The Age of the Earth: Theological and Science Perspectives

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Sources’ Summary
Connections to Contemporary Issues
Connection to the Context, Religion, and Age of Earth
Evaluation and Reaction
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The topic of the age of the Earth is a matter of debate between theologists and scientists. For the former, the answer is linked to God creating the Earth, while the latter try to discover methods that would provide hints and evidence of the actual date on which the Earth emerged. This paper will summarize the views of different authors on the issue of Earth’s age and discuss the connection of their views to modern problems and theological perspectives.

Sources’ Summary

Creationism is one of the central belief systems that the majority of religious people adhere to. According to de Pomerai and Harris, creationists believe that the Earth is only approximately 6,000 years old (2). The fact that from a scientific perspective, it appears older is merely the divine will of God. Christian young-earth creationism (YEC), in particular, rejects the biological evolution theory (de Pomerai and Harris 2).

The conflict between creationism and evolutionism is evident because if the former is false, the sacred texts such as the Bible and their context can be questioned (Age of Earth and Universe). Hence, from a theological perspective, the question of the Earth’s age implies several other issues that would be used to disprove a religion’s worthiness. King states that there are other inconsistencies in the Bible’s portrayal of Earth, such as the idea that it was created before the solar system (1). However, this points to the fact that during Biblical times, the understanding of chronology and celestial bodies differed from the contemporary one.

Evidently, scientists and theologists have a different outlook on how the age of Earth can be determined and the meaning of it for humanity. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s article suggest that science has substituted religion in many areas of social life (The Intersections of Science and Religion). However, modern science does not provide answers to all questions, even those regarding biological evolution, which is where religion can help people find insight. However, Musharraf et al. acknowledge that there is a lack of agreement on defining how life on Earth began and the creation of Earth itself because the opposing sides offer different outlooks (1). Thus, although religion and science can coexist, the fundamental question of Earth’s age creates disagreement between the two viewpoints.

Although there are several theoretical and theological concepts related to the age of Earth, scientists have tried to find answers to this question that would be supported by evidence. The biological evolution theory, in particular, explains how the species on Earth developed over the years and directly conflicts with the young Earth theory. According to Poirier, the scientific experiments aimed at determining the exact age of this planet date back to 1775 when Buffon held his cannonball study (223). The goal was to determine how much time is needed for a cannonball to cool down. However, this experiment had many flaws, including the fact that in order to apply the findings to the Earth, one would have to assume that it is made out of iron, similarly to cannonballs.

Currently, scientists believe that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old with a possible deviation of 50 million years (National Geographic). The scientists use radiometry and apply it to the rocks, which helps them determine their age. However, this theory also has flaws because stones tend to get recycled, which is why evidence from other sources is needed to support this age hypothesis (National Geographic).

According to Biologos, the scientists have actually used different approaches to prove their hypothesis about the Earth’s age, for example, by examining the different layers of ice (How are the Ages of the Earth and Universe Calculated?). Moreover, apart from reviewing the evidence from the Earth, the scientists used dating methods to study the rocks from the moon, which also supports the 4.5 billion years hypothesis. Astronomers applied their knowledge of the speed of light and the distance to different stars to define the time needed to see the light from a star on Earth (How are the Ages of the Earth and Universe Calculated?). Hence, scientists have collected a large amount of evidence to support their hypothesis that the age of Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years.

Connections to Contemporary Issues

The issue of the age of Earth and the scientific versus theological interpretation of it is linked to the diminishing role of religion in people’s lives. Moreover, this question plays a role in defining the potential intersection between the sciences and religion. Before the 19^th century, most people relied on religion as a source of support and hope. However, science provided them with many remedies and prolonged lives (The Intersections of Science and Religion). For example, instead of prayers that were used to ask for good health, scientists developed the medication. Prior to the 19^th century, most families lost at least one child due to diseases, which is not the case now (The Intersections of Science and Religion). Hence, the role of religion is being redefined, and theologists have to work towards incorporating it into the modern context to preserve people’s faith. However, the different views on fundamental questions such as Earth’s age can be a severe barrier to finding this intersection.

Musharraf et al. also acknowledge that the debate about the age of Earth is the focal point of disagreements between scientists and theologists (1). It supports a barrier between the two sides and does not allow religion and science to coexist and help one another develop. Hence, the sources examined above show that there is a disagreement on the basis of understanding life at a global level due to the existence of the disagreement on the question of Earth’s age. This inevitably leads to similar conflicts on national and local levels, especially between religious communities and atheists.

