Chapter 5 - The Creation PDF

Creation  God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God Blessed them saying: “ Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the livin...

Creation  God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God Blessed them saying: “ Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” (Genesis 1:27-28)    Introduction   People always wondered about the origin of the world.  That is why some Filipinos believed with the Hiligaynon myths explaining the beginning of time and the origin of man and woman.  “Those of the coast, called Yligueynes, are of the opinion that heaven and earth had no beginning and that there were two gods, one of these called Captan and the other Maguayen and that the land breeze and sea breeze brought forth a reed when it was grown, it broke and there were made from itself two sections which became man and a woman.”  Introduction   The Genesis account of creation in the Old Testament does not attempt to give humans a scientific information but it emphasized that there is a one God who is the source of everything.  The summit of his creation is the human being. It is because humans were made out of his own image and likeness.  Until today God is creating and sustaining everything and supporting human’s own creative activity.  Introduction to the Book of Genesis   The First book of the Bible bears the Greek name, “Genesis”, which means “origin, beginning, source, creation.  The word Genesis translates the more original Hebrew “toledot” which means “generation, family history; and significantly marks the beginning of the book.  Introduction to the Book of Genesis   The author’s understanding of the world is immaterial.  The Genesis account of creation does not intend to explain how the world came to be. It does not affirm or denies any scientific explanations.  The creation story makes clear why there is a world.  The one true God is the reason why everything exist.  He is the source of life, he brings order by his words and everything he creates is good.  There is contradiction between Science and Religion  Science – explain how the world evolved  Religion – proclaims why there is a world  Introduction to the Book of Genesis   Some scholars prefer to call them “pre historical, or proto-historical” and not a historical book.  There is no particular facts, eyewitness, and no direct connections to other events that are known.  The biblical authors wrote for their contemporaries and used images, symbols, and expressions common to their time and culture.  Myth as a literary form used in the bible is an “imaginative story which used symbols to speak about reality”  Introduction to the Book of Genesis   The biblical authors have recast these stories in accordance with their experience of the One God who revealed Himself to Israel.  It has strong images like the awesome wonder of creation, the joys of life, the agony of sin, the fear of death, the terrible human capacity for evil, the existence of God and the questions about His patience and justice.  The First Story of Creation   Genesis 1-11 – contain accounts of the creation of the universe and of the human race, the fall into sin and its consequences for humanity and the promise of salvation.  Accordingly it was written by priests, because it is echoed with ceremonial inclination.  It has a repeated formulae and progression quite liturgical in quality.  The First Story of Creation   From our reading we can cull the following lessons: 1. God is the origin of everything, especially life. - God is the creator of all that is, as well as the final goal of everything that exists. “God created all things visible and invisible. (CCC 325) - The eternal God gave a beginning to all that exists outside of Himself; he alone is the Creator. (CCC 290) - Nothing therefore exists that does not owe its existence to God. (CCC 338)  The First Story of Creation  2. Creation is orderly and good.  The Six Days of Creation  According to Biblical Scholars in the beginning the earth was formless wasteland plunged in darkness and water. There was chaos in the world.  The Genesis account of creation for six days in the Bible was in orderly manner.  It was exposed like a poem story that can easily be remembered.  That is essential because the story will be passed orally throughout the ages.  The First Story of Creation   First Three Days – Days of Separation  Last Three Days – Days of Filling the Earth.  First Day – Light from Darkness  Second Day – Waters above from waters below  Third Day – Dry Land From Water  Fourth Day – Heavenly Bodies  Fifth Day – Birds to fly through the air and sea creatures to inhabit the water.  Sixth Day – Land Animals and human to inhabit the dry land of the earth.  The First Story of Creation   The perception of the author of the book of Genesis about the earth is flat.  Underneath the dry land were waters pushing their way through the earth’s surface.  Above the earth was the firmament shaped like an inverted bowl. Above the firmament were more waters. The firmament had floodgates where the rain could pass to fall on the earth. It is also the resting place of the moon, sun, and stars.  The First Story of Creation  3. Humankind is the summit of God’s creation. - For the priestly authors, the account is a “liturgical poem” and in a liturgical procession, the most important figure comes last. - Adam and Eve was created last. - Humankind occupies a unique, a most special place , the highest place of honor in creation. - According to CFC 334 “The pinnacle of God’s creation is man and woman.  The First Story of Creation   It is because God created man and woman according to his own image and likeness and to have dominion over the fish of the sea, birds of the air ….. (Genesis 1:26-27)  The man and woman are created in the image of Jesus Christ the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)  But does not mean that man and woman are equal to God. We are embodied spirit a union of body and soul.  God gives man spiritual powers of thinking and power of learning, growing and loving.  However, human body as part of material world must be honored because it came from God.  The First Story of Creation  4. Human are stewards over all creation.  According to CFC 341 “Man and woman as images of God are appointed to exercise stewardship over all earthly creatures.  Humans were given the authority to have dominions over God’s creation and all the living things that move on the earth.  That is why they must subdue creation and use them for the good of others.  (Psalm 8:5-10) – a prayer of praise to God for the dignity he has given to man and woman.  The First Story of Creation  Ecclesia in Asia states, it is the moral duty of all to take care of the environment, not only for their own good but for the good of the future generations as well. John Paul II said, it is the duty of all who look to God as the Creator to protect the environment by restoring a sense of reverence for the whole of creation.  The First Story of Creation 5. Rest if Godly.   God created the world and brought order out of chaos.  After the completion of his creation God rested on the Sabbath Day.  God rested on the seventh day and he blessed the seventh day and made it holy  The creation story tells us that there must be a rest day to praise and worship God.  That is why Sunday is not simply a rest day but a day of hope and joy because it is believed that in this day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.  Second Story of Creation   The account emphasizes God’s relationship to all human being represented by the figures of Adam and Eve.  The names are symbolic.  Adam in Hebrew means “man” or human while Eve comes from the word meaning “living” symbolically she is the mother of the living people.  Second Story of Creation   Theological points of the second account: a. There is an intimate connection between the land and the human being.  The second story of creation shows God as a potter who took clay from the ground and shaped it into the form of a man and breathed life into his nostrils (Genesis 2:7). b. The human being is both body and soul.  Breath of Life – signified that the spirit of God is the source of authentic life. Apart from God human being is nothing.  Second Story of Creation  c. Eden is the original location of human beings.  “Eden” shares a Hebrew homonym, which means “pleasure, delight”. Paradise is a Persian loan word which means “A royal garden”.  Place depicted as fertile, abundant in water, and green with trees.  According to Mesters (1995), Paradise is a picture of total harmony; of God with human beings, of one human being with another, of human beings with the world of animals and nature.  Second Story of Creation  d. Man and woman complete and complement each other.  Man was into a deep sleep and from his side woman was created. Then man realized that here was the perfect partner with whom he could share his life.  “This one ,at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called woman for out of her man this one has been taken” (Genesis 2:23)  The author of Genesis tells us that man and woman are equal in nature and dignity.  Gordon Higham- describes this relationship of man and woman. - Woman was not taken from man’s head to be ruled by him, nor from his feet to be trampled upon, but from his side to walk beside him, from under his arm to be protected by him and from near his  Second Story of Creation  e. Human love and marriage are divinely ordered.  The divine plan of unity and marriage.  God wants that man and woman live in a community of love in marriage in which they become one.  “This is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and two of them become one body” (Genesis 2:24)  At the end of the second creation story man and woman enjoyed an intimate relationship with God. They were given the privilege of walking and talking with the Lord. God’s presence is a source of joy and peace for them.  The Fall and other Sin-Stories   The account describes in figurative language how man and woman began to turn away from God.  This is a biblical religious explanation of the presence of sin in human history.  The account of the fall is full of symbolisms: the Tree of life, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the serpent, etc.  Other sin-stories: Cain and Abel, the tower of Babel, Noah and the Flood.  The Fall and other Sin-Stories   In the Cristian Context we can gleam the following points: a. The nature and meaning of Sin. - First there is God’s command; and Sin is depicted as human disobedience of such command. - “Sin is an abuse of the freedom that God gives to created persons so they are capable of loving Him and loving one another” (CCC 381) - Though tempted, we are still intelligent and free. - Sin is a choice not to follow the law of God  The Fall and other Sin-Stories  b. Consequences of Sin 1. Divine Alienation (Man/Woman from God). - Man and woman were expelled from paradise (Gen. 3:24) - Our act of disobedience has caused the loss of the original state of friendship with God (Rom. 3:23) - As a result “death” makes its entrance into human history (CCC 400) - Dust you are and unto dust you shall return. (Gen. 3:19)  The Fall and other Sin-Stories  b. Consequences of Sin 2. Human Self-Alienation (Man/Woman from self) - We begin to experience disharmony within… - Our act brings in its train a sense of guilt, a profound sense of shame, the futile effort to hide from the presence of God. - The man and his wife hid themselves from God, among the trees of the garden. (Gen. 3:8) - Anxiety, loss of inner peace and suffering enter the scenario of human existence.  The Fall and other Sin-Stories  b. Consequences of Sin 3. Social Alienation (Man/Woman from each other). - Sin destroys the harmony between man and woman. - The disharmony with the human family is best shown in the story of Cain and Abel. - The account teaches that after the sin against God, there follows the sin against the fellow. - The Story of the Great Deluge demonstrates that evil has become widespread and has afflicted an entire society. - The harmony of life is destroyed; everything we’ve worked for becomes senseless.  Ongoing Creation   After the sixth day, God did not stop creating.  Creation continues in the present.  God continue to support everything in existence not only supporting them but loving them.  God is the source of life.  Everything depends on him for continued existence.  Filipino distorted attitude “bahala na”.  It is an extreme dependence to God.  As if God will do everything and without the effort of humans.  Conclusion   God created the world not because he needed it but because he wants to share his infinite love.  All beings that he created is good.  And he gave man and woman dominion over all creation so that empowered by the Spirit they may share in the creative work of God Jesus Christ.  “Sapagkat tayo’y tao lamang”  Reflect  1. What is the place of rest and worship in your life? Has the youth of today lost these values? 2. What are the “serpents” enticing you to become unfaithful to God and others today? 3. How is it possible to achieve harmony and peace in our world?