The Relationships Among the Three

Christian Positions on Origins

Steve Badger & Mike Tenneson

July 2004

Christian Views on Origins

The purpose of this short presentation is to illustrate that each group has some opinions unique to that group, and each group has some opinions in common with the other groups

Three most common Christian perspectives:

– Young Earth Creationists (YEC)– Old Earth Creationists (OEC)– Evolutionary Creationists (EC)

We have organized the five camps linearly as below:

YEC ECOEC

AEDE

We have organized the three Christian camps linearly as

below:

YEC ECOEC

This organizational scheme implies that

YEC and EC (TE) have absolutely nothing at all in

common.

But they do.

So, perhaps there is another, a better, way to

organize these three perspectives.

Consider the organizational scheme that follows.

The Views Overlap

1.YEC

2.OEC

3.EC

4.

5.6.7.

These three circles represent the three most common Christian positions on Origins and the ways they overlap:

1. Red: opinions held only by YEC

2. Yellow: opinions held only by OEC

3. Blue: opinions held only by EC

4. Orange: opinions shared by YEC & OEC

5. Green: opinions shared by OEC & EC

6. Purple: opinions shared by EC & YEC

7. White: opinions shared by all three groups

What Opinions?What Opinions?

Consider some examples of the unique opinions (1, 2, 3) and the

shared opinions (4, 5, 6, 7)

Consider some examples of the unique opinions (1, 2, 3) and the

shared opinions (4, 5, 6, 7)

Notice that the Notice that the information on the information on the following 3 slides is following 3 slides is coded to the coded to the previous slide using previous slide using numbersnumbers, , colorscolors, & , & initialsinitials..

1.YEC

2.OEC

3.EC

4.

5.6.

7.

Unique Positions

Each of the three groups holds some opinions not shared by folks in the other two groups; for example:1. YEC—Earth is only a few thousand years old2. OEC—God’s acts of creation were separated by millions of years3. EC—God guided evolution to produce the variety of life

Each of the three groups holds some opinions not shared by folks in the other two groups; for example:1. YEC—Earth is only a few thousand years old2. OEC—God’s acts of creation were separated by millions of years3. EC—God guided evolution to produce the variety of life

GCA = Genesis Creation Account

1.YEC

2.OEC

3.EC

4.

5.

6.

7.

Shared Concepts Further, each pair of groups share some opinions; consider these:4. YEC & OEC—Macroevolution is rejected; GCA is thought to be historical narrative5. OEC & EC—God did not intend GCA to be understood as a scientific description of what happened when He created6. EC & YEC—Science and Scripture should not be given equal weight in answering the questions of Origins

Further, each pair of groups share some opinions; consider these:4. YEC & OEC—Macroevolution is rejected; GCA is thought to be historical narrative5. OEC & EC—God did not intend GCA to be understood as a scientific description of what happened when He created6. EC & YEC—Science and Scripture should not be given equal weight in answering the questions of Origins

GCA = Genesis Creation Account

1.YEC

2.OEC

3.EC

4.

5.

6.

7.

Shared Concepts

7. YEC, OEC, & EC all 7. YEC, OEC, & EC all agree that God is the agree that God is the Creator, and the Bible is Creator, and the Bible is His WordHis Word

Finally, all three groups agree on a couple of points; for example:

Finally, all three groups agree on a couple of points; for example:

1.YEC

2.OEC

3.EC

4.

5.

6.

7.

Summary and Conclusion

This illustrates that each group has opinions unique to that group and each has opinions in common with the other groups