Teaching Creation According to the Creator's Revelation

Abstract

James J. Westendorf’s 1995 conference paper reaffirms the biblical doctrine of creation amid competing theories of origins. He contrasts four positions—the atheistic evolutionist, the theistic evolutionist, the “six-age” creationist, and the six-day creationist—underscoring the necessity of letting Scripture speak first. Westendorf reviews key teachings: God’s eternal existence and creative act “ex nihilo,” the literal six-day creation affirmed by Genesis and Exodus, and the earth’s relatively young age despite genealogical uncertainties. He explains the purposeful order of creation, culminating in humanity as the crown of God’s work, created in His image for stewardship. Genesis 1 and 2 are presented as historical revelation foundational to redemption history, not myth. The paper concludes that the creation account’s chief purpose is to reveal God’s love and power, calling believers to proclaim this truth confidently in a world enamored with human reason. Prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT‑4)