How do Christians believe the universe was formed?

Answer 1

Genesis 1:1 Tells us Christians that in the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth.

The above verse also speaks of what is called Creation 'ex nihilo' which is Latin for 'out of nothing'. It also indicates that the Universe was made by the word of God. The following verses relate to this:

=== === 5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

=== === === === === === === === === === === === === === 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. All three of these verses, interestingly refer to the 'stretching' out of the heavens, which certainly describes their far-spreading nature over an unimaginably vast area.

Creationist Astronomers have studied a number of aspects of the creation of the Universe, which The Bible also indicates was not the result of a mindless 'Big Bang', but of the wisdom of an all-knowing God. The links detail some of this research, which also includes argumentation critical of non-Biblical thinking in this area.

Many Christians literally believe that God created the world and everything in it, in six days. However, that belief is not supported by the Bible. A summary of the two quite different creation accounts in Genesis, shows that the earth itself was not seen as part of God's creation: In Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a ( up to first sentence of 2:4) there was a pre-existing watery chaos. The ocean was already present and a wind moved across the surface. The seas rested on the dry land, which appeared on day 3 when God gathered the waters together. Although God did not create the earth itself, he did create the sun, moon and stars - on day 4.Genesis 2:4b to 2:15 says that there was pre-existing dry land, but God had yet to make it rain for plants to grow. A spring arose and God took some moist clay and made Adam. After Adam, he made the creatures of earth, one by one, then finally Eve. In this account (from the Yahwist source), there is no mention of whether the sun, moon and stars were created by God. In the two main biblical creation stories, the basics were already there - the waters, the dry land, the wind and therefore the air. Many experts in Hebrew have carefully examined the texts and confirm that this is what they say. The biblical creations were not ex nihilo. Many other Christians accept that the universe is billions of years old and was formed after an original event often called the "Big Bang".

Answer 2

Many Christians literally believe that God created the world and everything in it, in six days. However, that belief is not supported by the Bible. A summary of the two quite different creation accounts in Genesis, shows that the earth itself was not seen as part of God's creation:

• In Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a ( up to first sentence of 2:4) there was a pre-existing watery chaos. The ocean was already present and a wind moved across the surface. The seas rested on the dry land, which appeared on day 3 when God gathered the waters together. Although God did not create the earth itself, he did create the sun, moon and stars - on day 4.
  
• Genesis 2:4b to 2:15 says that there was pre-existing dry land, but God had yet to make it rain for plants to grow. A spring arose and God took some moist clay and made Adam. After Adam, he made the creatures of earth, one by one, then finally Eve. In this account (from the Yahwist source), there is no mention of whether the sun, moon and stars were created by God.

In the two main biblical creation stories, the basics were already there - the waters, the dry land, the wind and therefore the air. Many experts in Hebrew have carefully examined the texts and confirm that this is what they say. The biblical creations were not ex nihilo.

Of course, many other Christians accept that the universe is billions of years old and was formed after an original event often called the "Big Bang".

The theological issues are more fully explained in: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation

Answer 3

Genesis 1:1 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth..."