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Vibrant Dance of Genesis 1 and Science:

Vibrant Dance of Genesis 1 and Science:. Bruce K. Waltke. Outline of Lecture. My Epistemology (i.e., knowing reality) Exegetical Cruxes of Genesis 1 Hermeneutical Reflections on Genesis 1 Conclusions. Part I My Epistemology for Knowing Reality. My Epistemology for Knowing Reality.

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Vibrant Dance of Genesis 1 and Science:

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  1. Vibrant Dance of Genesis 1 and Science: Bruce K. Waltke

  2. Outline of Lecture • My Epistemology (i.e., knowing reality) • Exegetical Cruxes of Genesis 1 • Hermeneutical Reflections on Genesis 1 • Conclusions

  3. Part I My Epistemology for Knowing Reality

  4. My Epistemology for Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: • Reason/science: for knowing natural world by experiment [data and reason]; e.g., how to get to the moon? Knowledge of physics and mathematics overcomes ignorance • Revelation/Bible: for knowing metaphysical ontology (mystery) by faith and by Spirit; e.g., why is the moon there? Faith overcomes mystery of being

  5. My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason/ “Historical science” for knowing origins temporally: • Historical science versus experimental science • Evidences of origins from historical science • Intelligent Creator • Relatively uncertain causes

  6. My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason for knowing origins temporally: • Historical science versus experimental science • Experimental science (physics, chemistry): • Tests theories under controlled laboratory conditions • Aims to establish universal laws by inductive reasoning • 2. Historical science (geology; paleontology; evolutionary biology): • Tests theories by their explanatory power. • Determine ancient conditions to explain present, manifest effects • Uses abductive reasoning : • Infers past causes based on sufficient causes known to be present at the time • Seeks unique cause (cf. historian or sleuth detective)

  7. My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason/science B. Evidence of origins from historical mainstream science: • “Big Bang”: red-shift of stars, background radiation; etc. Universe began13.7 billion years old; not an eternal steady state • Cosmic-anthropological principle: Physical qualities such as a strong nuclear force constant, gravitational force constant, the expansion rate of the universe, the average distance between stars, and the values of other physical quantities had to be so precise to effect thinking creatures who could reflect upon their origins that the laws of probability rule out chance. There must have been intent and design from the beginning.

  8. My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason/science B. Evidence of origins from historical mainstream science • “Big Bang”: red-shift of stars, background radiation; etc. Universe began 13.7 billion years old, not eternal steady state • Cosmic-anthropological principle: • Origin of life: inexplicable from givens of this earth • Life forms evolved over much time, not in seven consecutive 24 hour days: fossil record. Chance or Providence • Punctuated equilibrium (sudden bursts of new life forms in fossil record). Chance; Providence by natural selection; Divine Intervention

  9. My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason/science • Experimental versus historical science • Evidence from mainstream historical science • Intelligent Creator: • “Big Bang”: universe not eternal • Cosmic-anthropological principle • Origin of life • Beauty and comprehensible “Should a man live underground, and converse with the works of art and mechanism, and afterwards be brought up into the day to see the several glories of the heaven and earth, he would immediately pronounce them the work of such a Being as we define God to be.” (Aristotle) “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Rom 1:20 )

  10. Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason • Reason/ Historical science” for knowing origins temporally: • Historical science versus experimental science • Evidence from historical, mainstream science • Intelligent Creator • Relatively uncertain knowledge • Depends on fluctuating experimental science • Without comprehensive knowledge cannot arrive at absolute knowledge • Abductive reasoning can not prove a universal negative/unique cause • I tentatively believe that which main stream science teaches • I do not believe inmainstream science

  11. Outline of My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Reason • Scripture my source for knowing origins of cosmos theologically • Inerrant as to Source (certain knowledge because Source has comprehensive knowledge and does not deceive) • Infallible as to authority for faith and practice • My interpretation of Scripture is not inerrant, but subject to correction by better exegesis

