Http://www.jgenewhite.com

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are your qualifications for writing this book?

Most books of this nature are written by people with PhDs, many of whom are college professors specializing in theology or science. The ideal candidate for writing this book would have a degree from a prestigious theological seminary with a working knowledge of the Hebrew language in addition to a PhD in one of the sciences from a leading university. I can only covet those qualifications.

I have great respect for our institutions of higher learning and the advanced degrees they confer; however, we should realize that individuals cannot be stereotyped, and innovation and creativity is not limited to a select group of people.

My challenge to those reading Exemplar Creation is not to rely on my qualifications, but upon the logic and evidence presented therein. The real issue is the truth of my thesis and supporting material, whether it be of a scientific or biblical nature. In that vein, I have carefully documented the evidence upon which my conclusions are based. For example, the translation of Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 is built upon the Hebrew text and the scholars behind The Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible. I simply took the LHEIB translation and rigorously examined every word in the first two chapters of Genesis to ensure their translation was supported elsewhere in the Old Testament. Unsupported words were changed to agree with standard usage elsewhere in the Bible or current interpretative thinking.

 

2. What are your strong points as an author for a book of this genre?

A wealth of experience from my professional career has shaped my approach to understanding Genesis. Within industry, conflicts often occur when products fail to meet drawing requirements, fail to assemble correctly or fail to perform as required. Blame for failure often becomes a mud slinging, finger pointing exercise. Most conflicts of this nature can be resolved by digging into the details of the issue. Problems that have existed for many years are often deeply entrenched within their respective engineering and manufacturing systems. The solution is often multifaceted and several layers deep. Through careful investigation, the root cause of technical issues can normally be determined. When the problem is understood based on the facts, reasonable people can come to an agreement.

The primary issue with Genesis is that theologians headed the interpretation of Genesis in the wrong direction more than 2,200 years ago. Religious leaders set it on a long term collusion course with empirical science in regard to time. Over the centuries the truth of Genesis has been buried beneath layers of theology, errant Bible translations and incorrect Hebrew grammar (the myth of the Hebrew jussive/command verb). When these are stripped away, the true story of biblical origins becomes clear. Special revelation and general revelation easily harmonize.

 Acceptance of the Bible as my only religious authority and empirical science as dependable knowledge about the physical world is the foundation for my beliefs. I see no conflict between the two where they intersect.

 

3. How long did it take you to write Exemplar Creation?

I began this book in the second quarter of 2005 and it took me three and one-half years to complete. I have over 6,000 hours invested in research and writing. This book began as an in depth Bibles study project. Initially I was studying Genesis for my own personal benefit and writing this book was not a consideration. After spending about six months in research and translation of the first two chapters of Genesis I realized a book was needed to tell the true story of biblical origins. It took another year of research and writing to develop the basic framework for the book. Two more years of review and revision led to final product.

 

4. Do you have plans to write any other books?

The original manuscript of Exemplar Creation had one entire chapter about the flood of Noah. Although I had over three months of work invested in the chapter, it was deleted based on preliminary feedback. Too much new material was being introduced. Noah’s flood can be addressed as a separate issue and requires an entire book by itself. From my research, I believe Noah’s flood can be explained in a manner that respects the Bible and agrees with empirical science.

 

 

 

Exemplar Creation: Credible Origins for the Next Millennium