Here’s a thought experiment: you’re standing at an archaeological site dated to 11,600 years old while many Christian traditions insist the Earth is a mere seven millennia old. How do you reconcile these timelines?

In this post — based on my recent travels through Turkey — I explore how faith and science interact when faced with ancient sites older than the pyramids.

What I saw in Turkey:

• Göbekli Tepe (Kahepe) — an 11,600-year-old site that predates the Egyptian pyramids by six millennia.
• Evidence of the Younger Dryas cataclysm — signs of an environmental reset around 10,000 years ago.
• The reported location of Noah’s Ark near Mount Ararat, including structural beams and metal joints that some researchers believe match the biblical description.
• Connections to Eden and early civilization — the Fertile Crescent, cradle of writing and early agriculture.

How faith and science can coexist:

Christians shouldn’t fear archaeology or physics. Instead, these disciplines can expand our understanding of Scripture. The Genesis gap theory, for example, suggests that the Earth went through a destructive phase before the creation of Adam and Eve. That allows room for older civilizations and natural events without undermining core beliefs.

I’ve learned that exploring ancient cultures doesn’t weaken faith; it strengthens it. It reminds me that God works through both revelation and natural law — through the Bible and the physical world.

Your turn:

What happens to your faith when you encounter history that predates the timelines you grew up with? Do visits to ancient sites make you more curious about the Bible, more skeptical, or somewhere in between? Let me know in the comments below.