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This paper answers the question of whether or not a Christian has to be aYoung Earth creationist. The article opens with the typology of the currentpositions in the creation-evolution debate. Basing itself on this typology,it presents Young Earth creationism as one of four positions, the only onethat denies the concept of “deep time”. Next, the paper presents the genesisof Young Earth creationism in Western thought. In the third part there is abrief response to the argument of the proponents of a Young Earth that earlyChristianity supported the young age of the universe. In the following partit is explained that Young Earth creationism confuses the scientific withthe theological statements. At the end, a document of the Catholic Churchis presented which explains that Catholics can understand the “day” in thecreation account as either a natural day or any other period of time. Thismakes room for other positions within Catholic orthodoxy apart from thatof a Young Earth.