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Controversy of the Ages: Why Christians Should Not Divide Over the Age of the Earth
The age of the earth and the doctrine of creation are heated topics within the church. Three evangelical camps have emerged to offer—young-earth creationists (e.g., Answers in Genesis), old-earth creationists (e.g., Reasons to Believe), and evolutionary creationists (e.g., BioLogos).
Controversy of the Ages carefully analyzes the debate by giving it perspective. Rather than offering arguments for or against a particular viewpoint on the age of the earth, the authors take a step back in order to put the debate in historical and theological context. The authors of this book demonstrate from the history of theology and science controversy that believers are entitled to differ over this issue, while still taking a stand against theistic evolution. But by carefully and constructively breaking down the controversy bit by bit, they show why the age issue is the wrong place to draw a line in the theological sand.
Readers will find the content stimulating, the tone charitable, and the documentation impressive. The goal of this book is to shed more light than heat on a complicated but contentious debate.
Contents
Preface
1. Science and Theology at War
2. The Copernican Conflict: How to Go to Heaven or How the Heavens Go?
3. Darwinism: A New Kind of Controversy Altogether
4. American Evangelical Responses to Darwinism: Setting the Stage
5. Flood, Fossils, and Strata: Geology and the Age of the Earth
6. Young Earth Creationism: Responding to Geology
7. Do Young Earth Creationists Practice Evolutionary Science?
8. Biblical Inerrancy and the Age of the Earth: Three Evangelical Approaches
9. Theological Triage: Drawing Doctrinal Boundaries
10. Patience and Peace
Controversy of the Ages carefully analyzes the debate by giving it perspective. Rather than offering arguments for or against a particular viewpoint on the age of the earth, the authors take a step back in order to put the debate in historical and theological context. The authors of this book demonstrate from the history of theology and science controversy that believers are entitled to differ over this issue, while still taking a stand against theistic evolution. But by carefully and constructively breaking down the controversy bit by bit, they show why the age issue is the wrong place to draw a line in the theological sand.
Readers will find the content stimulating, the tone charitable, and the documentation impressive. The goal of this book is to shed more light than heat on a complicated but contentious debate.
Contents
Preface
1. Science and Theology at War
2. The Copernican Conflict: How to Go to Heaven or How the Heavens Go?
3. Darwinism: A New Kind of Controversy Altogether
4. American Evangelical Responses to Darwinism: Setting the Stage
5. Flood, Fossils, and Strata: Geology and the Age of the Earth
6. Young Earth Creationism: Responding to Geology
7. Do Young Earth Creationists Practice Evolutionary Science?
8. Biblical Inerrancy and the Age of the Earth: Three Evangelical Approaches
9. Theological Triage: Drawing Doctrinal Boundaries
10. Patience and Peace
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2017
39 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 16, 2017
When I ordered this book, I wasn't quite sure what kind of book it would be. Here is what it is not: it is not an exegesis of Genesis 1. It's not a comparison of various views of Genesis 1 (at least in any detailed sense). What it is, however, is a call to approach the issue of the age of the earth carefully. More generally, it's a guide to how Christians can think about handling issues of science and biblical interpretation.
The authors (it seems that Cabal is the main author, though Rasor helped him when his health was weak) go back and review two times when biblical faith and scientific theories clashed. The first is the discovery that our solar system is heliocentric and not geocentric. This began with Copernicus and continued with Galileo. The myth is that Galileo taught that the earth orbits around the sun and therefore he was reprimanded by the Catholic Church. The truth, not surprisingly, is more complex. Copernicus's views were supported by Lutherans and Galileo was hardly an atheist out to disprove the Bible. In fact, the authors of this book show that we can learn a lot from Galileo's approach to the relationship between the Bible and science. They show that Galileo assumed that the Bible is true. Our interpretation of the Bible, however might need to be corrected. Ultimately, the Bible and nature cannot be in conflict. When scientific theories are new and not proven, traditional biblical interpretations can be maintained. If those theories are demonstrated to be true, then traditional interpretations of the Bible need to be revisited.
The second conflict was the rise of Darwinism in the nineteenth century. The authors demonstrate that many Christians of that time had various views on Darwinism. Those who most vigorously refuted Darwinism were actually old earth creationists (OEC). The day age theory was the most widely held view of conservative, evangelical Christians for some time, well into the twentieth century.
The authors then discuss the young earth creationism (YEC) movement, its strident claims, and how YECs often use mainstream "evolutionary" science (that's what the YECs call any use of mainstream science) to buttress their biblical interpretations, though they harshly criticize OECs for doing so.
In the end, Cabal says he thinks the earth is likely quite old (he once was a YEC), but he rightly says that this issue is not a first-tier theological one. (The Bible never makes this a big issue, the way it does about justification by faith alone, or the identity of Jesus, for example.) Therefore, Christians committed to biblical inerrancy can hold different views. Cabal does criticize BioLogos because, as a group, it doesn't affirm inerrancy (though some evolutionary creationists do).
Overall, this was a very worthy book to read. It's not the last word on the issue. There are many other important books on the topic. But it's a good one because it's well-researched, it has an irenic tone, and it calls for Christians to be careful about the charges that they level at each other.
