CREATION

The Challenge of Evolutionary

Science and Concerns for
Ecology
 CREATION: Introduction
• MAIN PROBLEM: To address the most
immediate question in an advanced
scientific and technological culture—
THE QUESTION ON THE RELATION OF
SCIENCE AND RELIGION REGARDING
“CREATION.”
 CREATION: Introduction
• TWO EXPRESSIONS OF THE
QUESTION
1. The challenge of evolutionary science to
religious faith
2. Concern for Ecology

• The two are interconnected

 CREATION: Introduction
• METHODOLOGY

1. Biblical Exposition- major currents of

interpretation
2. Survey of Catholic Theological traditions
3. Presentation of highlights from
contemporary theological discussion
 CREATION: Biblical
Perspective
• METHOD: Historico-critical analysis
A. OT- Genesis (a) Gen 1 (b) 2:46-3:24
-Deutero-Isaiah
-Wisdom Literature (a) Proverbs
(b) Sirach (c) Wisdom of Solomon

B. NT- Synoptics, Pauline & Johanine

Literatures
 CREATION: Biblical
Perspective
• Is there a systematic theology of creation
in the Bible?
• What we have is a diversity of passages
on creation expressing faith in creation
• Therefore, we have a BIBLICAL
CREATION FAITH rather than CREATION
THEOLOGY
 CREATION: Biblical
Perspective
• MAIN ASSERTION:
Biblical creation faith is not concerned about
cosmogony but about the relationship of God
and creation.
OT: not about physical beginnings of the world but
expression of faith in God who creates and
liberates
NT: about the meaning of Christ, his salvific role as
intimately link with creative role
• About renewal of original creation through
saving presence of God in Jesus.
 CREATION: Old Testament
1. GENESIS
• Genesis is not about answers to
scientific questions. Not the HOW?

• But a reflection of the concerns and

needs of the people of Israel in the given
context.
a. Gen 1 –Priestly Tradition (6-5th Cnt. BC)

Context: Babylonian Exile

Narrative is infuenced by Babylonian epic
poem Enuma Elish

Intention: to show a God who established

orderly cosmos for Israel. This is in order
to rekindle CONFIDENCE in God!
• God created thru WORD (not thru conflict
bet. Marduk & Tiamat)

• Creation story is a DOXOLOGY! Cultic

celebration of God’s powerful word.

• Human being is the image of God. Hence,

has a special purpose within the plan of
creation. As God’s representative.
Conclusion on Priestly Tradition:

• Author was unaware of any opposition bet

scientific & theological explanation the
origin of the world and humanity

• The narrative is not a work of science but

it does not preclude scientific theories.
b. Gen 2:4b-3:24 – Yahwist Tradition

Context: Concerns of the united kingdom of

David. On royal ideology & development
into a nation.
• Borrowed stories from Near Eastern
religions
• Combination of 2 stories: creation
narrative and of crime & punishment
• Intention: Not cosmogony (origins of the
world)

• But etiology: to give symbolical expression

of the causes of the present situation
which encompasses the experience of
GOD’S GOODNESS & INTIMACY WITH
HIM and the experience of SIN &
ESTRANGEMENT FROM HIM!
2. Deutero-Isaiah
Context: Nearing the end of the exile (540
BC)
Intent: Give message of hope. Along the
theme of “new creation” which is a renewal
of the exodus-conquest (1st act that made
them a nation). “God will create a people a
second time!”
Creation & redemption is intimately linked.
God is Creator & Liberator!
3. Wisdom Literature

• God is primarily viewed as CREATOR.

• Wisdom theology is creation theology.
• Not interested though in the questions of
origin. Not cosmogony. But in creation’s
order.
• To perceive order & live in harmony with it
is wisdom!
• Wisdom= divine quality but not totally
identified with God. Seems to be the
second divine person.
• Debate: A personification of divine
attribute?
• Agreement: W is communication of God.
• In Wisdom Lit, W is personified as female.
• W is active in the creation. Fashioner of all
things.
 SUMMARY: OT Survey
• Understanding of creation is rich & varied.
• It’s primarily about insights into the relationship
between God and the world expressed in varied
literary forms.
• The variety of expression is explained by
different context: questions, concerns, world
view
• DO NOT NECESSARILY CONFLICT with
contemporary scientific theories about origins
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE bet OT &
Science
1. Process: OT- creation faith vs stories of
creation (neighbors). Creation thru God’s
Word.
• Science- impersonal interaction of
physical forces over eons.

2. Product: OT- human society while

Science- earth/solar system
3. Description: OT- Drama/stories
• Science- impersonal. Proceeding
according to laws and hypothesis.

4. Criteria for truth: OT- plausibility of story

and what it illumines re God-human
relations.
• Science- complete empirical explanation.
What does the analysis show?

• OT & modern science are TWO

DIFFERENT WORLD VIEWS

• Each is expressed in DISTINCT MODE

OF DISCOURSE.
 CREATION: New Testament
Pre-note:
• No focus on creation as isolated topic but
as related to saving significance of Jesus
• Jesus is associated with sophia. He is
the agent of sophia’s creative power.

1. Synoptics- “Reign of God” as goal that

God intends from the creation of the
world.
2. Pauline: stress on Sophia-Christ link. JC
is the pre-existent agent of the invisible
God. Creation is for and through him (Col
1:16). Christ is the Wisdom of God (1
Cor 1:24)

3. Johanine: “Logos made flesh.”

Identification of Jesus as Sophia-God
incarnate. Creative function of Sophia
applied to Jesus.
 CONCLUSION
• OT primary purpose: not to report physical
beginnings but to express faith in God.

• NT purpose: to reflect on the meaning of Christ.

To provide an interpretation of salvation in Jesus
that is closely linked with creation.
= Salvation is the renewal of the original creation
thru the saving presence of God in Jesus.