Connection to the Context, Religion, and Age of Earth

From the theological perspective, the Bible is the ultimate source of information. However, it is impossible to deny the development of science and humanity’s understanding of the celestial objects and their creation. Hence, I want my future career and employment to be informed by both the religious perspective and the scientific one. My professional goal, therefore, would be to merge the two domains and help people, especially non-religious individuals understand that the value of religion is not in the precise facts. According to King, “the biblical evidence indicates that understanding the time and age (kronos) sequences of the earth lies in the proper understanding of the relevance and operations of the sun, moon, and stars” (1). Hence, apart from studying the theological aspects of religion, it is also vital to examine the context.

The perceptions of time and changes of day and night, as well as the sequence in which the universe was created, differed from the modern ones when the Bible was written. Understanding this can help one accept that modern science has found ways to approximate the actual age of Earth, although most scientists know that the current methodology is flawed as well (Musharraf 1). For example, studying the age of rocks is linked to the scientists’ ability to discover the ancient stones and the natural process of their destruction. Therefore, as I proceed with my studies, I want to ensure that I take a critical thinking approach and review the arguments of both sides, the scientific and the religious. Additionally, understanding the context and beliefs that informed primary religious texts is also essential for finding an agreement and contributing to the development of theology.

Personally, I was very engaged in studying the material because not many sources acknowledged the differences between theological and scientific perspectives, which highlights the contemporary issue of religion and science intersection. An article “The Intersection of Science and Religion” pointed to the uselessness of explaining the creationists approach to students since it was created by scientists. In “Age of the Earth and Universe,” the author acknowledges that if theologists were to accept the scientific claims about the age of the Earth, people would question the validity of the Bible. Hence, these readings helped me understand the gap between the two approaches and why the conflict in interpreting religious texts arises.

Evaluation and Reaction

From my perspective, the evident disagreement between creationists and scientists is based on the inability to accept that some parts of primary religious texts may be flawed, misunderstood, or improperly translated and interpreted. Hence, the issue is linking the belief that the Earth is relatively young with the argument that everything in the Bible is false despite a plethora of scientific evidence (Age of Earth and Universe). On the other hand, scientists can be mistaken as well, since even the methods they use today and the collection of evidence from multiple sources, such as rocks, ice, and light, do not mean that their theories are undisputable. Therefore, the main issue within this debate is the inability to listen to the other sides’ viewpoints and find common ground. The issue is that “the dividing line is belief about age,” which creates a barrier between creationists and evolutionists (Age of Earth and Universe). However, it is integral to accept the evidence provided by the scientists that point to the fact that the Earth is older than the creationists believe.

Ultimately, religion is about the values and moral development of an individual, and the Bible’s teachings have little connection to establishing the exact time at which the Earth was created. Hence, it is important to accept “the lack of scientific evidence for creationist positions” (The Intersection of Science and Religion). However, this does not mean that the Bible’s teachings about moral integrity are rebutted and should not be valued.

Conclusion

In summary, this paper examines the evidence on the age of Earth provided by religious organizations and movements as opposed to a scientific view on the matter. Most religions adhere to the creationism approach, which states that the Earth is relatively young and is only 6,000 years old. The scientists, however, disprove this by arguing that the Earth is over 4 billion years old. This fundamental disagreement is the basis of the modern-day conflict between science and religion.

Works Cited

“Age of the Earth.”National Geographic, Web.

“Age of the Earth and Universe.”ASA, Web.

“How are the Ages of the Earth and Universe Calculated?”Biologos, 2020, Web.

de Pomerai, David and Michel Harris. “Creationism and Evolutionary Biology: Science or pseudo-science?” Philosophy, Science, and Religion for Everyone, edited by Michel Harris and David Pritchard, Routledge, 2017, pp. 1-16.

“The Intersection of Science and Religion.” The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Web.

Musharraf, Muhammad et al. “Age of Earth and Evolution–Can Religion and Science Reconsile?” Australian Journal of Humanities and Islamic Studies Research vol. 3, 2017, pp. 1-12.

King, Samuel. “The Biblical Approach to the Determination of the Age of the Earth.”ResearchGate, Web.

Poirier, Jean-Paul. “About the Age of The Earth.” Comptes Rendus Geoscience, vol. 349, no. 5, 2017, pp. 223-225.

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