This article provides a state-of-the-art appraisal of ancient Near Eastern chronologies in Mesopotamia and Egypt. It focuses on recent developments in both fields by assessing the current astronomical and historical bases for these chronologies and addressing the relative nature of chronology before the second millennium B.C. It documents the trend over the past sixty years to shorten the historical chronology of the Near East. Published in Origins n. 58.

Literature Review A review of the book By Design or By Chance? The Growing Controversy on the Origins of Life in the Universe. Published in Origins n. 58.

When all is said and done we are forced to answer the question that Yahweh posed to Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?." We are forced to admit that when it comes to origins, the entire human race is ignorant. The only way to pacify our ignorance is by exercising faith. The question is, “In what will you place your faith?”

In this paper we will take a look at the NT references to creation, discuss the contribution of Jesus and his disciples to the theology of creation, and draw some conclusions for our present situation.

The concept of a monotheistic God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, not a plurality of capricious gods, suggested the universality, consistency and coherence of His creation. Among the contingently created beings were humans created in God's own image. This led to "the idea that we lesser rational beings might, by virtue of that Godlike rationality, be able to decipher the laws of nature."

The claim that religion always gives way before the authority of science is discussed and challenged. Published in Origins n. 55.

This paper examines exegetically the Hebrew text of the biblical Creation story, paying close attention to its sounds, rhythm, words, syntax, literary structure in relation to its parallel text, and its literary genre and style, without ignoring its literary extrabiblical environment. Published in Origins n. 55.

Darwin's God: Evolution and the Problem of Evil. Published in Origins n. 55.

Creationism is a robust paradigm, fully capable of undergirding the scientific enterprise in the new millennium. Wider acceptance of creationism by the scientific community in the future will depend, in part, on how well theologians can convince scientists of the priceless value of revealed information.

There is general agreement that the weekly Sabbath is at least partly in view in Gen 2:l-3. The more controverted point is whether it is presented as a Creation ordinance, i.e., as something commanded for human beings to keep from the beginning of human history.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Review of the book, Annie's Box: Charles Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution. Published in Origins n. 53.

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.

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.

In two recent publications, Alister McGrath cites John Calvin in support of divine accommodation in a theory of origins. In order to evaluate the validity of McGrath's use of Calvin, it is necessary, first, to look briefly at the concept of divine accommodation and its use as a hermeneutical tool.

Literature Review

A review of Summer for the Gods. Published in Origins n. 51.