"What kind of days these are is difficult or even impossible for us to imagine, to say nothing of describing them."    –St. Augustine, City of God, p. 436

Some prominent and vocal Christian groups argue that the only proper way to understand the "days" in the Genesis text is as calendar days (or 24-hour days). However, numerous recent studies by conservative Christian scholars (e.g., in the Presbyterian Church of America and at Westminster Theological Seminary) affirm that a high regard for the authority of Scripture allows a diversity of views on the meaning of the Hebrew word translated "day". In addition to the calendar day view, other prominent perspectives include the framework view, the analogical day view and the day-age view. Reasons To Believe holds the day-age (long but finite days) view and yet we recognize the "sister" status of the framework and analogical views. While Christians may hold divergent positions on issues not essential to salvation, we maintain that any valid position must integrate and make sense of all the texts and verses given throughout the Bible.