Universe/Earth Actually Young, but Appear Old

• Solves: Genesis account is literally valid

• Problems:

  • Some regard concept of mature creation as deceptive (but would be more deceptive for God to imply young when really old)
  • There are clearly stars > 15,000 light years away (but light could have been created in-transit)
  • Appearance of supernova > 15,000 years away implies artificially inserted into light stream - seems unlikely God would do this

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The view that the universe and Earth are actually young but merely appear old is very popular. It means that the Genesis account as read in a straightforward manner is scientifically accurate, and does not place any theological problems on whatever age scientists want to put on the universe or Earth. Some critics of this viewpoint say that the concept of a mature creation would be deceptive on the part of God, but this can be countered with the statement that it would be MORE deceptive for God to say the Earth was young (which He implies) if it was actually old. There is no fundamental theological reason why God could not have said the Earth was very old if in fact it is.

Support for this view includes:

• God describes the first man and woman as being created in a mature state, as fully-functioning adults.

• It is implied that plants and animals were created in a mature state.

• Stars are described as created such that their light was visible immediately (evidently with the light from them created in-transit).

• In general, a mature creation is consistent with God's purpose of making a suitable environment for man to live in. He could have done this instantly, but used six days to do it as a template for our own work week.

• The only real flaw in this view seems to be the appearance of supernova (star explosions) in the light stream. For example, a supernova in 1987 took place in one of the Magellanic Clouds believed to be 160,000 light-years away. For God to have created this artificial explosion in the in-transit light stream would be deceptive. However, the number of observable supernova remnants seems to be more consistent with a young universe than an old (detailed in a later slide).