What is young earth creationism?

Exodus 20:11

¹¹ For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

New International Version (NIV)

The answer

Young earth creationism takes Genesis as God’s true historical account of origins: God created everything in six ordinary days, made Adam and Eve directly in His image, and later sent a worldwide flood in Noah’s day. “Young earth” means an age of only several thousand years—commonly estimated at roughly 6,000–10,000 years—rather than millions or billions.

The biblical basis

• Six ordinary days: Genesis records numbered days and repeatedly says, “There was evening and there was morning” (Genesis 1:5-31). Exodus 20:11 confirms this meaning by connecting the ordinary work week with creation: “for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them.”
• Direct creation: God made living creatures “after their kind” (Genesis 1:21) and created humanity male and female in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Human beings were specially created, not produced through evolutionary descent from animals.
• A short chronology: The genealogies record fathers’ ages when their sons were born, from Adam to Noah (Genesis 5:3-32) and from Shem to Abraham (Genesis 11:10-26). These records form the basis for a history measured in thousands of years. Scripture does not give an exact modern calendar date, so precise estimates vary.
• A worldwide flood: “All the high mountains that were under the whole sky were covered,” and every person and land animal outside the ark died (Genesis 7:19-23). Young earth creationism commonly connects much of the fossil-bearing rock record with this judgment.
• Jesus’ testimony: Jesus placed the creation of man and woman “from the beginning of the creation” (Mark 10:6), not after a vast pre-human history.

Answered from Scripture · reviewed November 12, 2026

How the major Christian traditions read this

All Christians confess that God the Father Almighty made heaven and earth and everything visible and invisible out of nothing, forming humanity directly in His image (Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:26-27).

Catholic

We confess God as the sovereign Creator of all things seen and unseen (Genesis 1:1). The Church upholds the historical reality of the creation of the cosmos, the special creation of the human soul directly by God, and the historical fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 3:1-19). Young earth creationism is respected as an ancient and pious reading of the text, but the Church teaches that the literal sense of Genesis does not dictate the precise physical timescale or age of the universe. Faithful Catholics are free to hold either a young earth view or a framework where God guided physical processes over long eras.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:1-19

Orthodox

The Orthodox Church confesses one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1). We receive the opening chapters of Genesis as holy, divinely inspired truth depicting the direct work of the Holy Trinity. The holy Fathers often spoke of the creation week as genuine days, yet they also discerned deep mysteries in the creation account, noting that the sun was made only on the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19). While many in Orthodoxy adhere firmly to a literal six-day, young earth chronology, the Church has never dogmatized a calendar age of the physical universe, focusing on humanity's creation in the image of God and our vocation to transfigure creation.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:14-19, Psalms 95:4-7

Lutheran

We stand firmly on the clear words of Holy Scripture. In Genesis 1, God tells us that He created the heavens and the earth in six days, each bounded by evening and morning (Genesis 1:5; Genesis 1:31). Exodus 20:11 expressly confirms this historical six-day work as the pattern for the Sabbath. For this reason, conservative confessional Lutheranism has historically embraced young earth creationism, taking God at His plain word. While some Lutherans allow for non-literal readings of the creation days, confessional teaching warns against bending Scripture to match changing human theories, confessing the direct, instantaneous creation of Adam and Eve in true righteousness.

Scripture: Genesis 1:5, Genesis 1:31, Exodus 20:11, Genesis 1

Reformed & Presbyterian

The Westminster Confession affirms that God pleased to make the world and all things therein 'in the space of six days, and all very good' (Genesis 1:31; Westminster Confession 4.1). Many Reformed believers maintain the traditional young earth view based on this confession and the clear testimony of Exodus 20:11. Over the last two centuries, however, Reformed theologians have also explored views such as the day-age or framework hypotheses, arguing that the Hebrew term for day (yom) can indicate an extended period or a theological structure. Nonetheless, all Reformed theology strictly confesses the historical creation of Adam from dust and Eve from his side as covenant heads of humanity (Genesis 2:7).

