Tuesday, June 05, 2012

The declaration of the 27th General Assembly on the issue of Creation

Before the PCA Creation study report was released, the 27th General Assembly (GA) of the PCA adopted an amended resolution by TE Joseph Pipa on certain issues concerning the doctrine of Creation. While not being dogmatic over how one ought to interpret the creation days, it shows that the PCA at that time did not intend that allowing for diverse interpretation of the creation days meant that views such as theistic evolution are to be accepted. It is one thing to disagree over the creation days, it is another thing to disagree over creation.

In light of misunderstanding by some that the PCA Creation Report allows for such diversity in views of creation, besides reading the Creation Report itself, perhaps looking at the resolutions adopted at the 27th GA would be similarly helpful, which can be found on pages 179-180 of the Minutes of the 27th GA.

  1. That Genesis 1 and 2 is an historic, self -consistent, and true account of God's creation of the universe and of mankind in six days;
  2. That Genesis 1 and 2 do not represent a mythical account of creation without reality in space and time;
  3. that Genesis 1 and 2 represent one unified account of creation and not two accounts that are inconsistent with each other.
  4. Concurring with our fathers, that God made all things directly by His command "That no part of the universe nor any creature in it came into being by chance or by any power other than that of the Sovereign God.
  5. That the eight fiat acts of Genesis 1 were discrete, supernatural acts, and describe the creation of all kinds."
  6. That those things created by these acts were brought into existence instantaneously and perfectly.
  7. That God made Adam immediately from the dust of the ground and not from a lower animal form and that God's in-breathing constituted man a living soul, in the image of God.
  8. That God made Eve directly from Adam.
  9. That the entire human race, with the exception of our Lord Jesus Christ, descended from Adam and Eve by ordinary generation.
  10. That each of the kinds resulted from separate creative acts, and that any genetic development is only within these kinds, thus denying macroevolution.

[HT: Johannes Weslianus]

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