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About Genesis in Space & Time

In a world in which we have been stunned by the notions of relativity, and mystified by the counter-intuitive results of quantum mechanics, is it not more likely that there is an explanation we have not thought of yet? John Hartnett, Ph.D., Starlight, Time, and the New Physics

This website seeks to focus your attention upon the “universe-encompassing question of creation,” and provide a reasonable vision that resolves, in large part, the potential contradiction between the biblical narrative of Genesis and our modern understanding of the Cosmos. Our goal is to present a framework that provides a coherent synthesis between the scientific evidence of modern cosmology and the Bible’s account of Creation set forth in the Book of Genesis, chapter one.

Over the past few centuries, various inventive theories have been advanced in search of harmony between the truth of God’s specific revelation set forth in Genesis 1-2 and the verifiable empirical findings of modern cosmology. Some theories have come and gone, while new ones are being proposed. This website offers a new approach to this historical challenge.

In Mark 10:6, Jesus (God the Son) says “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female’.” With this statement, Jesus combined quotes from Genesis 1:1 and 1:27c to infer two facts: 1) the historical-grammatical veracity of the Genesis narrative, and 2) that the “beginning of creation” and the creation of humankind (Adam & Eve) were relatively real concurrent events. While Scripture employs broad literary genre, there is nothing in the text or context to suggest Jesus was speaking metaphorically or allegorically.

The Bible contains detailed chronologies of historical persons and events. These records have been carefully scrutinized for millennia by scholars using various methods and interpretative theories. The ancient texts cover a period ending about 100 C.E. and date back approximately 4,000 years by one calculation (Ussher) (chart) to an indeterminable number of years, but still in the thousands, by others (e.g. Green). Contrary to frequently repeated claims of inaccuracies, the Bible is a collection of trustworthy historical documents, albeit complex and requiring careful precision when calculating chronological dates.

Upon hearing Jesus’ words, his first-century audience would not have had a problem understanding his point since they were unaware of either the huge measurable distances involved with the Cosmos nor did they have an understanding of the scientific speed of light. For us however, living with the knowledge of the discoveries of modern cosmology and physics, it’s existentially different. We feel a sense of logical contradiction.

For light to travel the vast measured lengths of the Cosmos, mathematics demands billions of years (a measurement of time) to have elapsed. Scientists and the public assume these long periods of time based on the fact that light can be seen having traveled from far away objects. On the surface, the truth of Jesus’ words and our knowledge of the Cosmos seem to be in contradiction, an either/or proposition. But must we accept an either/or assumption?

To date, the harmonization theory offered here differs from all cosmological models and explanations we’ve encountered. Our theory is elegantly simple, relatively speaking, in its ability to explain the existence of empirical evidence that supports both a young and old universe. This website is not meant to explain physics or cosmology at a scientific level. However, we do provide links and videos in that direction.

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Genesis 1:1 reads:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

This first sentence of the Bible, consisting of 10 words in English (seven in Hebrew), says nothing regarding the how of Creation, nor the timeframe. It simply states three simple facts:

When? “In the beginning…”

Who? “God”

What? “created the heavens and the earth.”

Subsequent verses of Scripture do state, in a basic and metaphorical fashion, the how of God’s creational act. Several verses tell us He “stretched” the fabric of Creation into existence. Certainly the ancient audiences for whom the authors of Scripture wrote would have understood the meaning of “stretching.” Do the biblical statements by Prophets provide additional on Genesis 1:1? Is Scripture’s analogy of the universe being like a canvas tent significant? And finally, do these descriptions share a congruence with Albert Einstein’s 20th century discoveries of the “fabric-like nature of fused spacetime reality?” We believe they do…and amazingly so.

Is it possible that Creation is a composite of events which occurred in two different (metaphysical) reference frames—one initially stretched (hyperflation) at the speed of quantum entanglement, but then subsequently stabilized and became normative going forward (post-Big Bang). Are these events described in Genesis 1:2-4? Does Creation bears marks (evidence) of being both young and old, which would otherwise be contradictory? Might these contradictions in evidences explain the polarization between Young and Old Creationists, as well as the puzzlement of secular cosmologists? Finally, is it possible that the common problem with many cosmological models is a failure to suspend Isaac Newton’s metaphysical concept of absolute space and time?

“People need to be aware that there is a range of models that could explain the [cosmological] observations,” Ellis* argues. “For instance, I can construct you a spherically symmetrical universe with Earth at its enter, and you cannot disprove it based on [astronomical] observations.” Ellis has published a paper on this. “You can only exclude it on philosophical grounds. In my view there is absolutely nothing wrong in that. What I want to bring into the open is the fact that we are using philosophical [metaphysical] criteria in choosing our models. A lot of cosmology tries to hide that.” ‘ (Scientific American 273(4):28-29, 1995. [brackets mine]

*George Ellis, South African cosmologist and politician.

This website is the beginning of a three-part journey. In the future, Part Two will explore the philosophical and metaphysical nature of being (ontology), biblical anthropology (holistic dualism), and gender. Part Three, will discuss the wonders of marriage and human sexuality, as God beautifully designed them and as the Fall (Genesis chapter 3) tragically distorts them.

If we still have your interest, please read the next introductory article The Fabric of God’s Creation.

“…we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.” 1 Corinthians 2:7

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