My copy of The Genesis Record has lots of underlining and notes written in the margin. Some of my notes are questions, some are thoughts of disagreement with theological interpretation. Regardless of points of contention, this is a book that is on my top 10 list. The author is obviously well studied in theology and science. My copy is the 25th printing of a 1976 copyright, printed in 2001, so the science isn’t as up-to-date as some other books on the market, but because of the format, it’s easy to study along with the most up-to-date scientific discoveries, which only serve to make this a still relevant commentary.

Basic Summary

The Genesis Record takes a detailed look at the book of Genesis in the Bible one small portion at a time, from a scientific point of view. The author delves into the biblical study, drawing from scientific evidence from our time. It’s not a critical verse-by-verse, but more of a narrative exposition, with discussions on historic and scientific problems. The biblical text is transcribed within the text, using the King James Version.

In Depth Summary

The book is divided into three parts plus ten appendixes and indexes of subjects and Scripture References.

Part One is the introduction to Genesis (19 pages). The book begins with the foundation of history of the book of Genesis. The author makes his case for the importance of Genesis, as the foundation not only of history, but of true science and true philosophy. Genesis is the book recording the origins of everything from the universe and man to language and government.

Next a discussion of the author of Genesis including a fascinating look at when men began to write, Moses' role as author verses editor of a compilation of patriarchal records. How is Genesis to be interpreted? How does it compare with Revelation? All of this only in the first few pages.

Part Two covers Genesis 1-11, the creation, fall of man, days of Noah, the great flood, the new world and the Table of Nations (255 pages). The author believes that this section is foundational:

...the first eleven chapters of Genesis, which deal with the whole world and with all the nations, constitute the foundation for the rest of Genesis, which deals specifically with the beginnings of the nation Israel.

Part Three covers Genesis 12-50, including Abraham, the destruction of Sodom, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau, Joseph, and Egypt (375 pages).

Many current issues, relevant to today's issues are addressed. Just to name a couple:

Did man evolve over millions of years? The author meticulously explores the creation week, discussing the various theories of meaning from a literal seven 24-hour days to a day comprising many years to fit with evolutionary teaching.

Was there ever a flood that literally covered the whole earth? Questions about whether there could have been a worldwide flood or if Noah's flood was really just a local flood are answered from both a biblical perspective and with geological evidence.

Some other personal favorites: There’s a nice table of the men from Adam to Noah with their birth and death years. A discussion on the question of the length of a cubit. One of my favorite subjects is the Table of Nations found in Genesis 10-11 (After the Flood by Bill Cooper is another good book on this subject). The author uses archaeology to give a look at the world of Abraham.

These are just a few of the issues discussed.

Henry M. Morris is a creationist scientist. He has spent years in relationship with many other scientists and theologians, both creationist and evolutionist. He is the founder for Institute for Creation Research.

What I Liked.

I found this book to be quite interesting, so much so that I wish there was a book like this for every book of the Bible. It's fascinating to put together the science of today with the record of the beginnings as related in Genesis.
Ever wonder if science and the Bible can live together in the same world? This book will clear that up for you in a heart beat. It’s a wonderful book to read and discuss with a small group or as an individual study.

What I Didn't Like.

I didn't agree with all of his theological conclusions, but I don't have a problem hearing arguments for differing points of view, because it enriches my understanding in the long run. The version chosen (KJV) for the scripture portions is more difficult to understand for the modern reader.

Final Thoughts.

Whether you are interested in a scientific or theological study or even just an interesting read, I highly recommend this book. Reading The Genesis Record is time well-spent and great for small group discussions.

Recommended: Yes