One minor issue: I'm not familiar with the Weaver Book Company, the publisher. I found a few errors in the book, some just typos, but occasionally an important word was wrong. I assume these errors were something that editors at a larger publishing company would have caught.
(Finished on August 4, 2017.)
The authors (it seems that Cabal is the main author, though Rasor helped him when his health was weak) go back and review two times when biblical faith and scientific theories clashed. The first is the discovery that our solar system is heliocentric and not geocentric. This began with Copernicus and continued with Galileo. The myth is that Galileo taught that the earth orbits around the sun and therefore he was reprimanded by the Catholic Church. The truth, not surprisingly, is more complex. Copernicus's views were supported by Lutherans and Galileo was hardly an atheist out to disprove the Bible. In fact, the authors of this book show that we can learn a lot from Galileo's approach to the relationship between the Bible and science. They show that Galileo assumed that the Bible is true. Our interpretation of the Bible, however might need to be corrected. Ultimately, the Bible and nature cannot be in conflict. When scientific theories are new and not proven, traditional biblical interpretations can be maintained. If those theories are demonstrated to be true, then traditional interpretations of the Bible need to be revisited.
The second conflict was the rise of Darwinism in the nineteenth century. The authors demonstrate that many Christians of that time had various views on Darwinism. Those who most vigorously refuted Darwinism were actually old earth creationists (OEC). The day age theory was the most widely held view of conservative, evangelical Christians for some time, well into the twentieth century.
The authors then discuss the young earth creationism (YEC) movement, its strident claims, and how YECs often use mainstream "evolutionary" science (that's what the YECs call any use of mainstream science) to buttress their biblical interpretations, though they harshly criticize OECs for doing so.
In the end, Cabal says he thinks the earth is likely quite old (he once was a YEC), but he rightly says that this issue is not a first-tier theological one. (The Bible never makes this a big issue, the way it does about justification by faith alone, or the identity of Jesus, for example.) Therefore, Christians committed to biblical inerrancy can hold different views. Cabal does criticize BioLogos because, as a group, it doesn't affirm inerrancy (though some evolutionary creationists do).
Overall, this was a very worthy book to read. It's not the last word on the issue. There are many other important books on the topic. But it's a good one because it's well-researched, it has an irenic tone, and it calls for Christians to be careful about the charges that they level at each other.
One minor issue: I'm not familiar with the Weaver Book Company, the publisher. I found a few errors in the book, some just typos, but occasionally an important word was wrong. I assume these errors were something that editors at a larger publishing company would have caught.
(Finished on August 4, 2017.)
October 7, 2025
Interesting book. I found it in a free box of books. I disagree with the authors point of view- but agree with some of what he says. I don’t quite like all he says in his stance on YEC, but it also seems he comes from a place of having been hurt by that community- or having seen others be hurt by them. Interesting read
February 4, 2022
Three takeaways: (1) The age of the earth is not an issue worth dividing over. (2) Tracing the development of conversations over time – like this book's historical exploration of the Christianity and science debate – gives necessary color to contemporary theological discussion. (3) Save yourself the time and read a couple of articles on Christianity and science debate and the age of the earth debate.
January 9, 2022
This book should be a prerequisite for any Christian desiring to engage in debate about the age of the earth. For one, it offers an excellent historical survey of the debates within the church on this topic from the advent of modern geology and Darwinism to the present. Second and most importantly, rather than arguing for one position over another, it levels the playing field between the major camps of Evolutionary Creationism (EC), Old Earth Creationism (OEC), and Young Earth Creationism (YEC). YEC has enjoyed dominance in conservative evangelicalism since the 1960s, but Cabal brings to light that this was not always so, nor should it be considered the privileged or the default view. While YEC often portrays itself as the only camp that does not submit Scripture to science, Cabal dismantles this myth. He makes clear that all three camps make use of and rely on modern scientific assumptions, and it does not necessarily follow from this that they are undermining the authority of Scripture. (BioLogos is one example of a group that has actually crossed that line by giving voice to writers who explicitly deny the inerrancy of Scripture.)
A right approach to this debate is what Cabal calls ‘theological conservatism,’ one that was practiced by Galileo in the controversy over Copernican astronomy. Galileo held to three assumptions: 1) Scripture is without error, 2) Scripture and nature can never disagree, and 3) A traditional interpretation should never be thrown out unless proven otherwise by science. It should be noted that even if a traditional interpretation is thrown out, it is the interpretation, and not Scripture itself that is dismissed. This cautious approach was used by the church in the centuries following the introduction of heliocentrism, and Cabal argues that it should be practiced today in debates about the age of the earth.
Cabal also advocates for Mohler’s practice of ‘theological triage,’ where doctrines are categorized by 1) Essentials to the faith, 2) Those that are important enough to separate churches and denominations, and 3) Those that Christians can disagree on yet still fellowship and worship together. Some groups like Answers in Genesis elevate the age of the earth to a level 1 issue - even calling it a ‘gospel issue.’ Cabal makes a strong case that this is not an essential doctrine, so there is no place in these debates for dogmatism. Rather, these discussions should be characterized by mutual respect and grace.
