Archibald
Alexander Hodge (1823-1886) was a leading Reformed Presbyterian theologian who
lectured in Princeton (his father was Charles Hodge who wrote the 3-volume Systematic Theology that replaced Institutes of Elenctic Theology by my
favourite Reformed theologian, Francis Turretin as the "go-to" systematic theology in American seminaries).
In a book
based on lectures outlining (Reformed) Evangelical theology, he wrote the
following about purported discrepancies within the Bible:
What is to
be said as to alleged discrepancies?
The above statement unquestionably truly
represents the ancient and catholic faith of the historic Church of Christ. The
hostile critics and theorists object that the Scriptures are full of
inaccuracies and discrepancies of statement—(1) as between the statements of Scripture
and modern science or undoubted history; (2) as between one statement or
quotation of Scripture and another.
In answer to this we have space to say only—
1st. We
freely admit that many errors have crept into the sacred text as it exists at
present; although none of these errors, nor all of them together, obscure
one Christian doctrine or important fact. In order to make good the objection
of the critics, it is necessary that they show that the discrepancy exists when
the clearly ascertained original text of Scripture is in question.
2nd. The
Scriptures were not written from the scientific point of view, nor intended to
anticipate science. A distinction should be clearly drawn and strongly held
between the speculations of science and its ascertained facts. The speculations
of science are like the changing currents of the sea, while the Scriptures have
breasted them like the rocks for two thousand years. The Scriptures speak of nature as it presents itself phenomenally.
When this is remembered, the Bible contradicts no fact of science. On the
contrary, the entire view of the genesis and order of the physical world
presented by the Bible, in contrast with all the other ancient books
whatsoever, is in correspondence with that presented by modern science to a
degree perfectly miraculous. The men who press the objection are ignorant either
of science or of the Bible, or, more probably, of both. (A.A. Hodge, Evangelical Theology: Lectures on Doctrine [Edinburgh:
The Banner of Truth Trust, 1976], 82-83, emphasis added)
Elsewhere,
while discussing the evidence for an old earth and a human population that
pre-dates 4,000 BC (contra Usher’s chronology), Hodge wrote:
First, as to the antiquity of man.
Undoubtedly, human remains have been discovered under conditions in which it is
impossible to believe that God created man only six thousand years ago. I have
no doubt of that. I have no doubt you will have to extend the time of creation
back further than six thousand years. But remember that God never said he
created Adam six thousand years ago. Our chronology exists in two forms, that
of Usher and that of Hales, and it differs by a thousand years. Two scholars
taking up this chronology have made the difference simply by following out the
genealogical tables. (Ibid., 150)
In other
words, Hodge freely accepts the scientific evidence (which has only grown by
leaps and bounds) of an old earth and presence of humanoids before 4000 BC in
the late 19th century instead of engage in mental gymnastics to
retain belief in a young earth. Would that modern Calvinists who are young
earth creationist (e.g., Jeff
Durbin) would follow such.
