Ancient Cosmology.pdf

Ancient Cosmology (Copan p. 116) Ontology1 Creation pertains to the transition from nonexistence to existence at any number of different levels. Ontology – is the philosophical term that pertains to what it means for something to exist. Cosmology2 pertains to the study of the cosmos, particularly wi...

Ancient Cosmology (Copan p. 116) Ontology1 Creation pertains to the transition from nonexistence to existence at any number of different levels. Ontology – is the philosophical term that pertains to what it means for something to exist. Cosmology2 pertains to the study of the cosmos, particularly with regard to its origins and its nature. Cosmic ontology – therefore asks what characterizes the existence of the cosmos. The cosmology text of any culture expresses how that culture understands existence and the events that brought the cosmos into existence. Substantial information from the ANE indicates that their cosmic ontology focused on order rather than material. In such an ontology, something did not truly exist until it had a role and a purpose in an ordered system. “Creation,” then, involved activities that brought order (such as separating and naming, observable both in Genesis and the ANE), rather than an act or process that merely produced something material. Consequently, and ancient account of cosmic origins would naturally relate the origins of order rather than the origins of the material cosmos. Nonexistence In both Egyptian and Babylonian texts, something that is nameless does not exist. Egyptian texts label the desert and its exotic animals as nonexistent. In Babylon the most famous cosmology, Enuma Elish, begins when nothing is yet named, including the gods. In Israel's cosmology, the non-ordered state is descried by the Hebrew word tohu wabohu in Genesis 1:2. When the usage of these words in the Hebrew text is examined, we find that they do not pertain to the shapelessness of material objects but to the absence of order, role, or function. Thus the Genesis 1 cosmology begins with no order and then recounts the establishment of order. Causation/Purpose Throughout the ancient world, the gods were viewed as agents of causation in cosmic origins. The ancients had no category of “natural” laws or causes and drew no distinctions between levels of causation as we are inclined to do. They would not distinguish between the activity of the gods and levels of origins that could be explained “naturally.” In Hebrew, a word might simply indicate a role in causation without clarifying whether that role was direct or indirect. Since the gods are always involved as causative agents, creation is carried out with purpose. In Genesis the purpose of God can be easily inferred, but it is not always so clear in the rest of the ancient world, largely because the gods there were not in the habit of communicating their purposes. One distinction, however, is that the gods of the ANE tended to focus their activities on themselves and their needs rather than on people. Despite that distinction, cosmology in the ancient world is driven by the gods' purposes, even when their purposes were unknown. Order/Roles In the ancient world, political and social realities were established by decree of the authority (e.g. king, governor, elder). Cosmic realities were similarly established by the decrees of the gods. It is therefore no surprise that even though cosmologies do not often explicitly mention creation by the spoken word, order in the cosmos, in society, in the temple, and at every level of existence as determined 1 2 The study of existence and how we determine if things exist The origin and development of the universe by decree. In Akkadian and Sumerian sources, the primary force of life are all laid down in a process known as the decreeing of the destinies. The roles of gods, people, groups, social institutions, temples, and cosmic entities (the cosmos was full of entities rather than objects) were decreed. A similar perspective can be seen in Genesis generally as the spoken word is used to make decrees bringing order, and specifically as the roles of the sun, moon, and starts are indicated. Chaoskamph3 One of the ideas that is commonly identified as distinguishing Israelite thinking from that of the ANE concerns the role of conflict in creation. Oddly enough, conflict in cosmology is not as common as we might think. Egyptian mythology features daily conflict as the sun rises and is threatened by the chaos creature, Apophis. In Sumerian literature, the cosmology texts do not feature conflict. In Akkadian, the Enuma Elish tells of the battle between Marduk and Tiamat, but even there, the account is of a reorganization of the cosmos under the rule of Markuk. Clearly, however, Genesis give not indication of 3 The role of conflict in creation narratives distinguishes Israelite thought from that of the Ancient Near East (ANE) is an intriguing one, yet as noted, it may not be as stark a contrast as sometimes presumed. Let's delve into this comparison more deeply to understand the nuances. Ancient Near East Cosmologies  Egyptian Mythology: Here, conflict is indeed a recurring theme with the daily battle between the sun god Ra and Apophis, the chaos serpent, symbolizing the continual struggle between order and chaos. This conflict is cyclical, emphasizing the maintenance of cosmic order.  