What makes this book so exceptional is that Cabal practices what he preaches. The book’s irenic tone is a breath of fresh air, speaking the truth where needed, but always in a spirit of gentleness. If more participants in this debate could dialogue with this kind of attitude, I think we would find that we all share much more common ground than we think.
A right approach to this debate is what Cabal calls ‘theological conservatism,’ one that was practiced by Galileo in the controversy over Copernican astronomy. Galileo held to three assumptions: 1) Scripture is without error, 2) Scripture and nature can never disagree, and 3) A traditional interpretation should never be thrown out unless proven otherwise by science. It should be noted that even if a traditional interpretation is thrown out, it is the interpretation, and not Scripture itself that is dismissed. This cautious approach was used by the church in the centuries following the introduction of heliocentrism, and Cabal argues that it should be practiced today in debates about the age of the earth.
Cabal also advocates for Mohler’s practice of ‘theological triage,’ where doctrines are categorized by 1) Essentials to the faith, 2) Those that are important enough to separate churches and denominations, and 3) Those that Christians can disagree on yet still fellowship and worship together. Some groups like Answers in Genesis elevate the age of the earth to a level 1 issue - even calling it a ‘gospel issue.’ Cabal makes a strong case that this is not an essential doctrine, so there is no place in these debates for dogmatism. Rather, these discussions should be characterized by mutual respect and grace.
What makes this book so exceptional is that Cabal practices what he preaches. The book’s irenic tone is a breath of fresh air, speaking the truth where needed, but always in a spirit of gentleness. If more participants in this debate could dialogue with this kind of attitude, I think we would find that we all share much more common ground than we think.
November 17, 2020
This is an excellent entry point into a conversation that has been going on for centuries about the supposed tension between science and religion. Cabal makes the point that for the vast majority of Western Civilization these two have worked quite harmoniously together with two major exceptions.
The heliocentrism vs. geocentrism controversy in the sixteenth century was between the traditional Aristotilian scientists backed by the papacy and Galileo and a growing number of contemporary astronomers of the day. Contrary to how the conflict is perceived today, Galileo was fully in support of the complete reliability of Scripture, but he rightly understood that the official interpretations of several Biblical passages was incorrect based on his observations and scientific calculations of the movement of heavenly bodies. Cabal explains and analyzes the situation that developed over a period of years, and then takes lessons for how the church should relate to science, especially when science seems to contradict the teachings of Christianity.
The second major controversy between science and religion is going on today, and that is the conflict of Darwinism and Christianity. Cabal traces the controversy from its earliest beginnings, bringing in other scientists and their findings, to complete the picture of where Christianity is today with respect to evolutionary theory. There are three major Christian viewpoints today with a variety of variations within each. Cabal helpfully discusses the origins and ideas of each one(Young Earth Creationism, Old Earth Creationism, and Evolutionary Creationism) along with the major organizations that support each(Answers in Genesis, Reasons to Believe, and Biologos respectively).
In the end, the author concludes that, while important for Christians, this issue should rightly be considered a 2nd or 3rd order issue, not a 1st order doctrine. Christians must affirm the inerrancy of Scripture as a 1st order doctrine, not elevating scientific conclusions above its authority. They also must realize that there must be a mechanism for true scientific observation of God's creation to help with theological interpretation. Humans are fallible interpreters of Scripture and can err. It is wise and safe for Christians to take a 'wait and see' kind of approach when a new scientific conclusion comes out that seems to contradict Scripture. Scripture is always accurate in all its details, but sometimes theologians and pastors have not interpreted accurately and should be willing to humbly look at areas where they may have gotten it wrong.
All in all, a well-researched, informative book for Christians to be informed on this highly contested subject.
The heliocentrism vs. geocentrism controversy in the sixteenth century was between the traditional Aristotilian scientists backed by the papacy and Galileo and a growing number of contemporary astronomers of the day. Contrary to how the conflict is perceived today, Galileo was fully in support of the complete reliability of Scripture, but he rightly understood that the official interpretations of several Biblical passages was incorrect based on his observations and scientific calculations of the movement of heavenly bodies. Cabal explains and analyzes the situation that developed over a period of years, and then takes lessons for how the church should relate to science, especially when science seems to contradict the teachings of Christianity.
The second major controversy between science and religion is going on today, and that is the conflict of Darwinism and Christianity. Cabal traces the controversy from its earliest beginnings, bringing in other scientists and their findings, to complete the picture of where Christianity is today with respect to evolutionary theory. There are three major Christian viewpoints today with a variety of variations within each. Cabal helpfully discusses the origins and ideas of each one(Young Earth Creationism, Old Earth Creationism, and Evolutionary Creationism) along with the major organizations that support each(Answers in Genesis, Reasons to Believe, and Biologos respectively).
In the end, the author concludes that, while important for Christians, this issue should rightly be considered a 2nd or 3rd order issue, not a 1st order doctrine. Christians must affirm the inerrancy of Scripture as a 1st order doctrine, not elevating scientific conclusions above its authority. They also must realize that there must be a mechanism for true scientific observation of God's creation to help with theological interpretation. Humans are fallible interpreters of Scripture and can err. It is wise and safe for Christians to take a 'wait and see' kind of approach when a new scientific conclusion comes out that seems to contradict Scripture. Scripture is always accurate in all its details, but sometimes theologians and pastors have not interpreted accurately and should be willing to humbly look at areas where they may have gotten it wrong.
