This is a new book by John H. Walton.  The Lost World of Genesis One is worth a read.  It provides a new way of looking at Genesis One – Creation.  The interpretation sees Gen. 1 more as an “inauguration” of the Temple that is God’s dwelling place – His place here on earth, in this cosmos.  The material formation of our universe and earth are not the subject, but it is the function and purpose of the creation to form God’s place and humans to then subdue and rule, sustain and maintain, as part of an ongoing process – a continuation of the creation.  The inauguration process takes 7 (literal) days.  The book enables all believers and non-believers to come together accepting, for instance, biological evolution, with the Christian comment, “Yes, there is no reason God could not have been involved in that process.”   Neutrality on science claims that have no proof (beyond a doubt), such as Darwin’s Evolutionary model, becomes an imperative.  Allow it to be taught in schools, but entrust the educators to also present the fact that this concept is more hypothesis than theory.  Let the facts and the debate be known. 

His book opens to a more tolerant attitude towards creation and the material world.  He sees the Bible as written to provide more purpose  and fundtion than material elements.  The material elements are only the construct from which the more important function then occurs.  As an example he provides the building of a computer and its installation – many parts, many wires, much plugging and connecting, much time, even the software,but the function, the use of the piece itself is the goal, and that goal is when the owner turns on the machine and operates it for his intended purpose.