Progressive Creationism

[JC333]

I read through the article http://www.godandscience.org/youngearth ... ssive.html but I didn't quite understand what is progressive creationism.

Can someone explain it to me in simple terms?

[zoegirl]

This paragraphs really encapsulates the idea.

It is fair to say it lies in between theistic evolution and young earth creationism, drawing some points from both but always insisting on the input of an Intelligent Designer. It agrees with the former in believing that there was a much longer time frame than six twenty-four hour periods and holds that each new life form was not, necessarily, created out of nothing, or out of previously non-living material. Or at least that the "template" of previously existing life is used again - with adjustments. I

This is important, because with YEC, the ex nihilo is pushed to the nth degree of meaning, with every organism developed in isolation, while PC will extend the idea that God would have made the organisms but we would see the evidence of previous organisms in their genetics, structure, etc. So that we would see some relationships in the DNA and bone structure.

So the creation of a mammal would be with the structures that are reminiscent of reptiles made previously. So the genes would be similar, bone structure would have similarities.

t agrees with the latter, not only in affirming the verbal inspiration of the Bible, but that God was present at every stage of the creation of life and that every new life form was a deliberate and miraculous act of God.

And this is very important in that God is intimately involed in creation.

But you have the very unique special creation in the creation of mankind. Mankind is not simply an animal with morals that developed over time, but clearly set apart with the image of God.

Hope that helped at least a bit, let me know any specific questions you have.

[JC333]

Still a little confusing with some of the terminology I'm not familiar with.

So a YEC holds to a literal Genesis. TE holds to a non-literal reading of Genesis. What about PC?

[Kurieuo]

Technically speaking YEC is also "progressive creation" since God progressively created over six Earth days. However, it became a title YEC organisations like AiG attributed to Day-Age Creationists. Most Day-Age proponents either don't know or don't care about this since they tend to embrace the title. I myself don't care.

Essentially progressive creation is intended to mean God didn't create everything in a short period of time (that is, one week), but rather God created over a vast period of time. For example, check out RTB's Day-Age creation timechart.

Day-Age Progressive Creation I believe takes Scripture more seriously than YEC, for it canvases the whole of Scripture and not just one portion of it. Regarding Genesis, to be oxymoronic, the Day-Age position takes the literal symbolic definition of yom representing an age of time, and in this respect it is a literal interpretation of Scripture. If by 'literal' one means 'factual' or 'treating Scripture as truth' than the Day-Age position is by all means literal. The Day-Age position embraces The Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics and was accepted by the Evangelical ICBI as an entirely consistent position with an inerrant view of Scripture (unlike Theistic Evolution which was not).

[JC333]

So how does a progressive creationists differ from a theistic evolutionist?


I haven't finished reading the article you posted yet...so I'll post back soon if I understand.

[Kurieuo]

So how does a progressive creationists differ from a theistic evolutionist?

I haven't finished reading the article you posted yet...so I'll post back soon if I understand.

Day-age/progressive creationists differ in that we believe God was personally involved and directly created all life. With respect to God's personal and direct involvement in/with His creation, we have exactly the same take as YECs. Theistic evolution drifts more towards a deistic view of God.