All in all, a well-researched, informative book for Christians to be informed on this highly contested subject.
July 2, 2023
A very reasonable proposal. His comparison to the Copernican controversies are helpful for getting some of our current moment figured out.
It is true that the age of the earth is less important than affirming a historical Adam, creation out of nothing, etc. Especially as it comes to proclaiming anathemas, we should really be better in evangelical circles.
Howerver, one major question this book does not seem to answer to me is a big difference between this and the Copernican/heliocentric revolution.
In that controversy, the phenomena that science was observing were still going on! So science could undoubtedly advance and show not what HAD happened, but what DOES happen.
I am just not very convinced of science's ability to reconstruct for us a sort of "history" or sense of our past. Thus, one wonders if we are forever stuck in the second part of Galileo's questions? Is evolution plausible enough that YEC and OEC will just have to agree to disagree forever? Maybe. And, frankly, that's not such a terrible fate if it is.
But if science is not equipped to reconstruct a part for us to know our origins, then this becomes a hermeneutical consideration. One wonders, if that is the case, what conditions for evolution in this discussion to occur would be.
That aside, I think the authors succeeds very well in their major premise. And I found some of the data on fossil columns and soil stratas complex and causing me to be more cautious in my own proclamation of history. I am grateful they didn't just take aim at AiG (easy enough to do) and let BioLogos off the hook. They are fair and note that their support for both is hindered by poor handling of God's word on both fronts.
Overall, one of the better books on this I have read. But a really great book in this vein will breed more one-mindedness on biblical interpretation. We shall see if such a species of book exists or ever can come to exist. Otherwise, let us remain charitable and patient until Christ returns.
It is true that the age of the earth is less important than affirming a historical Adam, creation out of nothing, etc. Especially as it comes to proclaiming anathemas, we should really be better in evangelical circles.
Howerver, one major question this book does not seem to answer to me is a big difference between this and the Copernican/heliocentric revolution.
In that controversy, the phenomena that science was observing were still going on! So science could undoubtedly advance and show not what HAD happened, but what DOES happen.
I am just not very convinced of science's ability to reconstruct for us a sort of "history" or sense of our past. Thus, one wonders if we are forever stuck in the second part of Galileo's questions? Is evolution plausible enough that YEC and OEC will just have to agree to disagree forever? Maybe. And, frankly, that's not such a terrible fate if it is.
But if science is not equipped to reconstruct a part for us to know our origins, then this becomes a hermeneutical consideration. One wonders, if that is the case, what conditions for evolution in this discussion to occur would be.
That aside, I think the authors succeeds very well in their major premise. And I found some of the data on fossil columns and soil stratas complex and causing me to be more cautious in my own proclamation of history. I am grateful they didn't just take aim at AiG (easy enough to do) and let BioLogos off the hook. They are fair and note that their support for both is hindered by poor handling of God's word on both fronts.
Overall, one of the better books on this I have read. But a really great book in this vein will breed more one-mindedness on biblical interpretation. We shall see if such a species of book exists or ever can come to exist. Otherwise, let us remain charitable and patient until Christ returns.
December 5, 2025
I found this book to be a very helpful voice in the midst of an oftentimes vitriolic atmosphere of age-of-earth debates. The author critiques organizations from a variety of perspectives, most substantially Answers in Genesis, BioLogos, and Reasons to Believe. While his old-earth bias certainly comes out, I believe his main point is necessary, that the age of the earth is not an issue worth dividing over as evangelical Christians. A commitment to inerrancy is not to be confused with different interpretations of the inerrant text, for this issue. “Distinguishing inspiration and interpretation is both necessary and important” (185). Worth the read.
July 26, 2024
A very helpful book discussing Christian viewpoints on the age of the earth and the history behind them. Cabal looks at the Christian reactions to Copernicus and to Darwin, where he argues that Christianity is not at odds with science. Then he looks at various reactions to Darwin and evaluates the manner and philosophy behind each movement.
Overall a helpful book for how Christians can think about science and the Bible.
Overall a helpful book for how Christians can think about science and the Bible.
September 23, 2024
For school. 2.5 ⭐️
June 3, 2017
This book examines the Bible-science dialogue from the viewpoint of the three major evangelical Christian groups that focus on the age of the earth and biological evolution, namely Young Earth Creationism (represented here by Answers in Genesis), Old Earth Creationism (represented here by Reasons to Believe), and Evolutionary Creationism (represented here by BioLogos).
The book includes extensive discussions of the lengthy geocentrism-heliocentrism debate and the scientific and theological reactions to Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” a brief history of the rise of modern evangelicalism and the rise of modern Young Earth Creationism, a detailed history of the development of geology, including the scriptural geologists, and brief histories of the American Scientific Affiliation, Answers in Genesis, Reasons to Believe, BioLogos, and the Intelligent Design Movement.
