We begin then by looking at creation from the differing perspectives of the biblical narrative and some other ancient stories.
This will help to show the distinctiveness and power of the Bible’s account of creation.
Creation in the ancient Near East
The recitation of creation stories in the ancient world bore little resemblance to our detached discussions on creation today. To these ancient peoples it was a matter of worship. Their sagas were not like the telling of fairy tales, but recitations of the annual religious festivals. Recounting these stories had the serious purpose of seeking both to preserve the order of society and to guarantee order and life before the threats of chaotic forces. Read more
The Christian faith teaches that it is possible to know God through Jesus Christ. For Jesus is risen from the dead and is alive for evermore. Through the Holy Spirit, he is present in the lives of those who trust and follow him. And so it is perhaps initially surprising that this faith should attach supreme importance to a book, a book which is a collection of documents all written in the ancient world some 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. If we can know the living God today, why should we bother with ancient documents? Yet the fact is that Christians do attach, and always have attached, central importance to the Bible. Why is this so? Read more
What Is Judaism?
If you’re Jewish, or even if you are not, and your child asks about what it means to be a Jew, what would you say? Would you stress history or contemporary changes? Would you emphasize culture or religion? In asking these questions of parents, I’ve heard a great variety of responses. The following two illustrations provide an indication of how everyone’s interpretation of a religion can be quite different. Read more
