Determining
the age of the Earth
Creationist perspective
by Jonathan T., Creation vs. Evolution II Team Member
According to the Biblical account of creation, the Earth is thousands, not billions of years old. The age of the Earth is important, because in order for evolution to occur, millions of years are needed. If the Earth is only 7-10 thousand years old as Creationists claim, then evolution cannot be true. This is why this is a major topic in the evolution vs. creation debate.The following dating methods are argued as evidence of a young Earth.
- Accumulation of helium in the earth's atmosphere. Helium-4 is created by radioactive decay and is constantly added to the atmosphere. Helium is not light enough to escape the Earth's gravity (unlike hydrogen), and it will therefore accumulate into large quantities over time. The current level of helium in the atmosphere would accumulate in 200,000 years or less. So if this is true, the Earth must be young.
- Decay of the Earth's magnetic field. Over the time that measurements have been recorded, the dipole component of the earth's magnetic field has decreased. Assuming the earth's initial magnetic field has been decreasing ever since its creation would lead to the conclusion that the Earth is young. Assuming a half-life of 1400 years based on 130 years' worth of data, the earth's magnetic field would have been impossibly high, even as few as 8,000 years ago. Therefore, based on this dating method, the Earth must be younger than that.
- Accumulation of metals in the oceans. This dating method is based on the amount of metals currently present in the oceans and the amount of metals carried by rivers into the oceans each year. Assuming the amount of metals carried into the oceans by rivers has been constant since the creation of the Earth, this method indicates that the Earth is young. These estimates vary widely depending on what metal is considered. However, all metals yield an age for the Earth of much less than one billion years, using this method.
These dating methods are contested by Evolutionists. For a discussion of their objections, see http://www.pathlights.com/ce_encyclopedia/05agee1.htm. Also, not all Christians regard the seven days of creation in the Bible as literally 24-hour days.
