Getting a Grip

Coming to Grips with Genesis examines rigorous scholarly biblical and theological arguments in favor of a young earth and is a substantial historical, theological, and exegetical defense of the biblical account of creation.

With forewords by Dr. John MacArthur and the late Dr. Henry Morris, Coming to Grips with Genesis makes a unique and much-needed contribution to creationist literature. Fourteen contributing authors (all of whom are members of the Evangelical Theological Society) defend young-earth creationism historically, exegetically, and theologically. (It also contains an appendix recommending creationist books and DVDs that present the scientific evidence for a global Flood and recent 6-day creation).

The book is written in honor of Dr. John Whitcomb, co-author (with Dr. Henry Morris) of The Genesis Flood (1961), which launched the modern creationist movement. Many of the authors, in fact, are former students of Dr. Whitcomb.

The chapters deal with such topics as the church’s belief in a recent creation for most of its existence; the role of ancient Near-Eastern literature in the exegesis of Genesis; the framework hypothesis; the chronological value of the Genesis 5 & 11 genealogies; the strong evidence that Genesis 1 is history (not poetry, myth, song, prophetic vision, parable, or any other kind of non-literal genre of literature); a careful analysis of the Genesis Flood account; the New Testament evidence for a young earth; and analysis of the Biblical teaching on death and the character of God as they relate to millions of years. In the process, the book critically evaluates many contemporary attempts by Christians to harmonize the Bible with the idea of millions of years.

The primary target audience is seminary and Bible college professors and students, pastors, and missionaries. As such, we hope that many seminaries and Christian colleges will want to use it as a primary or secondary text in a variety of courses.

But the editors have worked hard to make this scholarly work understandable also to serious-minded lay people. Anyone hungry for a deeper understanding of God’s Word will have no difficulty understanding the arguments and will find the book helpful in deepening their convictions about the truth of Genesis or challenging what they have felt compelled to believe based on the writings of scholars who hold to an old-earth position.

Many Christians in America and around the world think that the age of the earth is not important, but rather is a divisive side issue. They often claim that the Bible is not clear about the age of the earth. They contend that we only need to believe that God created; how and when God created is not important. This book graciously challenges that perspective and argues that the inspired, inerrant Word of God is indeed clear about the age of the creation, and that it does matter enormously what we believe on this point.

As you will see in the book, the idea of millions of years strikes at the very heart of the issue of the authority of the Word of God. What the Bible teaches about creation, death, the character of God, the Flood, and the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11 are foundational to the gospel that we are all proclaiming to a lost world that has been thoroughly indoctrinated in the ideas of evolution and millions of years.

I strongly urge you to get and read this book and encourage others (especially pastors, missionaries, seminary and Christian college professors, and other Christian leaders) to do so also. Consider making it a Christmas gift to some of these people so that they, too, can see the foundational truths of Genesis 1–11 more clearly.

We believe this book will make a very significant contribution to the debate in the Church worldwide about the age and history of the creation.