Changes

Estimates by geologists of the age of the Earth give about 4.55 billion years to an accuracy of about 1%.  This estimate is primarily based on radioactive dating of meteorites. In addition, most scientists also believe that the Earth formed by natural processes instead of being supernaturally created.  Indeed, astronomers have detected dust lanes around other stars that indicate planet formation is a common and ongoing process.

Estimates by geologists of the age of the Earth give about 4.55 billion years to an accuracy of about 1%.  This estimate is primarily based on radioactive dating of meteorites. In addition, most scientists also believe that the Earth formed by natural processes instead of being supernaturally created.  Indeed, astronomers have detected dust lanes around other stars that indicate planet formation is a common and ongoing process.

Bible scholars have also estimated the age of the earth based on the Creation account in Genesis and the genealogical accounts in Numbers and other books of the Pentateuch. One famous estimate was published in 1650 by R. B. Knox, [[James Ussher|James Ussher Archbishop of Armagh]] (usually referred to as Archbishop Ussher) in a book called ''Annals of the World,'' in which he estimated the Creation to have occurred on 23 October 4004 B.C. Other Biblical scholars maintain that there are possible gaps in the genealogies, often using the ideas of the 19th century Calvinist theologian [[Benjamin Warfield]] on the issue. <ref>http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/primeval_chronology.shtml</ref> However, [[James Barr]], regius professor of Hebrew at [[Oxford University]], wrote in 1984 the following: "… probably, so far as I know, there is no professor of Hebrew or Old Testament at any world-class university who does not believe that the writer(s) of Genesis 1–11 intended to convey to their readers the ideas that: … the figures contained in the Genesis genealogies provided by simple addition a chronology from the beginning of the world up to later stages in the biblical story.’"  <ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1606/</ref> Interestingly, Barr did not hold to ideals of Christian inerrancy, and criticized Christian evangelicals who claimed the Bible was errorless.

Bible scholars have also estimated the age of the earth based on the Creation account in Genesis and the genealogical accounts in Numbers and other books of the Pentateuch. One famous estimate was published in 1650 by R. B. Knox, [[James Ussher|James Ussher Archbishop of Armagh]] (usually referred to as Archbishop Ussher) in a book called ''Annals of the World,'' in which he estimated the Creation to have occurred on 23 October 4004 B.C. Other Biblical scholars maintain that there are possible gaps in the genealogies, often using the ideas of the 19th century Calvinist theologian [[Benjamin Warfield]] on the issue. <ref>http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/primeval_chronology.shtml</ref> However, [[James Barr]], regius professor of Hebrew at [[Oxford University]], wrote in 1984 the following: "… probably, so far as I know, there is no professor of Hebrew or Old Testament at any world-class university who does not believe that the writer(s) of Genesis 1–11 intended to convey to their readers the ideas that: … the figures contained in the Genesis genealogies provided by simple addition a chronology from the beginning of the world up to later stages in the biblical story.’"  <ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1606/</ref> However, it should be noted that Barr himself rejects supernatural Christianity. <ref>http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/pca_creation_study_committee_report.shtml</ref>