Young Earth and Old Earth — What Does Genesis Actually Require? Few theological debates generate more heat than the question of the earth’s age. For some believers, a young earth feels like a litmus test for biblical faithfulness. For others, an old earth appears unavoidable given the scope of creation itself. The tragedy is that the debate is often framed incorrectly, turning brothers and sisters into opponents and timelines into tests of orthodoxy.

The debate over creation and evolution often begins where it shouldn’t: in the wrong genre. Genesis 1 and 2 are not science textbooks. They are ancient, divinely inspired literature written to reveal who God is, who we are, and how all of creation relates to Him.