The '''gap theory''' or '''gap creationism''' is the idea that there was an indeterminate "gap" between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. During this gap the surface of the [[Earth]] was destroyed by a battle between [[God]] and [[Lucifer]].
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The '''gap theory''' or '''gap creationism''' is theory there there was a gap in time of indeterminate length between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. This gap allows time for geological processes to occur, fossils and coal to be deposited, and for the [[starlight problem]] to be addressed. The surface of the [[Earth]] was destroyed by a battle between [[God]] and [[Lucifer]], causing it to be "without form." The gap theory was popularized by the ''Scofield Reference Bible'' of 1917.