without the sun and moon."
· Additonal Major Reformers ·
Beeke notes four other major reformers that agreed with Calvin's synopsis on Genesis 1. Wolfgang Musculus affirmed that the six days of creation were "natural". Peter Martyr Vermigli affirmed a young earth, demanding that the Christian not follow after Aristotelian thought when interpreting Genesis. Henry Bullinger likewise affirmed a young earth, stating that from Genesis 1 to Moses spanned exactly 2,488 years. Zacharias Ursinus cites the opinion that at his time in history only 5,534 years had passed since the creation of the world. He is a little off from Luthers estimation of 5,576 years, Melanchthon of 5,579 years, the Genevan theologians of 5,559 years, and Beroaldus of 5,545 years. Beeke states that to sum up his study of the Reformers, they affirmed firstly that the earth is about 6000 years old today. Secondly, that God created all things in six twenty-four hours days. And thirdly that there were no gaps of time in the creation days.
· Lutheran and Early Reformed Confessions on Creation ·
Beeke states that there was no real reason to devote much writing to the doctrine of creation during the Reformation because it largely was undisputed between the Roman Catholic church and the Reformers. Although they did not write about the times of creation individually, it is interjected to the confessions of faith. For example the Brlgic confession speaks that "God created man out of the dust of the earth" as well as James Ussher's Irish Articles which speak to creation being "in the space of six days."
· The Westminster Standards on Creation ·
Beeke goes on to say that the Westminster Confession and Catechisms argue for a young earth. They taught a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-2 as well. They used the term "in the space of six days" instead of merely saying "in six days" to confirm two things. First that they were speaking of a definite period of time of six ordinary days. Second; they were affirming with past theologians that this was a literal six day creation. The writers of the confession individually affirmed a young earth according to Beeke. Thomas Vincent wrote in his explanation to the shorter catechism that "God created all things in the space of six days." Beeke admits that there are strong reformed men who affirn the Westminster Standards who disagree with Beeke here and instead hold that these terminologies are used to disallow instantaneous creation.
This was helpful as a resource, but doesn’t go into the reasons why we should affirm what the Reformers affirmed in this regard, outside of the comment that sounded like “It’s what we’ve always done.” Still, in terms of compiling quotes from the Reformers on this specific topic, it does quite well.
December 31, 2025
This was a good little topical booklet. I wasn’t aware that it was common to take an allegorical view of scripture in the Middle Ages.
I’m thankful for the reformers taking back a literal view of sculpture. I’m also thankful for Dr. Beeke faithfully reminding us of the reformers’ works.
This is a concise look at the topic, but he covers many major reformers as well as the view of the early leaders of the primary reformed denominations.
I’m thankful for the reformers taking back a literal view of sculpture. I’m also thankful for Dr. Beeke faithfully reminding us of the reformers’ works.
This is a concise look at the topic, but he covers many major reformers as well as the view of the early leaders of the primary reformed denominations.
August 7, 2024
Lots of dense info to fit into such a short pamphlet, but I think Beeke advocates for the traditional 24-hour view well. I agree that the perspicuity of Scripture is a great doctrine that can start to be forfeited when views of Genesis become too abstract or allegorical.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews