Question: Is there any conflict between geological evidence for an ancient Earth and Biblical history as told in Genesis Chapters one and two?
Yes and No!
The conflict in my opinion is in the minds of mankind, and the awful mixed- up teaching, which was/is still propagated worldwide!
Even in Christian Groups (perhaps one should say, “particularly” in Religious Groups) the understanding and error is dismal; which is made worse by the rigidity of much teaching!
The same dogmatic approach is evident in the Evolutionist community!
Well-meaning Christians have for generations taught and been taught that the Earth is approx. 6,000 years old; because working back through the data which the Bible provides of the life spans of its main characters from Adam up to Jesus the Christ, gives that time scale, together with the well-known dating since Jesus; with minor variations, due to Calendar changes.
The mistaken assumption that the two; (the time span of mankind and the age of the Earth) are identical, because of the apparent wording of Genesis; has led many sincere and intelligent people to discredit the Bible, by their dogged and dogmatic defence of that idea and teaching, against all attempts to show otherwise.
To be fair to them, their task was made harder by the advent of the 'Evolution Theory', in the mid-1800s; which seemed to put 'Science' onto a higher footing than 'Religion'; and which Science and Governments conspire to maintain as (the truth); even to the point of (holding back) discovery. The many fossil finds around the world since, and the very old dating's attributed, gave even more credence to Science, and in the minds of many people enhanced the standing of the new discoveries, and the idea of Evolution.
What is generally not known, is that prior to Darwin's and Alfred Russel Wallace ideas, a few enlightened Bible teachers had for some time been postulating that the age of the Earth was probably much older than taught at the time, one such being Professor Thomas Chalmers, a Protestant Theologian, and Mathematician. His teaching was many years prior to Darwin; and therefore he was not trying to accommodate Wallace and Darwin's Ideas, but was moved by the word of God in Genesis!
See:
Did Darwin become a Christian on his deathbed? (By Malcolm Bowden)
Age of the Earth Controversy: (study)
DNA, the tiny code that is toppling Evolution (By Mario Sieglie)
Evolution: (study)
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