Articles

Show All Topics

Where Did the Light on the First Day of Creation Week Come From?

Davidson, R. M. (2003). , Perspective Digest, 8(2), 60-62.

Theologians have given a number of answers. In this short article, Dr. Davidson discusses five. Published on Perspective Digest 8, no. 2 (2003): 60–62.

Read More

The Biblical Account of Origins

In this paper we will take up each element of the creation story in turn, with special emphasis upon the “when” and aspects of the other elements that impinge upon the relationship between Scripture and science.

Download PDF

Basic Issues Between Science and Scripture: Theological Implications of Alternative Models and the Necessary Basis for the Sabbath in Genesis 1-2

This paper divides into four sections: (1) Some problems facing evolutionists and biblical creationists. (2) Alternate models for creation held by Bible believing scholars, including views held by some Seventh-day Adventist scholars. (3) The biblical record of creation with a literal week as a necessary basis for Sabbath-keeping. (4) The biblical meaning of the Sabbath as unfolded in biblical history, with its solid basis in the creation account.

Download PDF

The Creation Account in Genesis 1: Our World Only or the Universe?

The purpose of this paper is to discover whether the creation week as portrayed in Genesis 1 concerns only this world or the creation of the whole universe. To accomplish this purpose, we will examine contextually Genesis 1 and some of its significant wordings.

Download PDF

The Sabbath in the First Creation Account

The seventh day of the week, the Sabbath, plays a dominant role in the first Creation story, and the purpose of this article is to clarify major issues related to that fact.

Download PDF

The Documentary Hypothesis

The purpose of this paper is to present a brief historical sketch concerning the authorship of the Pentateuch, explain and evaluate the documentary hypothesis, and set forth some suggestions as to how Christians who take the Bible seriously should view this matter of pentateuchal composition.

Download PDF

The Theological Value of the Creation Account

Even while Genesis 1 and 2 remind us of God's perfect creation of long ago, it holds out the hope of a new creation, a world restored to its original perfection and beauty and harmony.

Read Article

The Hebrew Term ’ed in Gen 2,6 and Its Connection in Ancient Near Eastern Literature

An etymological, phonetic, philological, syntactical, grammatical, contextual, and conceptual study of the Hebrew word Ed, concluding that it is to be understood as “mist/dew" which arose from below, in a way that was distinct from normal rainfall from above, from river inundation, canal irrigation and other current proposals.

Read More

The First Week: A Believing Scientist Reads Genesis 1

The story of our origins is a vital part of our understanding of ourselves and our world. Although many details of creation are not well understood, the Genesis story of origins provides the logical foundation for the gospel. Both science and Scripture contain many mysteries, but we can see enough to understand that the creation is the result of intentional, supernatural action by a loving Creator, and we can share this good news with others.

Download Article

A Biblical Theology of Creation

A biblical theology of Creation is summarized in the four basics of reality contained in Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning," "God," "created," and "the heavens and the earth."

Download PDF

Compromised Biblical Creationism

Literature Reviews

A review of the book, Creation Compromises. Published in Origins v. 23, n. 1.

Read More

The Great Reversal: Thematic Links Between Genesis 2 and 3

A structural study of Genesis chapters 2 and 3 reveals the presence of a chiasm in the narrative and strongly suggests the unity of the story as argued by scholars.

Download PDF

Literary Structural Parallels Between Genesis 1 and 2

This study addresses the problem that is presented by the common literary critical appraoch to the two creation narratives in Genesis 1 and 2. Published in Origins v. 16, n. 2.

Read More

Does Genesis 2 Contradict Genesis 1?

One day a minister said to me, "There seems to be a contradiction between chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis. Chapter 1 tells us that God created the animals first and then created man, but chapter 2 says that God created man before the animals. How do you ex plain this difficult problem?"

Read Article

The Theology of Sexuality in the Beginning: Genesis 1-2

The first two chapters of the Bible deal directly with the question of human sexuality. Not only is human sexuality presented as a basic fact of creation, but an elucidation of the nature of sexuality constitutes a central part of the Creation accounts.

Download PDF

Some Notes on Translating Genesis 1:16

The translation of 1781 as the preposition "with" removes the anomaly of the stars being created on the fourth day of the creation week. It follows that the issue of the creation of the stars is not necessarily a specific topic within the horizon of the creation pericope of Gen 1:1-2:4a.

Download PDF

Two Sides of Several Questions

A review of the book, The Genesis Debate. Several questions regrding interprations of Genesis 1-11 are addressed, with both Yes and No responses representing different points of view. Published in Origins v. 14, n. 1.

Read More

Beyond Arithmetic: the Truth of Creation

Throughout the Old Testament the phrase, "the heavens and the earth," is used as the nearest Hebrew equivalent to our term, "universe."

Download PDF

Genesis One in Historical-critical Perspective

I hope to illustrate how an approach that attends to the culture, history, philosophy and religion of the Bible's time and place can enhance our understanding of its message.

Download PDF

The Doctrine of Beginnings

The way we perceive God, the way we look at the world around us, and the way we understand our own selves all have their roots in the opening verse of Scripture: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

Read Article