The authors insist on referring to biological evolution as Darwinism, ignoring the fact that our understanding of biological evolution has progressed way beyond what Darwin described in 1859. They conflate biological evolution with Darwinism while defining Darwinism as including sociobiology and evolutionary psychology. This leads to them frequently overstating their case against Darwinism. The authors’ arguments are against Darwinism more so than against biological evolution.
They note a number of inconsistencies among Young Earth Creationists. They correctly call out Answers in Genesis for making “the confusing and misleading claim that YEC is a gospel issue.” (p. 202)
Another problem is that the two places where the authors purport to discuss the BioLogos position turn out to be: (1) a lengthy discussion of Kenton Sparks’ 2010 BioLogos scholarly essay, “After Inerrancy: Evangelicals and the Bible in a Postmodern Age,“ implying that it applies to BioLogos in general, and (2) a lengthy discussion describing the nuances of B. B. Warfield’s cautious acceptance of biological evolution and criticizing BioLogos for not being equally cautious over one hundred years later, instead of discussing BioLogos’ position.
The authors are big on what they call the theological conservation principle, which they define as erring on the side of caution when faced with abandoning traditional biblical interpretations, and only cautiously amending those interpretations over time when clear evidence demonstrates the tradition wrong.
They claim that “BioLogos promotes acceptance of dangerous anti-inerrancy viewpoints.” (p. 206), and that “Yet just based on its extremely loose doctrine of the Bible, I could never recommend BioLogos as a constructive resource for the church." (p. 217)
The authors conclude that Christians are entitled to differ over the age of the earth while still taking a stand against theistic evolution, that the age of the earth is the wrong place to draw a line in the sand, and that it is okay to be uncertain about science-theology controversies.
This book is a very thorough, well-documented (840 footnotes, with references as recent as October, 2016), if somewhat biased, summary of the Bible-science dialogue among evangelical Christians. In spite of its shortcomings, I recommend it to anyone interested in the Bible-science dialogue.
The book includes extensive discussions of the lengthy geocentrism-heliocentrism debate and the scientific and theological reactions to Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” a brief history of the rise of modern evangelicalism and the rise of modern Young Earth Creationism, a detailed history of the development of geology, including the scriptural geologists, and brief histories of the American Scientific Affiliation, Answers in Genesis, Reasons to Believe, BioLogos, and the Intelligent Design Movement.
The authors insist on referring to biological evolution as Darwinism, ignoring the fact that our understanding of biological evolution has progressed way beyond what Darwin described in 1859. They conflate biological evolution with Darwinism while defining Darwinism as including sociobiology and evolutionary psychology. This leads to them frequently overstating their case against Darwinism. The authors’ arguments are against Darwinism more so than against biological evolution.
They note a number of inconsistencies among Young Earth Creationists. They correctly call out Answers in Genesis for making “the confusing and misleading claim that YEC is a gospel issue.” (p. 202)
Another problem is that the two places where the authors purport to discuss the BioLogos position turn out to be: (1) a lengthy discussion of Kenton Sparks’ 2010 BioLogos scholarly essay, “After Inerrancy: Evangelicals and the Bible in a Postmodern Age,“ implying that it applies to BioLogos in general, and (2) a lengthy discussion describing the nuances of B. B. Warfield’s cautious acceptance of biological evolution and criticizing BioLogos for not being equally cautious over one hundred years later, instead of discussing BioLogos’ position.
The authors are big on what they call the theological conservation principle, which they define as erring on the side of caution when faced with abandoning traditional biblical interpretations, and only cautiously amending those interpretations over time when clear evidence demonstrates the tradition wrong.
They claim that “BioLogos promotes acceptance of dangerous anti-inerrancy viewpoints.” (p. 206), and that “Yet just based on its extremely loose doctrine of the Bible, I could never recommend BioLogos as a constructive resource for the church." (p. 217)
The authors conclude that Christians are entitled to differ over the age of the earth while still taking a stand against theistic evolution, that the age of the earth is the wrong place to draw a line in the sand, and that it is okay to be uncertain about science-theology controversies.
This book is a very thorough, well-documented (840 footnotes, with references as recent as October, 2016), if somewhat biased, summary of the Bible-science dialogue among evangelical Christians. In spite of its shortcomings, I recommend it to anyone interested in the Bible-science dialogue.
November 29, 2025
3.6/5
Solid book for helping Christians understand the age of the earth controversy from an historical perspective. Tracing the history of the science and theology conflict in the church and then the age of the earth conflict in the church was very helpful. I appreciated the sustained critique of Answers in Genesis for their unbiblical insistence that the age of the earth is a key issue. It is a ministry that consistently divides, maligns, and casts doubt on genuine Christians and should, at this point, be largely ignored. I also appreciated the critique of Biologos (whom I had not heard of before) and the theistic evolution position. There are certainly Christians who are theistic evolutionists, but I find it a very hard position to square with the Bible's presentation of man and the creation of the world. It is not impossible, it just needs to be done very carefully, and even then, I find the positions to be more scientific than biblical. We must always be careful of reading science back into the Bible when it is not a scientific text book. We must also be careful in changing our positions on interpretations of texts because science appears to contradict it. There was a thorough discussion of the conservative hermeneutic and its goodness to protect against bad interpretations. This is my one hesitancy with the position that the days in Genesis one should not be taken literally. Augustine, writing in the 5th century, argued the days shouldn't be taken literally but that was because of his reading of the text and comparing Genesis one with two. That arguing arises from the text. In the modern context, those same arguments may be employed, but it's to support an already assumed position, which means your position is guiding interpretation more than you're letting the Bible speak on its own.
