Classroom Ramblings--Creation
November 11, 2007
In the class that I am taking we are studying Biblical Theology and a couple of weeks ago we were considering the concept of “creation”. As you know, the concept of creation is a hot topic in and outside Christian circles.
.
As one of our assignments in class each of the students had to respond to the following question: “How might awareness of the biblical truths in today’s reading help an unbeliever more seriously consider the Christian faith?”
.
There were lots of differing opinions in my cohort of 15 people regarding the concept of “creation”. The posts and discussions were varied and interesting. The following is my response to one of my classmate’s post. It gives you a bit of an idea where my focus is in regards to engaging the world around me in the discussion of God, creation and spiritual things.
.
Here was my response:
.
Nate,
.
As you have noted, the creation discussion involving literal ascription, evolutionary ideas, the metaphorical ascription and everything in-between has had a deleterious effort on the Christian message and witness in current society. With all of the different ideas regarding creation that are offered within theology, biological science, quantum physics and others, it would be more than presumptuous to ascribe dogmatically to any one creation concept.
.
However, after reading Scobie [our class text] I came away with two thoughts that I think are very important to consider when thinking about creation and when holding out those ideas to people considering the Christian faith.
.
It is important that the creation concept is considered within context—the entire canon of scripture. Creation and its fullness is not realized in only the opening chapters of Genesis but rather it must be considered within the entire concept of the Biblical narrative. The glory of creation is not seen by Christians or seekers in the idea of six days or six million years but rather in the result of creation as it is realized in God’s hand and presence over time.
.
Related to this is the concept of the unique and Godlike quality of human beings. The hand of God and the work of creation are evident in the result of his creation. The glory of God is realized in the people that are created in His image. What is important is not “how” but “who” and “what” was created; not “when” and “how long” but “why” was it all created.
.
It is at the point of these types of questions and considerations that a consideration of creation can move from a rejection of dogma to a realization of the Truth.
.
Ryan
.
Those are my thoughts. What are yours?
Humans don't like the "irritation of doubt". We like to be certain of whatever we believe.
Charles Sanders Peirce said, "Doubt is an uneasy and dissatisfied state from which we struggle to free ourselves and pass into the state of belief; while the latter is a calm and satisfactory state which we do not wish to avoid, or to change to a belief in anything else. On the contrary, we cling tenaciously, not merely to believing, but to believing just what we do believe."
To put that another way, if we don't know what to believe, humans like to just choose something. In some cases, we just make it up. Searching for truth means taking risks...going outside our comfort zone.
Along the same lines, C.S. Lewis said "In religion, as in war and everything else, comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for the truth, you may find comfort in the end: If you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth—only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair" (Mere Christianity, 1952, p. 39).
A little off the topic of creation, but not really when you seek truth...
Posted by: Darren | November 14, 2007 at 04:16 AM
Darren,
I like what you have posted. "....outside the comfort zone."
Creation debate is nothing compared to loving and serving the "least of these" that we interact with on a daily basis.
That's risky business.
Thanks,
Ryan
Posted by: Ryan Roberts | November 14, 2007 at 05:52 AM