Someone is wrestling with the reality of different interpretations on various issues and how they might impact his faith journey. This captures much of his submission.
I really enjoyed your presentations I attended. One area covered was on the “days” of creation. It seems that Answers in Genesis would have you believe that the whole truth of the Bible hinges on their interpretation of Genesis and its timeline. You presented other interpretations that I found helpful. But my question is: how important is all this in my faith journey? Where does Room For Doubt actually fit into an understanding of the Christian faith? What does it mean not to have clear, concise answers to so many questions. What am I to do with so many interpretations, options, choices when the stakes are so high?
A RESPONSE.
Thanks so much for your gracious comments about the presentations. I’m very pleased to hear that you found them valuable. I greatly encourage you to continue your pursuit to know more, especially in a way that will positively impact your faith.
You are correct to infer that Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis put a great deal on what they consider to be the correct interpretation of the days of creation. In fact, Ken Ham and a co-author expressed it this way: “If you don’t get the first two chapters of the sacred text right, you cannot get the rest right either” (Already Compromised: Christian Colleges Took a Test on the State of Their Faith and the Final Exam is In, p. 33). For them, it comes down to a matter of accepting the authority of Scripture (or not).
As I indicated in the presentations, this is only one of several viable interpretations of the length of creation that are made by those who are clearly intent on accepting the authority of Scripture and interpreting it properly. While it is an important “in-house” issue, making it the “fork in the road,” so to speak, is unnecessary and unduly dogmatic. Even so, while it is not important for your faith journey to lock into a single, exclusive interpretation of the creation days, it is important that you come away with a deep conviction in the truth of the bigger picture of creation.
I propose that we focus on the core tenets of the Christian faith, which C. S. Lewis referred to as “mere Christianity.” These core beliefs can be discerned in Scripture, and they have been expressed in a string of church creeds (e.g., the Apostolic Creed, the Nicene Creed). I am not aware of any of them, including Scripture itself, that requires a specific belief in the length of the creation days. While it certainly appears that there are “so many interpretations, options, choices”—as you put it—it’s encouraging to know that Christians of all traditions have surprisingly strong agreement on the basic truths of the historic Christian faith.
I contend for an important distinction between “certainty” and “certitude.” Intellectual certainty in such historical and theological matters is simply not possible, due to various human limitations. However, I believe we can have certitude, which refers to a more comprehensive and sufficiently justified conviction that involves our intellect, our will, our conscience and moral sense, etc. Paul alludes to this in Romans 8:14-16 and 1 Thess. 1:4-5. Faith is inevitably about “things not seen”; and yet, it has “assurance” and “conviction” (Heb. 11:1 ESV).
If you’re curious about learning more on this, I highly recommend my little book, Truth About God: What Can We Know and How Can We Know It? I also have six short videos about that book. One of these would be especially helpful on this point. It’s Video 3: “Doubt and Knowing Truth About God.” You can access more information and these videos for free HERE.
I also recommend browsing through some of our articles on the Room For Doubt website. One article that might help is https://roomfordoubt.com/post/mere-christianity-defining-the-scope-of-what-needs-defense.
Please continue your search for satisfying conviction, even with the confusing array of options.
~ Dr. Rich Knopp