Scripture: Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:7, Exodus 20:11

Anglican & Episcopal

Anglicans revere Scripture as God's Word containing all things necessary for salvation, while also valuing historic patristic tradition and reason. The Thirty-Nine Articles confess God as the Maker and Preserver of all things (Genesis 1:1). Historically, Anglicans like Archbishop Ussher calculated a young earth chronology directly from the biblical genealogies. Today, Anglicanism embraces a wide spectrum: some adhere to young earth creationism out of devotion to the plain text, while many others read Genesis 1–2 as theological literature expressing cosmic order, purpose, and the divine appointment of humanity, remaining open to an ancient cosmos.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1, Genesis 2:2-3, Genesis 5:3-32, Genesis 1

Baptist

We take the inerrant Word of God as our supreme and absolute authority in all matters of faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16). The 1689 Baptist Confession states that God made the world 'in the space of six days' (Genesis 1:1-31). The vast majority of conservative Baptists wholeheartedly affirm young earth creationism because Scripture speaks of numbered days with evening and morning, Exodus 20:11 grounds our work and rest in six literal days, and Jesus Himself taught that male and female were created 'from the beginning of creation' (Mark 10:6). We reject macro-evolutionary theories as contrary to the special, historical creation of humanity.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-31, Exodus 20:11, Mark 10:6, 2 Timothy 3:16

Methodist & Wesleyan

Methodists confess God as the Maker of heaven and earth, who formed mankind to live in holy love and relationship with Him (Genesis 1:26-28). John Wesley and early Methodists read the creation account literally as an actual historical week. In contemporary Wesleyan and Methodist practice, young earth creationism is held by many who take the six days as literal twenty-four-hour periods, while others view Genesis as presenting the 'Who' and 'Why' of creation rather than scientific chronology. Across both views, we insist on God's active, providential design, the goodness of the original creation, and the real historical tragedy of human sin.

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-28, Genesis 3:1-7, Exodus 31:17

Pentecostal & Charismatic

Pentecostal and Charismatic believers hold firmly to the supernatural power of God's Word and the reality of divine miracles. Because God spoke the universe into existence by His mighty word (Hebrews 11:3), young earth creationism is very widely believed across our movement. We read Genesis 1 as a straightforward historical account of God's supernatural, six-day creative power and recognize the global judgment of Noah's flood (Genesis 7:19-23). While some within the movement permit an older earth, we firmly oppose any theory that denies the miraculous or the special, instantaneous creation of Adam and Eve in God's image.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 7:19-23, Hebrews 11:3, Genesis 1

Non-denominational & Evangelical

Evangelicals and non-denominational believers look directly to the inerrant Bible as the foundation of our faith. Young earth creationism is prominent in our churches because it takes the plain grammatical-historical sense of the text: six literal days (Exodus 20:11), creatures reproducing 'after their kind' (Genesis 1:24), and a direct creation of man and woman (Mark 10:6). However, non-denominational pulpits also include pastors and scholars who hold to Old Earth Creationism (such as the day-age view) or the framework hypothesis, viewing the age of the earth as a secondary matter so long as biblical authority and Adam's direct creation are defended.

Scripture: Genesis 1:24, Exodus 20:11, Mark 10:6

Where they differ

Length of the creation days

Catholic

Permits literal twenty-four-hour days or extended symbolic time periods.

Orthodox

Honors patristic six-day readings while allowing mystery regarding physical time.

Lutheran

Historically and confessionally defends six ordinary twenty-four-hour days.

Reformed & Presbyterian

Confesses six days, interpreted variously as solar days, ages, or literary frameworks.

Anglican & Episcopal

Allows diverse interpretations from literal days to figurative periods.

Baptist

Predominantly affirms six literal, sequential twenty-four-hour days.

Methodist & Wesleyan

Accommodates both literal days and non-literal, extended epochs.

Pentecostal & Charismatic

Largely embraces six literal days as a display of divine power.

Non-denominational & Evangelical

Ranges from strict six literal days to day-age and framework models.

Scripture: Genesis 1:5, Genesis 1:31, Exodus 20:11

Age of the earth and cosmos

Catholic

Leaves the scientific age of the universe open to investigation.

Orthodox

Does not define a dogmatic calendar age for the cosmos.

Lutheran

Confessional bodies generally maintain an age of thousands of years.

Reformed & Presbyterian

Varies between thousands of years and an ancient universe.

Anglican & Episcopal

Broadly open to modern scientific estimates of an ancient earth.

Baptist

Commonly holds to a young earth based on biblical genealogies.

Methodist & Wesleyan

Treats chronological age as secondary to God's purpose and redemption.

Pentecostal & Charismatic

Widely favours a young earth chronology of thousands of years.

Non-denominational & Evangelical

Includes strong young earth advocacy alongside old earth adherents.

Scripture: Genesis 5:3-32, Genesis 11:10-26, Mark 10:6

Your pastor can tell you where your church stands.

Scripture cited

• Exodus 20:11
• Genesis 1
• Genesis 5
• Genesis 11:10-32
• Mark 10:6
• Genesis 7:17-24