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Creation and change

Genesis 1.1-2.4 in the light of changing scientific paradigms

CREATION AND CHANGE
Genesis 1.1-2.4 in the light of changing scientific paradigms
By Douglas F. Kelly
Mentor/Christian Focus Publications. 272 pages. £9.99
ISBN 1 85792 283 2

The author is Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, North Carolina. Drawing on a rich variety of sources, he argues for a literal interpretation of the creation week in Genesis 1-2. Each of the 12 chapters consists of an expository section accompanied by technical and bibliographical notes and revision questions.

Professor Kelly begins by expounding the biblical worldview, including the doctrine of creation, in opposition to naturalism, materialism and secular humanism. The theory of biological evolution appears to be completely identified with the latter, and thus not distinguished from philosophical evolutionism. Advocates of theistic evolution are rarely mentioned, and perceived as those who have accommodated biblical interpretation to secular culture (pp.142-143, 230-231). Kelly's overall perspective is essentially Kuyperian (cf. pp. 29-30, 120, 140).

Kelly draws attention to critiques of evolution by Denton, Johnson, Behe, Moreland and others. For Kelly, these represent a challenge to 'evolutionary naturalism' which, he hopes, may herald a Kuhnian paradigm shift to a creationist model.

Following E.J. Young, Kelly rightly concludes that Genesis 1-3 is non-poetic 'historical narrative, though of a unique variety', and finds confirmation for this in the New Testament use of Genesis (pp.41-44, 129-134). God's creation 'out of nothing', the goodness of the original created order and the entry of evil and death through the sin and fall of Adam are affirmed.

The largely abandoned 'gap' or 'restitution' theory of Genesis 1.1-2 is surveyed, accompanied by a brief discussion of the fossil record - 'one of the greatest empirical evidences against evolution' (p.99, author's italics). The framework hypothesis, or 'literary approach' to the creation week (popularised by Henri Blocher in In the Beginning (IVP, 1984), is subjected to critique, as is the attempt to put Augustine's interpretative conclusions into this category (pp.107-135).

Before tackling days 2-7, Kelly devotes two chapters to the Genesis genealogies and time scale, the case for variation in the speed of light, and a variety of physical chronometers which, it is claimed, provide evidence for a young earth (pp. 137-180).

The commentary on the days themselves draws quite heavily on E.J. Young, Umberto Cassuto and Henry Morris. The final chapter forcefully expounds the 'incomparable significance of the Sabbath'.

While Kelly often focuses on the Hebrew words, he does not exegete the text comprehensively against its Ancient Near Eastern background, and also has a tendency to overstate the claim for the 'scientific accuracy of the details of the Genesis account' (p. 227) - two recurring deficiencies of literal expositions which give justifiable grounds for criticism.

Nevertheless, there are many useful and interesting sections and references, and within the parameters of his hermeneutic Kelly offers accessible and intelligent discussion and application. He boldly concludes that: 'There is only one way for massive intellectual, moral and cultural healing to occur, and it entails a revolutionary 'paradigm shift' from mythological evolution to a Scripturally revealed and scientifically realistic paradigm of special, divine creation' (p.245). Hence, the value of the book for any particular reader will depend very much on how far this conviction is shared.

Philip Duce