This is, rightly, a masters level book and therefore not an easy read. It's not one you can read all the way through without it demanding knowledge from you. This is not a weak point of the book, but a strength. I am glad for the robust scholarship in it even if I found myself lost for some sections. It just means I need to strengthen my understanding!
The one thing I wish the book would have had is an exegesis of Genesis one and two. Tracing the history of the science and theology conflict plus the age of the earth conflict is very helpful. However, you can't really write off or support certain interpretations of Genesis one and two by pointing out hypocrisy, historical contradictions, or historical consistency alone. You have to show what the Bible argues and from there analyze the various positions. It's perfectly fine to say that we need not take the days in Genesis one to be literal, but it should be shown from the text. If they are to be interpreted literally, then that constrains the positions that can be taken. If the text does not argue for them to be literal days, then there are more acceptable positions Christians can take.
Solid book for helping Christians understand the age of the earth controversy from an historical perspective. Tracing the history of the science and theology conflict in the church and then the age of the earth conflict in the church was very helpful. I appreciated the sustained critique of Answers in Genesis for their unbiblical insistence that the age of the earth is a key issue. It is a ministry that consistently divides, maligns, and casts doubt on genuine Christians and should, at this point, be largely ignored. I also appreciated the critique of Biologos (whom I had not heard of before) and the theistic evolution position. There are certainly Christians who are theistic evolutionists, but I find it a very hard position to square with the Bible's presentation of man and the creation of the world. It is not impossible, it just needs to be done very carefully, and even then, I find the positions to be more scientific than biblical. We must always be careful of reading science back into the Bible when it is not a scientific text book. We must also be careful in changing our positions on interpretations of texts because science appears to contradict it. There was a thorough discussion of the conservative hermeneutic and its goodness to protect against bad interpretations. This is my one hesitancy with the position that the days in Genesis one should not be taken literally. Augustine, writing in the 5th century, argued the days shouldn't be taken literally but that was because of his reading of the text and comparing Genesis one with two. That arguing arises from the text. In the modern context, those same arguments may be employed, but it's to support an already assumed position, which means your position is guiding interpretation more than you're letting the Bible speak on its own.
This is, rightly, a masters level book and therefore not an easy read. It's not one you can read all the way through without it demanding knowledge from you. This is not a weak point of the book, but a strength. I am glad for the robust scholarship in it even if I found myself lost for some sections. It just means I need to strengthen my understanding!
The one thing I wish the book would have had is an exegesis of Genesis one and two. Tracing the history of the science and theology conflict plus the age of the earth conflict is very helpful. However, you can't really write off or support certain interpretations of Genesis one and two by pointing out hypocrisy, historical contradictions, or historical consistency alone. You have to show what the Bible argues and from there analyze the various positions. It's perfectly fine to say that we need not take the days in Genesis one to be literal, but it should be shown from the text. If they are to be interpreted literally, then that constrains the positions that can be taken. If the text does not argue for them to be literal days, then there are more acceptable positions Christians can take.
February 8, 2019
This is an important book on the discussion of the age of the earth. It is not an argument for a particular view but, rather, an in-house discussion of how Christians have responded to one another in the past and how they should respond. Cabal starts with a history of how Christians have viewed the relationship of science and the Bible as well as the historical understanding of the age of the earth. Then he moves to the views of today, and the ways in which this issue has caused Christians to divide.
Cabal is a conservative evangelical who believes in inerrancy while holding to Old Earth Creationism. This is a position that many Young Earth Creationists have a hard time reconciling, especially given the rhetoric from some YEC leaders and organizations, particularly Answers in Genesis. Cabal gives a sharp rebuke of Answers in Genesis for how they speak about other Christians who agree on major points of doctrine, including inerrancy, yet disagree as to the age of the earth. Among other things, he persuasively shows inconsistencies in how AiG and other YEC proponents often use the same kind of scientific reasoning to guide their interpretation of Scriptures that they criticize in OEC believers. Cabal argues persuasively that, if the issue is not a gospel issue (as most YEC proponents will admit), then we should allow for liberty for different views on this issue. The book is thoroughly documented and is a must read for anyone interested in the history of how Christians have viewed the age of the earth, science, and the Bible.
Cabal is a conservative evangelical who believes in inerrancy while holding to Old Earth Creationism. This is a position that many Young Earth Creationists have a hard time reconciling, especially given the rhetoric from some YEC leaders and organizations, particularly Answers in Genesis. Cabal gives a sharp rebuke of Answers in Genesis for how they speak about other Christians who agree on major points of doctrine, including inerrancy, yet disagree as to the age of the earth. Among other things, he persuasively shows inconsistencies in how AiG and other YEC proponents often use the same kind of scientific reasoning to guide their interpretation of Scriptures that they criticize in OEC believers. Cabal argues persuasively that, if the issue is not a gospel issue (as most YEC proponents will admit), then we should allow for liberty for different views on this issue. The book is thoroughly documented and is a must read for anyone interested in the history of how Christians have viewed the age of the earth, science, and the Bible.
