Recommended Readings
Listed below are books that will aid anyone serious about researching the topic of Creation.

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"Beyond the Firmament" by Gordon J. Glover
Paperback - 215 pages (August 2007)
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Glover has penned a superb treatise on the creation/evolution dilemma. He takes the reader to the true root of the controversy and carefully examines the contributing factors by deconstructing the current Creationism model.He offers up a model that is theologically sound, while preserving the validity of science.

What made me appreciate this book so much is the target audience the author had in mind, and how he relates to that audience at a very personal level. Glover wants to communicate with the Evangelical crowd, the very crowd that has been exposed to Creationist literature and propaganda for the past four decades. It is very apparent that the author holds his personal relationship with Christ very dear to his heart, as well as the authority of the Bible.

He recognizes that God divinely inspired the biblical authors. From there, Glover guides the reader through the authorial intent of Genesis 1 and evaluates the text as a theological response. His intriguing presentation is persuasive.

Glover does touch on evolutionary science, but his primary focus is a treatment of the creation text.

"Perspectives on an Evolving Creation" by Keith B. Miller
Paperback - 526 pages (2003)
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Miller pulled together a compilation of academic works addressing the creation/evolution controversy and categorized them into three perspectives:

  • Providing a Context
  • Scientific Evidence and Theory
  • Theological Implications and Insights

Compiled 20 years after Frye's compilation book (below), this is by far the most comprehensive treatise from a Christian perspective that counters Creationism (aka Creation Science) on all levels of the controversy.

"Can You Believe in God and Evolution?" by Ted Peters and Martinez Hewlett
Paperback - 85 pages (2006)
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A theologian and scientist duet have returned to write yet another book addressing their concern over the creation/evolution controvery: science is unnecessarily under attack. The authors assess the impact and attempt to persuade the reader as to why evolutionary science is of significant value in our society today.

While glossing over the theological perspective, they do manage in 85 pages to present a convincing argument for Christians to embrace evolutionary science.

"The Meaning of Creation: Genesis and Modern Science" by Conrad Hyers
Paperback - 216 pages (January 1984)
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Probably the finest book ever written on this topic. Hyers points out the hermeneutical dilemmas associated with the reading of the Genesis creation accounts. The Creation/Evolution controversy should never have arrived at a scientific level, and Hyers wants his audience to understand why. This well written work separates itself from the hodgepodge of works that have come out the past several years attempting to integrate theology and science. Hyers' work does not add another trumpet to that redundant performance. Rather, he looks at the literary genre and how it is being violated by the literalists. He also examines how our modern literalistic culture places a harmful interpretive shade over our eyes as we read ancient texts written during a time rich with allegory. And he explains the neglect of authorial intent in the Genesis creation accounts--texts which appear to be more of a response to one or both of the ancient cosmologies neighboring the Hebrews.

Hyers is sensitive to those who cling to traditional interpretations of the creation accounts in Genesis, and is careful not to insult the intelligence of anyone. Hyers is a conservative theologian, but his definition of conservative is to conserve the original meaning of the text, as opposed to conserving a traditional interpretation of the text.

While the copyright date is 1984, don't let the older date make the book appear to be irrelevant to a resurging 21-century topic.

"Is God a Creationist? The Religious Case Against Creation-Science" by Roland Mushat Frye
Paperback - 205 pages (1983)
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While most experts in the area of Creation/Evolution debate have their audience believing the entire dilemma revolves around scientific method and accompanying extremist propaganda, there are some biblical scholars who want people to understand that the issue should never have progressed to the scientific level. We need to take a step back and examine the traditional hermeneutical method applied to the Genesis creation accounts, and do so in light of the ancient Hebrews' neighboring cosmologies. Frye has edited a book of contributions from scholars who herald this message: the issue exists today because of neglect of authorial intent in Genesis, invalid criticism hurled at the scientific community, and because some literalists want to attribute motives of anti-theism and anti-morality to scientists. While I favored Conrad Hyers' contribution entitled, "Biblical Literalism: Constricting the Cosmic Dance," all contributions are intelligently well versed. I especially appreciated Hyers' article because he identifies how our literalistic present day culture forces a shade over our eyes as we read ancient literature, which is part of the crux of the issue. People fail to recognize that the literalists have misidentified the literary genre of the Genesis creation accounts. The credibility of Christianity as being an intellectual faith is at risk because of the Creation biblical literalists, and by publishing this book, Frye acknowledged that he refuses to standby and watch. It is September 2001 as I write this. Many new books on the Creation/Evolution controversy have hit the market the past few years. It is my hope that Frye's book will be reprinted in light of the recent surge in interest of this dilemma.

"Abusing Science" by Philip Kitcher
Paperback - 200 pages (June 1983)
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An excellent survey of the so-called scientific methodologies of the Creationists. Kitcher isn't out to analyze their theology or Christian beliefs. He keeps the focus to science.

"Three Views on Creation and Evolution" by J.P. Moreland
Paperback - 304 pages (March 1999)
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An excellent resource for comparing the three major viewpoints from a theological perspective. Each of the contributors is well respected in theological academic circles. This is a great book to start with for research on the entire controversy.

"Creator and Creation: Nature in the Worldview of Ancient Israel" by Ronald A. Simkins
Paperback - 266 pages (August 1994)
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An excellent detailed examination of how the Hebrews and their neighbors viewed nature. This book provides a comprehensive account of the cosmologies of the Hebrews, Assyrians, and Egyptians, as well as an interpretation of how these views affected the daily lives of the ancient peoples.



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