Updated October 31, 2025
At the heart of the debate between Young Earth Creationism (YEC) and Old Earth Creationism (OEC) lies a central interpretive question: Are the seven days of creation in Genesis literal 24-hour periods or symbolic representations of longer epochs or logical orderings? This question drives a theological and scientific divergence that has shaped Christian engagement with Scripture and science, and has created significant animosity and division within the church.
This paper presents a semi-objective (in that I’ve given fair balance to both sides while still drawing a subjective conclusion) comparison of the two worldviews, examining their biblical, theological, and scientific foundations, highlighting the key points of contention and overlap.
Click HERE or click the image below to access the PDF.