  12. Outline of My Epistemology For Knowing Reality • Sources of Knowing Reality: Revelation and Reason • Scripture my spiritual commitment for knowing origins theologically • Reason/historical science for knowing origins temporally • When Revelation and Reason/Historical Science Conflict About Temporal Origins • Do not jettison Bible: leads to nihilism • Do not jettison science: leads to insanity • Reconsider exegesis of Bible: see lecture for resolutions • Recognizing, the finite mind cannot achieve infinite truth, I believe that my resolutions are true; I do not believe in them

  13. Part II Exegetical Cruxes in Genesis 1

  14. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’ares)in Gen 1:1—3: Age of earth? • Conjunctive waw “(and)” “In the beginning God created the heavens andthe earth, and the earth was …. Then God said….” (traditional). • Apodosis waw (“then”). “When God began to create the heavens and the earth, then the earth was …. Then God said….” (official modern translations) • Disjunctive waw (“now”): “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth had been …. Then God said…. (Kimchi, BKW) N.B. All three imply an older earth before God spoke creation into existence. Issue is not question of age of earth but of fossil record ..

  15. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’arets, “and the earth was”)in Gen 1:2 • “And God said, saw, refreshed himself”: anthropomorphic, not scientific, language “It is certainly true that God did not speak with physical organs of speech nor did he utter words in the Hebrew language.” E. J. Young, Studies in Genesis 1 (Philadelphia: Presbyterian & Reformed, 1973), 55--56

  16. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’arets, “and the earth was”)in Gen 1:2 • “And God said” • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”): 24 hr. day

  17. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY C. Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”): Day Age Theory? Used in three ways in Genesis 1:1—2:4 • From dawn to dusk: “he called the light day” • Twenty-four hour period: “and it was evening and morning, day X” • An indefinite period of time in construct with another word, etc.: “In the day (= ‘when’) God created the heavens and the earth” (2:4) N.B. Day age theory not supported by Hebrew philology

  18. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax of וְהָאָ֗רֶץ in Gen 1:1—3 • And God said • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”) • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”) and עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”). Function theory?

  19. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”) and עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”). Function theory? • To bring into existence and to function in a determined way 3Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light [brought into existence]. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night“ [to function for time]. And there was evening, and there was morning—one day.(Gen 1:3-5) 2. Ancient Near Eastern Cosmogonies involved both notions N.B. “Create” refers to origins of cosmic matter and not merely function (contra. John Walton, The Lost World of Genesis 1, .

  20. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’arets, “and the earth was”)in Gen 1:2 • “And God said” • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”): 24 hr. day • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”) and of עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”) • Light before firmament and luminaries

  21. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’arets, “and the earth was”)in Gen 1:2 • “And God said” • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”) • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”) and of עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”) • Light before firmament and luminaries • Significance of refrain “and it became evening and It became morning, day X”

  22. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY F. Significance of refrain “and it became evening and It became morning, day X” • Refrain refers to sunset and sunrise • Intention: Creation did not happen in a day • Significance: represents God as Worker; he does not work at night

  23. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’arets, “now the earth had been”)in Gen 1:2 • “And God said” • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”): 24 hr. day • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”)/עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”) • Light before firmament and luminaries • Significance of refrain “and it became evening and It became morning, day X” • Let land and sea produce living creatures

  24. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY G. Let land and sea produce living creatures • Genesis blanks the means and/or manner of origins of biological species • Cf. Psa139:13: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb…. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth” [כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה קָנִ֣יתָ כִלְיֹתָ֑י תְּ֜סֻכֵּ֗נִי בְּבֶ֣טֶן אִמִּֽי׃) N.B. Bible concerned with Ultimate Cause, not immediate, natural causes. Does not decide between “oozers” and “zappers”

  25. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ (weha’arets, “and the earth was”)in Gen 1:2 • “And God said” • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”): 24 hr. day • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”) and of עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”) • Light before firmament and luminaries • Significance of refrain “and it became evening and It became morning, day X” • Let land and sea produce living creatures • Sequence of days

  26. H. Sequence of days: two triads DaysDays • Light Luminaries 4 • Firmament/Sea Fish/Birds 5 • Land/plants &trees Land creatures/ Humankind 6

  27. II. EXEGETICAL CRUXES OF GENESIS COSMOLOGY H. Sequence of days • Hypothesis • Divides the days into two triads: • Symmetry represents the creation solely from an artistic perspective, without attempting to give a temporal sequence of days or of designating a twenty four hour period of time 2. Objections: Runs rough shod over: • Normal significance of narrative verb form (wayyiqtol) • Normal meaning of “day” • Sequential numbering of days from one to seven.

