Agreeing to disagree

Delivered today: Controversy of the Ages: Why Christians Should Not Divide Over the Age of the Earth. This should be interesting. The debate over the age of the Earth is one I have avoided. If raised by a non-Christian it is typically a diversion from more important questions. If discussed among Christians, heat rather than light is very likely. In neither case is the discussion apt to be profitable. From the description on the book cover:

Few topics have generated as much heat amongst evangelicals as the age of the earth and the doctrine of creation. Three camps have emerged to offer solutions: young-earth creationists (Answers in Genesis), old-earth creationists (Reasons to Believe), and evolutionary creationists (BioLogos).

Controversy of the Ages carefully analyzes the debate by giving it perspective. Rather than offering arguments for or against a particular viewpoint on the age of the earth, the authors take a step back in order to put the debate in historical and theological context. The authors demonstrate from the history of theology and science controversy that believers are entitled to differ over this issue while still taking a stand against theistic evolution. But by carefully and constructively breaking down the controversy bit by bit, they show why the age issue is the wrong place to draw a line in the sand.