Bob Barth, Chicago, formerly of Knoxville
Let's reconsider the inconsistencies in creationism, which is used to critique Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. The two creation stories use two distinct names for the Creator. Elohim (the six-day story) and YHWH Elohim (the story of Adam and Eve) denote two inconsistent literary strands, called "P" and "J," respectively, in Genesis.
The six-day story was written during the Babylonian exile around 500 B.C. It mirrors the six-part Babylonian creation myth, the Enuma Elish, which is 700 years older. It is part of related material in the Pentateuch that reflects priestly interests. This literary strand is called "P" and says male and female were created together on the sixth "day" after vegetation and animals were created.
The story of Adam and Eve was written earlier, around 900 B.C., in ancient Israel. YHWH Elohim first appears here. Along with other related material in the Pentateuch, this literary strand is called "J" for "Yahwist." "J" says Adam was created from the dust of the Earth before vegetation and animals were created. Eve was created after the beasts of the field and birds of the air were found unfit as Adam's helpers. Since it is 400 years older than the six-day story, it cannot be a commentary on or history of human creation on the sixth "day."
For creationism to be "scientifically legitimate" it must be consistent. There is literary consistency within each textural strand but no scientific consistency between strands. Creationists reject modern biblical scholarship for a literalism that cannot explain the contradictions between the two creation stories. No biblical scholar is needed to discover these contradictions. They are ignored and believed anyway as an act of faith but only after faith evolves into fideism.
Faith-based creationism is inconsistent. It needs no facts, no proof and no verifiable evidence, but science does.
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