Does the gospel (and salvation) require “no death before sin”?
The two main arguments for young-earth theology (above and below) claim that Genesis 1 describes a 144-hour creation, and “death before sin” is theologically unacceptable. Ken Ham says: “The Bible is adamant that death, disease, and suffering came into the world as a result of sin. … As soon as Christians allow for death, suffering, and disease before sin, then the whole foundations of the message of the Cross and the Atonement have been destroyed. … The whole message of the Gospel falls apart if one allows millions of years for the creation of the world. (source from Answers in Genesis)” Another prominent creationist, John Morris, agrees: “If the earth is old, if fossils date from before man’s sin, then Christianity is wrong! These ideas destroy the foundation for the Gospel and negate the work of Christ on the cross. (source from Institute for Creation Research)” {but there are three histories of death (not just two)} Animal Death and Human Sin In a process of old-earth creation,
