Genesis 1:1-2 — "In the Beginning"

Presbyterian Church in America affirms God as Creator of all things, but the PCA is less dogmatic than some evangelical denominations about the age of the earth or the precise mechanism of creation. The doctrine of creation ex nihilo (creation out of nothing) is firmly held, but the interpretation of Genesis 1:1-2 allows for some diversity of scholarly opinion.

Some PCA members and scholars are young-earth creationists, interpreting the genealogies of Genesis as indicating a recent creation. Others are old-earth creationists, allowing for an ancient earth while maintaining that life (and humanity specifically) was specially created by God. The PCA does not define orthodoxy by requiring adherence to any particular dating scheme. What is non-negotiable is that God is the Creator, that evolution (in the naturalistic sense) is not adequate to explain the origin of life, and that humanity is created in God's image.

The PCA's scholarly tradition shows engagement with both theology and science. The denomination affirms that Scripture is authoritative in matters of doctrine and practice, without necessarily claiming to settle all scientific questions. Genesis 1-2 teaches that God created; the specific mechanism and timing admit of faithful disagreement among PCA members.