Old-Earth Inerrancy Contradicts Itself

The inerrancy of Scripture in the original autographs (manuscripts) is a doctrine that many professing Christians claim to believe, but we also acknowledge that there a a few copyist and other minor errors that have crept in over the centuries. Also, it is obvious that not all translations agree with each other.

There are public statements on doctrine and inerrancy that have been signed by famous Christian people, and one is something that I would sign myself. However, the wording about Genesis and creation is such that theistic evolutionists, old earthers, and biblical creationists find it acceptable.

Old Bible with Genesis, RGBStock / Billy Frank Alexander

Something this child has long believed should be an alarm bell is when they say they believe the Bible is without error, then turn around and say that it doesn't mean what it says on the very first page. They also have to reject evidence for recent creation, tap dance around numerous passages of Scripture (especially those that affirm a literal Adam and Eve), and deny the Genesis Flood because that destroys so-called deep time.

A couple of things that get me on the prod is when these owlhoots put science in the magisterial position above the Bible — especially when it is atheistic interpretations of evidence, which are constantly changing. Also, I have seen old earthers misrepresent and even lie about biblical creationists. Sometimes we see theistic evolutionists, old earthers, and atheists mounting up and riding for the deep-time brand and attacking biblical creationists! Those folks need to examine themselves and see if they are indeed in the faith.

Watch for atheists and other evolutionists who call biblical creationists "fundys."

• First, it's Fundy.
• Second, that's Bay of Fundy up yonder in Canada.
• Third, they want to write "fundie" as a short form of Fundamentalist.
• Fourth, the historical Fundamentalist movement has not been friendly to young-earth creation.
• Fifth, all it takes is to believe what the Bible says, throw away pejorative labels; it's not the purview of "fundamentalists."

These old-earth inerrantists need to do some serious thinking about the glaring inconsistencies of their positions. Also, their testimonies are harmed, even though they are unaware of many important facts.

Ideas have consequences. In fact, ideas often have unintended consequences. American sociologist Robert K. Merton coined the term “law of unintended consequences” to illustrate that policy changes often have far-reaching consequences beyond the actual changes themselves. . . .

It seems like old-earth theologians, many of whom also believe in biblical inerrancy, have stumbled upon an unintended consequence for their hermeneutic: undermining the very Bible they claim to uphold.

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (CSBI) is a clear statement of the Bible’s accuracy regarding everything it teaches. 

. . .

Additionally, many of the signers have made public statements affirming various old-earth views regarding creation. How do they reconcile their old-earth views with their strong affirmations of inerrancy?

To read all of this important article, see "How Old-Earth Inerrantists Are Unintentionally Undermining Inerrancy."