I can't help thinking that many of the stories in this first book are better understood when prefixed with "Daddy, where did we come from?", or "Mommy, why is the sky blue?". Don't take that as a curve-ball to exclude God from all of it, but I do battle with the idea that it's intended to be literal. If others want to take it like that, that's fine, but I think arguing either way is actually besides the point, and I am siding with Eugene Peterson's view that Genesis is about God as a foundation illustrated with stories of real people. God in the centre; life about God (living that out takes different forms so I'm not off to the priesthood) and God all the time.
So the Creation story you can take as you wish, but I would like to think that God used tools, like evolutionary processes, to create the earth and us rather than click his fingers to do it. I look at the creation process as God producing a masterpiece - I am far more inspired by a table that took years to make and carve than one that was knocked together in some factory. I imagine God stepping back after the process and feeling proud at this incredible creation like I imagine one of the Renaissance greats would have felt on the completion of a work of art. Maybe like Michelangelo after dolling up the ceiling at the Sistine chapel, if you'll pardon the irony.
What do you think?
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Interesting take on the creation story. I agree with you to some degree but here is what I think. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. I like to think that the reason God took 6 Days to create everything as we know it was to show us the absolute power he has and what he can do.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is a right and wrong interpretation, although vehemently defending one or other viewpoint probably is! If this is what you get from it, then maybe that's what you're supposed to get from it yes?
ReplyDeleteMethinks it takes some creative faith to dispatch all the evidence there is today for an old earth. I still vehemently believe that God did it - I just think he took his time. One interesting angle on the matter is how far away the stars are. If the stars are 10mill light years away, that means the light has taken 10mill years to get to us, so what we're seeing is actually a record of that star's existence 10mill years ago. Either way, God did it. I also thinks it takes some creative faith to believe it all happened without God. Thus far my shallow thorts.
ReplyDeleteI think you and me are on the same page - be interesting to hear if anyone has a strongly different view so I'm going to invite plenty of non-Christians to this blog :-)
ReplyDeleteWhy Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?
ReplyDeleteWhy did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never
noticed this....
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over
the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave
clothes.
The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly
folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the
tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the
entrance
She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus
loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the
tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'
Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple
outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in
and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.
Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside He also noticed the linen
wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was
folded up and lying to the side.
Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to
understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded
napkin had
to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that
it was exactly the way the master wanted it.
The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just
out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the
servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.
Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe
his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin
and toss it onto the table.
The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the
wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.
But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid
it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table,
Because.........
The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'
He is Coming Back!!
Greens, I must admit I have been unsure of how to respond to this as I don't want to seem like a permanent skeptic. But then, this is a place for discussion, so I have to say that whilst this story is quite romantic I don't think it's based on fact. Yes, the Gospel writer reports that the burial head-cloth was found rolled up and separate from the other garments, but there does not seem to be any Jewish custom involving folded napkins at dinner tables!
ReplyDeleteThis story aside, I wonder if we sometimes try to justify our faith by seeking out supporting facts when really we don't need to prove anything. That's why it's called faith! Everything is based on assumptions somewhere along the line, so I don't feel compelled to provide factual arguments for what I believe. In fact, the logical part of me constantly doubts, so I make a choice to listen to the bit that simply wonders how we all got here and marvels at the things I cannot explain without God. The Agnostics would have a field day with me, but faith is, after all, belief in things not seen :-)
I was also skeptical about the story the first time I read it. I think the idea is nice but like you said there is no real evedence to support it.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I believe in a literal translation of the bible, which makes me a bit of a pariah in my field - so many gardeners practically worship Darwin. But I do agree that it is secondary to the message of God being at the center of all creation.
ReplyDeleteI think its funny though that with all the discoveries made, the crucial Link in evolution is still missing?