Waters of the Deep by Jonathan Freed

About the Book:

What really happened “in the beginning”?

For centuries, Christians have wrestled to harmonize Scripture with science. Did God create the universe billions of years ago―or just thousands? Were the heavens and the earth formed in the same week, or is there a deeper story written between the lines of Genesis 1?

In Waters of the Deep, physician and researcher Jonathan Freed, MD, explores an evidence-based creation model that affirms both the authority of Scripture and the vastness of the cosmos. Building on the hydroplate theory and a close reading of the biblical text, Dr. Freed proposes the Old Universe / Young Earth framework―one that restores reason, reverence, and coherence to the creation narrative.

Written for sincere Christians who love God’s Word but struggle with the seeming conflict between faith and modern science, Waters of the Deep offers a compelling, scientifically informed, and biblically faithful vision of creation―one that strengthens confidence in both the Bible and its Author.

My Review:

Understanding how science and the Bible relate with respect to the universe has long interested me. How do we reconcile what the Bible says in Genesis to what Science has discovered about the Universe? How do we create a model that respects the authority of Scripture as well as integrates evidence from the natural world? Freed explores the previously proposed models and evaluates them.

He advocates an Old Universe/Young Earth Hydroplate Theory view. It allows for a universe billions of years old and an earth with life only thousands of years old. Water under the crust of the earth is key. The water is expelled at the Flood. A feature of this theory is that created beings, such as angels, could exist before the creation of the earth. The rebellion of angels and the introduction of sin could have happened during this time.

While I don't think his proposed theory answers all of the issues involved, I think it does get us to a place for serious consideration. This is certainly a book worth reading for Christians interested in the creation and science topic.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Jonathan Freed, MD, is a plastic surgeon from Auburn, California. He has been involved in Creation Science education for over 20 years. He has a passion for mission service having served as a short-term volunteer missionary in India, Central and South America, Africa and the South Pacific. Active in leading Bible studies, he is an elder in his church in Granite Bay, California and has served on educational and missionary boards.

Carpenter's Son Publishing, 158 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)