Timeline of the age of the earth?
Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and secular beliefs.

The Talmud calculated that the world was created in the year 3761 BCE (based on the Seder Olam Rabbah, c. 160 CE, by Rabbi Yose ben Halafta). Judaism maintains a young earth until some reformed

This became the basis for the Jewish calendar, meaning that, in 2024, the Jewish year is 5784 AM (Anno Mundi, "Year of the World"). Source: Seder Olam Rabbah, Chapter 1.

Enlightenment

Scientist Nicolas Steno

Heated iron spheres and estimated that the Earth must be at least 75,000 years old based on cooling rates. Source: Buffon, Les Époques de la Nature (1778)

James Hutton (1726–1797) Proposed that geological processes were gradual and ongoing, suggesting an Earth millions of years old. Source: Hutton, Theory of the Earth (1795).

Charles Lyell (1797–1875) developed uniformitarianism, arguing that Earth’s geological changes occurred slowly over immense time. Source: Lyell, Principles of Geology (1830).

Charles Darwin (1809–1882) supported an ancient Earth to allow for his theory of gradual evolution. Source: Darwin, On the Origin of Species (1859).

As geological discoveries suggested a much older Earth, the Church did not officially oppose these findings, though some theologians resisted.

Pope Leo XIII (1879), in Providentissimus Deus, encouraged Catholics to study science as long as it was in harmony with faith.

The First Vatican Council (1869–1870) reaffirmed that Scripture should be interpreted in accordance with both tradition and reason, allowing for non-literal readings of Genesis.

Ernest Rutherford (1871–1937) pioneered radiometric dating, determining that rocks were billions of years old Source: Rutherford, Radioactive Transformations (1905).

Clair Patterson (1922–1995) used lead isotope dating to determine the Earth’s age as 4.54 billion years. Source: Patterson, Age of Meteorites and the Earth (1956).

The rise of fundamentalism in the 1920s saw many Baptists reject evolution and affirm a 6,000–10,000-year-old Earth.

The Genesis Flood (1961) promoted flood geology and became a foundation for modern Young Earth Creationism.

As geological discoveries suggested a much older Earth, the Church did not officially oppose these findings, though some theologians resisted them initially.

Pope Leo XIII (1879), in Providentissimus Deus, encouraged Catholics to study science as long as it was in harmony with faith.

The First Vatican Council (1869–1870) reaffirmed that Scripture should be interpreted in accordance with both tradition and reason, allowing for non-literal readings of Genesis.

Judaism has a long history of interpreting the Earth's age, ranging from literal biblical chronologies to philosophical and scientific perspectives. Over time, Jewish thought has evolved, accommodating both traditional rabbinic views and modern scientific findings.

Debates in the Talmud

Some rabbis suggested that the "days" of creation were not literal 24-hour days. Example: Rabbi Abbahu (Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a) described cycles of creation and destruction before Adam, implying a much older world.

Maimonides (1138–1204 CE) argued that Genesis was not necessarily literal and that creation could involve long periods, emphasized that science and faith could coexist. Source: Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed,

Nachmanides (1194–1270 CE) suggested that the "six days" of Genesis could be metaphorical, possibly referring to longer time spans.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808–1888) argued that the Torah's creation account was not meant as a scientific text and could align with an old Earth.

Orthodox Judaism

Young Earth View: Some Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews maintain a literal 5,784-year-old Earth, based on biblical chronology.

Old Earth View: Some Orthodox scholars accept modern science but believe Adam and human souls were created specially. Example: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (1934–1983) proposed that Genesis aligns with an old Earth.

Conservative & Reform Judaism

Generally accept modern science, including the 4.54-billion-year-old Earth.

View Genesis as symbolic rather than historical.

Many Jewish scientists (e.g., Gerald Schroeder) reconcile Genesis with an old Earth using relativity and cosmology.(Source: Schroeder, Genesis and the Big Bang (1990).

Reaffirms dogmatically that polygenism cannot be taught safely and that we had one pair of first parents, (Pointing to, but not requiring, a young humanity.)

Pope Pius XII (1950), in Humani Generis, allowed for the study of evolution and an ancient Earth, as long as Catholics recognized that God directly created the human soul.

Pope John Paul II (1996) letter to affirmed that evolution and an old Earth are compatible with Catholic teaching, with caveats.

Some traditionalist movements within the Church argue for a young earth and geocentricism.