Creation, the Fall, & the Founding of a People

Homework (due Tues., 9/23) Print out OT TEXT: Ch. 3 from NetClassroom Read pp & do both RQ’s and Journal (J) on p. 61 (due Thurs., 9/25) Read Gen. 1-2 List as many details as you can that do not match what we know scientifically about the origins of the world, human beings, and so on.

Homework (due Thurs., 10/2) Write 1 pg. Reflection on the Creation-Evolution debate, including responses to these questions: What impression does the Scopes trial give us about Religion and Science? Which is true about the origins of the world: Bible or Science? Creation or Evolution? Is it possible that both are true? If so, how?

Homework (due Mon., 10/6) R&H pp ; RQs p. 65 (due Tues., 10/7) Read Genesis 2:4-3:24 R&H pp ; RQs p. 67 (due Thurs., 10/9) Read Gen. 6:5-9:17 R&H pp ; RQs p. 70

Homework (due Mon., 10/13) Study for QUIZ on text RQs/terms and WTB sheet (due Tues., 10/14) Study for TEST REVIEW for Ch. 3 Text and RQ answers Notes WTB sheet (Fri., 10/17) TEST on Ch. 3

Stories in Genesis In Genesis, Primeval Stories Ancestor Stories

In Genesis… Primeval Stories Ancestor Stories 2 Creation stories Fall of Adam and Eve Cain and Abel Noah and the Flood Tower of Babel Abraham Sarah & Hagar Isaac & Ishmael Rebekah Jacob Joseph

Genesis stories… Often myth or folk history Passed down orally from generation to generation Not written down until 5 th Century B.C., after Babylonian Exile

“Monkey Trial” Players Scopes (Cates)Defendant in Tennessee Trial Darrow (Drumond)Defense Attorney Bryan (Brady)Prosecuting Attorney DaytonTrial site DarwinAuthor, Origin of the Species ACLUAmerican Civil Liberties Union

Bible interpretation is either… Literalist >Very StrictDay=24 hours >Less strictDay= era ContextualistDay= symbol

Creation –Evolution Debate 1. 3 debates/ 3 topics 1. “If Evolution is true, the Creation stories must be false.” 2. Both Science and the Bible are right about our origins.” 3. “Science is a kind of ‘faith’.”

Creation –Evolution Debate 1. 3 debates/ 3 topics 2. Each group= 2 teams, pro & con 3. Each team= 1 debater with assistants 4. Each debate= 3 minutes, with Opening statements 2 follow-ups/rebuttals Closing statements

Creation or Evolution…or both? Theistic evolutionists: God creates through process of evolution Non-theistic evolutionists: Universe simply “began” with “Big Bang”

St. Augustine’s theory of creation as “seeds” hints at evolutionary process

If creation took a year... Jan. 1Big Bang takes place May 1Milky Way galaxy appears Sept. 1Earth appears Dec. 1Animals appear Dec. 31Humans appear Jan. 1Space age begins

Ancient Hebrew Cosmology Ancient Hebrew Cosmology World of the deadNether world World of the livingOur world World of GodGod’s home

Three Days of Separation Day 1God created light & separated it from the darkness Day 2God separated the water above(rain) from the water below (ocean) Day 3God separated the water below (ocean) from the dry land

Three Days of Population Day 4God populated the sky with sun, moon and stars Day 5God populated the air with birds and the ocean with fish Day 6God populated the land

One Day of Celebration Day 7God celebrated, resting from work, blessing creation and setting the day apart from the other days (Shabat, that is Sabbath)

Week Pattern 3 Days of separation light/dark water/water water/land 3 days of populationsky sky and ocean land 1 day of celebrationrested blessed creation made Sabbath special

5-fold Pattern for each “Day” Introduction“God commanded” Command“Let there be” Execution“It was done” Reaction“God was pleased” Conclusion“Evening passed”

In the contextualist way of thinking, the Truth of the Creation Stories looks something like this...

Creator Old beliefMany gods New teachingOne God How taughtOne God creates everything

Act of Creation Old beliefAccidental happening New teachingPlanned event How taughtGod creates in an orderly way

Creation itself Old beliefPartly good New teachingTotally good How taughtGod affirms goodness

Days of Creation Old beliefAll days are the same New teachingSeventh day is special How taughtGod blessed 7th Day

Story of the Fall Mostly symbolic/ metaphorical vs. literal Themes: Mystery and origin of sin/evil Consequences of sin God’s response to man’s sin

Original Sin (Sin’s origin) Greek myth GODS responsible Bible story PEOPLE responsible

Original Sin (Sin’s origin) Symbols>Snake =Satan Eating =Sinful action Teaching =Evil entered the world through the sin of first couple

Consequences of Sin From harmony with > alienation from: God Self Other People Nature (all Creation)