The Gap Theory

[JohnR7]

Well over 100 years ago, Christians came up with what is called the gap theory based on the KJV of the Bible. They say a gap of any amount of time even millions or billions of years if need be, exists between verse one and verse two of the first chapter of Genesis.

Genesis 1:1-2
    In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

They say that this one sentance: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Covers everything pre historic. Then, for whatever reason, it was ALL destoryed and God began all over again around 12,000 years ago.

So as long as you seperate modern man, and prehistorical man, then science can be science and do their thing, and religion can be religion and do their thing. Then along comes Charles Darwin who decided to rock the boat and bridge the "Gap". He tried to say there was a link between historical man and pre historical man.

He should have left well enough alone, but he had to tamper with it. Now we have modern science who again wants to bridge the "gap" and try to establish a DNA link between cave man and modern man.

The nice thing about the gap theory is that science can be science, religion can be religion and you did not have to get them to agree with each other, because a gap seperated them.

 

[Nathan Poe]

Originally posted by JohnR7
Well over 100 years ago, Christians came up with what is called the gap theory based on the KJV of the Bible. They say a gap of any amount of time even millions or billions of years if need be, exists between verse one and verse two of the first chapter of Genesis.

And the reason for the theory is that well before that, Bishop Ussher added up the Geneologies of the Bible and concluded that the Earth was 6000 years old, and had been created in 4004 BC. But the science of the times (we're talking pre-Darwin, btw) showed that to be impossible.

The "Gap" theory came about as an attempt to reconcile science (which they knew to be true) with the Bible (which they believed to be true). Science flatly disproved the literal (YEC) interpretation of Genesis. 

Genesis 1:1-2
    In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

They say that this one sentance: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Covers everything pre historic. Then, for whatever reason, it was ALL destoryed and God began all over again around 12,000 years ago.

Where are you getting 12,000 years from? Not Ussher, is it?

So as long as you seperate modern man, and prehistorical man, then science can be science and do their thing, and religion can be religion and do their thing. Then along comes Charles Darwin who decided to rock the boat and bridge the "Gap". He tried to say there was a link between historical man and pre historical man.

He should have left well enough alone, but he had to tamper with it. Now we have modern science who again wants to bridge the "gap" and try to establish a DNA link between cave man and modern man.

I'm curious, John. Suppose modern science does establish a DNA link between cave man and modern man. If it turns out Darwin was right all along, should he have still "left well enough alone?" 

The nice thing about the gap theory is that science can be science, religion can be religion and you did not have to get them to agree with each other, because a gap seperated them.

The not-so-nice thing about the gap theory is that it might be completely bogus. The "modern science" you mention may prove this, or it may not, but we'll never know unless we test it. Are you suggesting that we all live under a delusionary view of our origins just so science and religion can get along?

 

[nephilimiyr]

Nathan

The "Gap" theory came about as an attempt to reconcile science (which they knew to be true) with the Bible (which they believed to be true). Science flatly disproved the literal (YEC) interpretation of Genesis. 

The "gap" is not a theory at all but an interpretation of the original Hebrew that was used to write the book of Genesis. I don't know if you know this but there are now over 70 different interpretations of the opening passages of Genesis taken from numerous different translations. Not all are interpretations taken from the original Hebrew but the "gap theory" your talking about came about by scholars deciphering the original Hebrew. All english translations are flawed to some degree no matter which one you use.

What any of us do when talking about this subject is state our beliefs from one of these 70 interpretations. I chose to believe the original Hebrew story which in itself has several different interpretations all comeing from the level the interpretor's knowledge of hebrew is.

In any event I would suggest that your summation of the "gap theory" comeing about so to to look for an answer to reconcile scientific fact and biblical fact may not be true. The belief that the world is very, very old has been a belief of some Jewish sects for hundreds or even thousands of years. For instance the men who wrote the Dead Sea scrolls believed in an earth being many more years old than what most modern day religions teach. 

 

[Jerry Smith]

For instance the men who wrote the Dead Sea scrolls believed in an earth being many more years old than what most modern day religions teach.

That sounds interesting. Where can I find out more about this?

 

[Micaiah]

Originally posted by JohnR7
Well over 100 years ago, Christians came up with what is called the gap theory based on the KJV of the Bible. They say a gap of any amount of time even millions or billions of years if need be, exists between verse one and verse two of the first chapter of Genesis.

Genesis 1:1-2
    In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

They say that this one sentance: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Covers everything pre historic. Then, for whatever reason, it was ALL destoryed and God began all over again around 12,000 years ago.

So as long as you seperate modern man, and prehistorical man, then science can be science and do their thing, and religion can be religion and do their thing. Then along comes Charles Darwin who decided to rock the boat and bridge the "Gap". He tried to say there was a link between historical man and pre historical man.

He should have left well enough alone, but he had to tamper with it. Now we have modern science who again wants to bridge the "gap" and try to establish a DNA link between cave man and modern man.

The nice thing about the gap theory is that science can be science, religion can be religion and you did not have to get them to agree with each other, because a gap seperated them.

If a gap existed between the first verses of Genesis 1, it could affect what Scripture says about cosmology, not the creation of man. Adam and Eve were created on day 6.

 

[nephilimiyr]

Micaiah

If a gap existed between the first verses of Genesis 1, it could affect what Scripture says about cosmology, not the creation of man. Adam and Eve were created on day 6.

 

I believe it wouldn't effect but substantiate what scripture says about cosmology but agree would hold no bearing on the creation of man.

 I started a similar thread called "Genesis 1 in the Hebrew" were I state a belief in this and it goes like this: Basically God created the heavens and the earth millions perhaps billions of years ago. Something happend that caused the fall and distruction of that creation but in any event the world became formless and without void. God then reformed the earth and replenished it on an actual 6 day time table. Therefore I agree with you that the creation of man on the 6th day wouldn't be effected by a gap in time in the first verse.

Some would say I conveniently fit all this together just to make things work for a reconciliation of science and the Genesis account, but that would be wrong. My belief in this comes from the interpretation that is held by many that this is what the original Hebrew says. I am not the interpretor or the one who translated the Hebrew so it's not me or my own theory but a belief I chose to believe.

 

[nephilimiyr]

Jerry

That sounds interesting. Where can I find out more about this?

I can't help you strait out but I know if you do an internet search through Yahoo or any other search engine on the Dead Sea Scrolls you will find info. The men who wrote the scrolls were the Essenes so you might want to do a search on them also.

Most if not all cultures of the world believed in a very old creation story. It's called collective memory and takes the form of myths, fables, and fairy tales. While we can't see these tales as an actual history, more and more historians are convinced that many of the myths dismissed in the past as fiction shouldn't be discarded directly.

Unlike the bible where great efforts were made to preserve the exact wording of the text from the original authur, most cultures and religions at the time passed their beliefs from generation to generation by word of mouth. There are some written accounts by other cultures but their stories have change over and over again because unlike the bible their stories were changed to fit the times or the wishes of the ones in charge.

For instance many cultures have told of a great flood similar to that of the bible. This is collective memory at work but the thing is the other cultures and religions didn't feel a need to keep with the original story but changed it over generations to satisfy the people of the day.