A scientist told me that Genesis 1 is 'unscientific' because we have light before stellar bodies, and days before light.
For a scientist to be hung up about light before stellar bodies beggars belief. Genesis 1, like the rest of scripture, is written in 'ordinary observer' language to be able to communicate across cultures and history.
I would expect a scientist to understand how this works.
Light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and possibly a synecdoche for the entirety of the energy field. So God's first step in creation is the creation of energy. Essential.
Next energy is partly condensed into fundamental particles of matter. I've been in the bush on moonless nights. It's dark. No light, but plenty of matter without light, and its all dark. In a couple of days, God forms this fundamental matter into the stellar furniture, whereupon these bodies can be light producers.
Days are calibrated for us as 'evening and morning' type days. The time markers themselves come a little later, but what is important is calibrated time passing.
This is a vitally important part of scripture as God thereby demonstrates that he is active in our 'life world'. He is in communication with us by his acts making the domain of real fellowship between persons: him and we in his image in the place where he brings together the life of his creatures and his own life.
It also shows that the infinite God has made himself present in our finite world allowing a two-way relationship. The creation is thus shown to be something that is continuous with the time and space of human life and history and God is right there in it showing the primacy of his word, or 'logos' in all of human affairs.
Oh, and by the way, names of times and lighting conditions are independent of each other, as you would discover in the Arctic in mid summer. It’s always light!
