There is no lack of books that take a side and make a case for the age of the earth. Many excellent books are available that dig into nuances of Hebrew and esoteric scientific principles. There is, however, one important perspective missing, and that is the big picture. Why do Christians divide themselves so strongly on the issue of science and faith? Who do we 'Bible-believers' oppose each other with animosity and heated rhetoric when it comes to the first three chapters of the Bible? The answer can be boiled down to one issue with far-reaching implications. Far beyond time, the young-earth and old-earth creation camps are built on two very different worldviews. Essentially the difference boils down to two small words: 'very good.' What did the Creator mean when He pronounced His creation very good? At its heart, the young earth movement is built on a sentimental notion of what a 'very good' world must have been like. Whereas the young earth view sees the original creation as a pristine, perfect paradise with no possibility for suffering or anything unseemly, the proper ancient creation perspective sees the creation of this world as perfectly suited to the Creator's perfect plan. It was the perfect means to accomplish His perfect purpose - that is to glorify Himself. Peril in Paradise begins by developing a theological framework for an ancient creation that is grounded in conservative evangelical theology. Then it deconstructs the implications of the young earth paradigm - from scripture andscience - to demonstrate that it is internally inconsistent and contrary to sound theology. Finally the book thoroughly analyses the central issue - animal death before the fall of man. |