Sumerian Literature: Sumerian texts generally do not highlight cosmological conflict. Their narratives often begin with the world already in a form of order, focusing more on the organization and functioning of the cosmos and society.  Akkadian (Babylonian) Mythology: The Enuma Elish is a notable exception in ANE literature where conflict plays a central role in the creation narrative. The epic describes the battle between Marduk, the god of Babylon, and Tiamat, the personification of primordial chaos. Marduk's victory and the subsequent creation of the world from Tiamat's body represent the triumph of order over chaos. However, it's important to note that this conflict is more about reorganizing and establishing order in the cosmos rather than its initial creation. Israelite Cosmology: The Book of Genesis  Absence of Cosmic Conflict: Genesis, particularly in its creation accounts in chapters 1 and 2, lacks any depiction of divine conflict in the creation process. The narrative is characterized by a single, omnipotent God who creates the cosmos through speech, in an orderly and methodical manner. There is no struggle against chaos; rather, chaos (formless and empty earth, darkness over the deep) is simply a prelude to the ordered creation that follows. Analysis and Interpretation  Not a Clear-Cut Distinction: While it's tempting to view the absence of cosmic conflict in Genesis as a stark contrast to certain ANE myths, it's crucial to recognize that the presence of conflict is not ubiquitous across all ANE cosmologies. For example, Sumerian texts also lack such conflict, indicating that the absence of cosmic battle in creation narratives is not unique to Israelite thought.  Exception Rather Than the Rule: The presence of conflict, as prominently seen in the Enuma Elish, may be more of an exception rather than a rule in ANE cosmologies. This suggests that the distinctiveness of Israelite cosmology, while notable, should be understood in the context of a broader spectrum of ancient cosmological perspectives.  Theological and Cultural Implications: The differences in creation narratives reflect the diverse theological and philosophical viewpoints of these ancient cultures. For the Israelites, the emphasis on a singular, omnipotent God who imposes order on chaos without conflict may underscore themes of divine sovereignty, monotheism, and the inherent orderliness of creation. Conclusion In summary, while the absence of cosmic conflict in the Genesis creation narrative does present a contrast with certain ANE myths, such as the Enuma Elish, it is not entirely unique when considering the broader spectrum of ancient cosmological narratives. This comparison highlights the rich tapestry of ancient Near Eastern and Israelite thought, underscoring the importance of understanding these texts within their broader cultural and theological contexts. such a conflict. Nevertheless, this is not as clear a distinction as is often stated since the concept is the exception rather than the rule throughout ANE cosmologies. Cosmos and Temple Since cosmologies focus on establishing order, it is not surprise to find that temples play a significant role in cosmology. The temple in the ancient world was the seat of divine authority. It was from the temple that the gods ruled and maintained order in the cosmos. The temple was also a connecting link between heaven and earth. In cosmologies such as Enki and World Order and Enuma Elish, the cosmology features the establishment of a temple from which the god can assume rule over the cosmos that has been organized under his control. Cosmic Geography Cosmology is comprised not only of perspectives on the origins of the world as it’s known but also of the shape of the world, known as cosmic geography. Thought there are individual variations from culture to culture and time to time, a general commonality pervades the ancient world. The main features of the cosmos were the heavens, the earth, and the seas. The netherworld was a component of the earth. Cosmologies often recounted the initial separation between these components (heaven and earth, earth and seas, waters above and waters below). The gods established boundaries for the sea to keep the earth and heaven separated as well as to restrain the waters above. An understanding in the ancient world was that there was a single continent surrounded by cosmic waters. Ancient cosmologies also regularly conceived of the sky as solid thought many different ideas existed concerning the nature of the dome. Genesis reflects many of the common perspectives of the ancient world.