Unveiling a New Christian Cosmology: Solving the Starlight Travel Time Dilemma

A New Cosmology: Solution to the Starlight Travel Time Problem

The starlight travel time problem has long been a challenge for creationist cosmology. The issue is that in the approximately 6,000 years since creation, there hasn't been enough time for light to travel from even the nearest galaxies to Earth, let alone the most distant ones. This poses a question: how do we see these galaxies, and how did Adam see them? In this article, we will explore a new cosmological model that offers a solution to this problem.

Several solutions have been proposed within creationist cosmology to address the starlight travel time problem. These solutions fall into five categories. However, only two of these categories hold any promise for a viable solution. Any solution must be self-consistent and determine which astronomical arguments can serve as valid evidence for a young universe. One commonly proposed solution suggests that the speed of light was much faster around Creation Week and has since slowed down. However, this model faces challenges such as the disappearance of stars from view as light slows down and observable blueshifts in arriving light. Another scenario suggests that the heavens were stretched out and the speed of light was extremely high in the past. But again, this raises questions about how we currently see stars and detect their information in starlight.

How do long ages in the universe contradict creationist arguments?

Creationist authors often point out astrophysical features inconsistent with long ages in big bang cosmology as evidence for a young universe. However, these arguments are valid only within the framework of the chosen creationist model. For example, if we adopt a model where time runs faster in the cosmos than on Earth, billions of years may pass, and yet there may still be insufficient time for observed spirals to wind up. This inconsistency highlights the importance of self-consistency in our arguments.

Is there a reluctance to break with the idea of absolute time?

The starlight travel time problem may stem from a reluctance among creationist cosmologists to break away from the notion of absolute time, assuming it has always flowed at a constant rate throughout the universe. One model that breaks this notion is Humphreys' white-hole cosmology. This model involves accelerated time increments occurring in the cosmos during 24-hour periods on Earth. However, while this model has been well-received by creationists, a valid mechanism explaining this phenomenon is yet to be discovered.

What are the five possible areas of explanation for the starlight travel time problem?

There are five potential areas of explanation that maintain the 6 x 24-hour literal days while being consistent with the text of Genesis:

1. Phenomenological language: This interpretation suggests that stars were made millions and billions of years before Day 4, but their light arrived on Earth on that day.
2. Clock rates in the cosmos: Clocks in the cosmos may have run at much higher rates than Earth clocks during Creation Week, allowing light from distant regions to reach Earth in a matter of days.
3. Clock rates on Earth: Clocks on Earth may have run much slower than clocks in the cosmos during Creation Week, allowing light from the edge of the universe to reach Earth within a few 24-hour days.
4. Enormously faster speed of light: The speed of light could have been significantly faster in the past and then slowed down to its present value. However, observational evidence does not support this hypothesis.
5. Mystery and miracles: This option acknowledges that God can intervene in the physical world and perform miracles.

What is Humphreys' white-hole cosmology?

Humphreys' white-hole cosmology (HWC) is a model that attempts to address the starlight travel time problem in creationist cosmology. According to this model, all the matter of the universe expanded through a "white hole" during Creation Week, forming the cosmos. Space also expanded along with the matter, resulting in movement due to this expansion. Clocks on Earth near the center of this distribution of matter ran slower than clocks throughout the cosmos due to gravitational time dilation. However, this model faces challenges when it comes to explaining observed redshifts instead of the required blueshifts and difficulties with descriptions of a timeless Euclidean zone.

What is the proposed new model?

A new model is proposed that falls into category 3, similar to Humphreys' model but with some important differences. According to this model, all clocks on Earth, up until Day 4 of Creation Week, ran at around 10^(-13) times the rate of astronomical clocks. The rotation speed of the newly created Earth was also about 10^(-13) times the current rotation speed as measured by astronomical clocks. However, by the close of Day 4, the clock rates on Earth rapidly sped up to match astronomical clocks. This model suggests that during Creation Week, time on Earth was running much slower compared to cosmic time. As a result, light from distant stars had plenty of time to reach Earth within a few 24-hour days. This model does not rely on accelerated speeds or general relativistic effects but instead suspends the laws of physics during Creation Week. The starlight travel time problem has posed a significant challenge for creationist cosmology. However, a new model offers a solution that aligns with biblical interpretation and provides ample time for light from distant stars to reach Earth within a few 24-hour days during Creation Week. This model suggests that clocks on Earth ran much slower compared to clocks in the cosmos during that period and that time on Earth was highly non-linear. While this solution may not have strong apologetic value, it provides a self-consistent framework that aligns with the biblical account of creation.