Sub-title: The Genesis Account Literal or Literary?
by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.
240 pp (paper)

Available in Kindle format. Click here.

The framework hypothesis or literary framework view has grown in acceptance as more readers of Scripture place “science” as the authority over the interpretation of God’s Word. By re-interpreting Genesis, this view encourages Christians to disregard the plainly declared timeline of creation (the majestic march of days of Genesis 1) and instead consider it as merely figurative or poetic rather than historical and accurate. Kenneth Gentry carefully defines the framework hypothesis, while tracing its historical origins and purpose. This provides a helpful introduction both for those who know the framework hypothesis as well as any hearing the term for the first time.

This important study:

1. Presents strong exegetical arguments for the six-day creation approach to Genesis
2. Illustrates the traditional interpretation of Genesis, a survey of exegetical arguments, and responses to alleged problems
3. Demonstrates the flaws in the framework argument.

This book provides in a simple but clear presentation the basic argument for a six-day literal interpretation of Genesis 1. It also explains and rebuts the framework hypothesis, which is a leading view in evangelical academic circles. This book is aimed at intelligent laymen, though with the academic reader in mind, with definitions of technical terms where they are necessary and Greek and Hebrew words transliterated.

Endorsements:

As It Is Written is a superb defense of 6-day creation by one of the finest Bible scholars of our time. Dr. Gentry demonstrates that the text of Scripture is clear about the timescale of creation and that non-literalist views, such as the framework hypothesis, collapse under careful scrutiny
Jason Lisle, Ph.D.
Director of Research, Institute for Creation Research

With this book, Dr. Gentry has thrown down the gauntlet, especially for evangelicals, including Reformed and Presbyterian churches. This challenge confronts those views of the Genesis creation account that choose for the literary against the literal, for poetic metaphor instead of historical sequence. The arguments are lawyer-like in their cumulative force, and prophetic in their call to listen to the Bible's very text. The author has served us well with his clearheaded writing and broad-based defense of the traditional understanding of God's creation of the world in six sequential 24-hour days.
Dr. Nelson Kloosterman
Executive Director, Worldview Resources International

As It Is Written is a book that helps guide readers across the debate between the traditional, six-day creation view, and the framework hypothesis or literary framework theory, which attempts to create a bridge between the Genesis account and modern secular science. Kenneth Gentry provides a detailed analysis and powerful refutation to the arguments in favor of the framework hypothesis, while clarifying the exegetical reasoning to defend the literal interpretation of these passages of Genesis. Clear, concise, and thought-provoking!
Dr. Kevin Clauson
Vice-President of Academics, Bryan College

Kenneth Gentry provides a powerful response to the revisionist views of the Genesis creation narrative that arose as rebuttals to evolutionist attacks on Scripture. As it Is Written is a succinctly documented, logically flowing work for the layperson and scholar alike, focusing on the issues of the foundational truth of God’s Word from the first pages, and defending their literal nature over the literary structure that others are trying to impose. These are subjects of great concern, with a growing number of well-meaningbiblical scholars yielding to the temptation to submit Scripture to a modernist view of science rather than letting its authority stand on its own.
Dr. Geoff Downes
Research Scientist
Forest Quality, Tasmania, Australia

Dr. Kenneth Gentry has taken a scholarly approach in dealing with the subject of creation as expressed in Genesis 1. This book, As It Is Written, is designed in particular to contrast the differences between the “Framework Hypothesis” interpretation of the Genesis account in light of a “Literal six, twenty-four hour Creationist” interpretation. Dr. Gentry masterfully explains the theories, concedes areas of agreement in order to rightfully present each view faithfully and establish the objectionable areas of conflict that are key to understanding Genesis 1. This polemic is designed to reject that system of interpretation which allows for reconstructing various texts to support alternative renderings of the Geneses account that rejecting a literal six day, twenty-four hour interpretation which is the historical orthodox view of Genesis, especially as maintained in the historical church based on the grammatico-historical method of interpretation. This book is a must-read by scholars, pastors, students, and laymen alike. If there is one book you need to read in a time when the literal interpretation of the Scripture, and in particular Genesis 1, has come under attack, this is that book!
Dr. Kenneth G. Talbot
President, Whitefield Theological Seminary

Reader Endorsements

"I just wanted to let you know I read As it is Written. I found it to be very helpful and solid. As I said to my friends it pulls the fake legs from under the illusion of the framework hypothesis, but in so doing, it destroys most of the arguments for other long-age and evolutionary ideas as well.

Thanks and God bless Dave"

"You shouldn't be afraid of the sophistry of framework hype after reading this book. This book is quite incisive and clear so as to equip you to see through the vanity of Framework hyp. Now I would add him to the list of leading presbyterian theologians that faithfully adhere to the traditional six-day creation stance: Douglas Kelly, Joseph Pipa Jr, Ligon Duncan, and lately, William van Doodewaard. If you know of more, please let me know!"

K.J.

"Virtually all the new fangled allegorical views are relatively new, because it is imagined that "science" conflicts with the literal historical view. This is a perceived, not real, difficulty so their "interpretation" is an unbelief hermeneutic, which is not really hermeneutics at all. Gentry effectively dismantles these so-called interpretations, with a proper exegesis of the text that is impossible to refute with anything short of pure unbelief. He especially focuses on the new 'framework hypothesis.'"

M.D.C

"Dr. Gentry is always prepared and very methodical, building his case one step at a time, making it easy for anyone to follow his argument. He's one of my favorite authors."

Mickey Wilson