August 25, 2020
An informative book laying out (and critiquing) the various viewpoints on the age of the earth in the present--young earth creationism (YEC, see Answers in Genesis), old earth creationism (OEC, see Reasons to Believe), and evolutionary creationism (EC, see BioLogos); and the past, especially in regards to the Copernican revolution and how the church wrestled with science and biblical interpretation at that time.
Couple fascinating points:
*Answers in Genesis' IRS financial report as of 2014 are several times larger than Reasons to Believe or BioLogos in the same year.
*BB Warfield, the great turn of the twentieth-century defender of biblical inerrancy, though not a Darwinist but was quite friendly with evolution.
*Young Earth Creationist's appear to have lots of roots in Seventh-Day Adventist thinkers.
*The frontline defenders of biblical authority against liberalism during the fundamentalist controversies of early-to-mid 1900s were Old Earth-ers, while now Young Earth-ers would consider that there own hallmark.
*Answers in Genesis has a tendency to make their views "gospel"-issues and first-tier doctrines.
*BioLogos' view of Scripture is far too loose.
*Galileo's opinion still holds in regards to science/faith and literal/figurative tensions: "'though Scripture cannot err, nevertheless some of its interpreters and expositors can sometimes err in various ways.'" (quoted on page 44).
Couple fascinating points:
*Answers in Genesis' IRS financial report as of 2014 are several times larger than Reasons to Believe or BioLogos in the same year.
*BB Warfield, the great turn of the twentieth-century defender of biblical inerrancy, though not a Darwinist but was quite friendly with evolution.
*Young Earth Creationist's appear to have lots of roots in Seventh-Day Adventist thinkers.
*The frontline defenders of biblical authority against liberalism during the fundamentalist controversies of early-to-mid 1900s were Old Earth-ers, while now Young Earth-ers would consider that there own hallmark.
*Answers in Genesis has a tendency to make their views "gospel"-issues and first-tier doctrines.
*BioLogos' view of Scripture is far too loose.
*Galileo's opinion still holds in regards to science/faith and literal/figurative tensions: "'though Scripture cannot err, nevertheless some of its interpreters and expositors can sometimes err in various ways.'" (quoted on page 44).
May 20, 2018
Controversy of the Ages covers the Christian debate into the Age of Earth and how to deal with science and faith in general by reminding its readers that Christians should not divide over such issues. This book focuses on the three major groups of philosophical study with the group that spouts the philosophy in parentheses such as Old Earth Creationism (Reasons to Believe), Young Earth Creationism (Answers in Genesis) and Evolutionary Creationism (BioLogos). This book also provides an overview of the debate between religion and science by looking at Copernicus and Galileo and finally Darwin through the Scopes Monkey Trial. It seeks to put a proper debate on what happened within the church and a reminder that many of the debates were not scientific but theological in nature. The book then covers the major groups and their philosophies providing an overview of each. Overall though with all of these points aside the main crux of the argument is that Christians should consider this a tertiary issue and not something to divide over regarding reasons to believe in Christ. This side debate distracts from the real work of the church. Well written and articulated and for those interested in a summary of the ongoing age of the earth debate and why they should not get worked up about it this is a good read.
January 31, 2019
This book offers in-depth insight on an issue laden with emotional responses. First, the authors provide historical framework often unknown about the various science/theology clashes of the past. Then they go on to examine the history of the "Age of the Earth Controversy." The book moves to identify the three major evangelical creation ministries and those polarizing positions. The authors offer critiques and strengths of the various ministries as well as the internal inconsistencies each of the ministries. Throughout the work a model for dealing with science/theology clashes, "the conservative principal," is used as a weighing mechanism for negotiating complex science/theology problems. The authors stress that the "Age of the Earth" should be thought of as a tertiary doctrine not as a primary doctrinal matter. The authors are fair but heavy handed with Young Earth Creationist as well as Old Earth Creationist and BioLogos for elevating this issue and muddying the water for most evangelicals on this matter.
The book is not written in elevated language, and it does not lack for depth. It is a worth while read for any Christian who has at times struggled to negotiate the various campus and the rhetoric offices by them on this matter.
The book is not written in elevated language, and it does not lack for depth. It is a worth while read for any Christian who has at times struggled to negotiate the various campus and the rhetoric offices by them on this matter.
September 12, 2023
This was a very helpful read, written with an irenic tone. I learned so much about Galileo, Copernicus, the Roman Catholic Church, and historic science-religion debates. This is a great read to get in the hands of your more vociferous friends, no matter where they end up in this debate, because it provides so much more context on the history of the creation-evolution debates. I thought that Cabal and Rasor did a good job of putting their cards on the table, yet remaining helpfully objective. The latter portion of the book takes an in-depth look at three well-known ministries: Answers in Genesis, Reasons to Believe, and BioLogos. The end was very well done, contrasting, critiquing and engaging with these ministries, their views, their emphases, their deficiencies and even their tone. Overall, a recommended book.
March 24, 2018
This is an excellent book, but I am also a bit depressed that such a book needed to be written. Ultimately the book discusses the three major Christian views on Genesis and origins as championed by the organisations Answers in Genesis, Reason to Believe and Biologos. The discusses how one should decide on key doctrines, and on what basis. Then, proceeds to show that it is irrational to select the age of the earth as a key doctrine for Christianity. Ultimately the book is gracious toward all viewpoints on origins but is critical toward the organisations: AiG due to their excessive (and false) rhetoric and Biologos for allowing or tolerating anti-biblical viewpoints. This is a book that I wish I could convince young earth creationists to read, but don’t hold out much hope.
April 8, 2018
This book had some interesting historical content, especially about the period of time when geologists were beginning to think that the earth appeared old. The style is a bit wordy, and it took some willpower to wade through the book, but much of the information is helpful and unique. My favorite chapter is the last, "Patience and Peace." It helped me realize that a majority of Christians may want to abstain from an opinion on the age of the earth, depending on the role of science in their life. An old-earth view should never be criticized as an indication of worldliness, and a young-earth view should be treated with respect. For those outside the church, the age of the earth should not be a stumbling block to consideration of the Christian faith.
July 9, 2019
Cabal examines the controversy surrounding the age of the earth--the issues, the major players, the dividing lines. He doesn't go in depth into the facts of the debate, he focused more on the history of the debate itself.
He contrasts YEC, OEC, and Evolutionary Creationism, and their treatment of the other sides in the controversy, calling for reconciliation--partocularly between OEC and YEC.
I would've liked more information on the facts of the issues, but that wasn't within the scope of the book.
With a history inside of ministries that would gladly divide for the sake of YEC, this was an especially helpful book!
He contrasts YEC, OEC, and Evolutionary Creationism, and their treatment of the other sides in the controversy, calling for reconciliation--partocularly between OEC and YEC.
I would've liked more information on the facts of the issues, but that wasn't within the scope of the book.
With a history inside of ministries that would gladly divide for the sake of YEC, this was an especially helpful book!
July 22, 2023
This is a fantastic book, maybe my favorite that I’ve read this year. Strikingly thoughtful and irenic while maintaining robust scholarship. Helpfully outlines the development of the age of the earth controversy, as well as giving the history of the alleged warfare between religion and science. The dismantlement of the Draper-White Hypothesis (conflict theory) alone is worth the price of the book and I’d love for everyone to see that the so called war between religion and science is little more than a myth. Wonderful book.
July 10, 2024
This is a fair, charitable treatment of the age of the earth issue.
Cabal makes his position clear both explicitly and implicitly by his critiques of other positions. The reason this book receives 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the lack of exegetical data. I understand that this was not a biblical theology, but since the issue is age of the earth, it would have been very nice to hear the exegetical arguments from the men in each camp.
Overall helpful and a promotor of charity with brothers and sisters who disagree on non-first-level issues.
Cabal makes his position clear both explicitly and implicitly by his critiques of other positions. The reason this book receives 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the lack of exegetical data. I understand that this was not a biblical theology, but since the issue is age of the earth, it would have been very nice to hear the exegetical arguments from the men in each camp.
Overall helpful and a promotor of charity with brothers and sisters who disagree on non-first-level issues.
May 26, 2019
I did like this book a lot but it was suuuuper long and boring to me over a topic of which I really don’t care much. A lot of things about AiG bother me, however, that I couldn’t put my finger on or be tactful about. This did it for me, and warned me about some other ministries. All in all, a very good and NECESSARY book but just not really my taste. I’m glad I read it though, it was needed!
June 28, 2020
Excellent. I highly recommend it if you want to gain an understanding of the last few centuries of Christian debates surrounding the age of the earth and evolution, whether you are a Christian or not. It also details the YEC/OEC/Theist evolutionist differences and critiques them all, although the author is a bit partial to OEC.
Good book!
Good book!
July 22, 2024
This book was a well-written and compelling work on why the age of the earth is not something to divide over. It had great historical engagement and insight on the relationship between theology and science, provided helpful critiques of the major evangelical resources on the topics of science, and ultimately helped put things into their proper place regarding importance.
October 4, 2017
This is an outstanding book, and very useful in understanding this discussion. The author presents his views, but is fair in his assessment/critique of all sides, letting them speak for themselves. Theological humility is key in this issue, and this book will help toward that end.
October 9, 2017
Fair, balanced and thorough treatment of the subject. I've never been terribly interested in the young earth/old earth debate, but I couldn't imagine a better introduction. Dr. Cabal was my dissertation supervisor, so I got to hear portions of this material in lectures. The book is even better.
January 13, 2022
Very balanced and comprehensive explanation of where different groups of Christians stand on the Bible vs. Science as it pertains to Creation and Evolution. I learned a lot and really enjoyed his chapter on Theological Triage!
November 13, 2023
Heavily academic and a tough/slow read, but helpful for thinking about having a charitable understanding to disagreements between young earth and old earth views and why Christian’s shouldn’t divide over them.
November 10, 2019
A very good expose on the extremes of both sides of the debate. Good science and history. Showed some common ground between the approaches.
January 15, 2022
A very well written account that clearly explains the various biblical positions on creation.
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