  28. III. Crux Interpretations of Genesis 1 • Syntax ofוְהָאָ֗רֶץ in Gen 1:1—3 • And God said • Meaning of י֔וֹם (yom, “day”) • Meanings of בָּרָ֣א (bara’,“create”) and of עָשָׂה(‘asah,“make”) • Light before firmament and luminaries • Significance of refrain “and it became evening … • Land/sea produce • Sequence of days • Meaning ofרָקִ֖יעַ (raqia‘): historical contextualization

  29. III. Crux Interpretations of Genesis 1 I. Meaning ofרָקִ֖יעַ (raqia‘): historical contextualization • “Firmament” (< Vulg. “firmamentum”: solid expanse of something as though beaten out); LXX: στερέωμα “solid body”; “Vault” (NIV, NJB); “dome” (NAB, NRSV) • "Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water." • “and let there be lights in the vault of the heavens” • A ninth cent. B. C. Assyrian relief shows the sun god Shamash seated on his throne. Beneath a canopy over the throne are symbols of the three celestial deities, Moon, Sun, Venus. Under the throne are a number of wavy lines, representing the celestial ocean. The inscription reads that the stellar deities are situated ‘above the ocean.’ Beneath the heavenly ocean is a slab that divides the waters above from those beneath

  30. PART III THEOLOGICAL/HERMENEUTICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE GENESIS 1 COSMOLOGY

  31. OUTLINE OF THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON GENESIS 1 • Nature of narrative literature • Historical Contextualization of the Bible • Cosmogony in the Biblical world • Anthropomorphic representation of Creator as Worker

  32. A. Nature of Narrative Literature • Consists of story (historic actuality) and plot (narrator’s creative representation of historic actuality). (Cf. half-glass of water) 2. Narrator creatively fits story into plot (metaphysics) 3. Evidence of creativity in Genesis 1 a. Anthropomorphisms b. Symmetry of days c. Incompatibility of two creation accounts

  33. Part VI. C. 3. Evidence of creativity 1. Genesis 1: trees (3rd), animals and man/woman (6th) 2. Genesis 2: man > trees > animals & birds > woman (all on 6th day ?) • Formed man from clay • Planted garden • Caused trees to grow • Put man in garden • Commands man’s diet • Reflects of man’s loneliness • Forms animals and birds • Man names animals and birds • Puts man in coma • Took a rib of man • Built a woman • Man composes poem

  34. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 Cosmology B. Historical contextualization of Bible: every human achievement is historically contextualized “Every production of any age bears the stamp of that age. It takes its shape from the influences then at work. It is part of the life of the period, and can only be properly estimated and understood from being viewed in its original connection.” William Henry Green, Moses and the Prophets (New York: Robert Carter, 1883), 17—18. Cf. Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckman in The Social Construction of Reality (1966)

  35. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 CosmologyA. Historical Contextualization 1. Exhibit A: Psychology. “Heart” in Bible is source of all human activities • Physical activity: “Nabal’s heart died within him (וַיָּ֤מָת לִבּוֹ֙ בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ), and he became like stone. About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died (וַיָּמֹֽת)” (1 Sam 25:28; ESV) • Spiritual activity: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.” • Heart transplant versus brain transplant?

  36. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 CosmologyA. Historical Contextualization 2. Exhibit B: cosmology • Earth is flat with “four corners” (Isa 11:12) • Sun “races” around the earth: “The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.” (Ecclesiastes 1:5) • “Firmament”: the gigantic heavenly dome that upheld the celestial ocean

  37. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 CosmologyB. Cosmogony of Biblical World • Nature of Narrative Literature • Historical contextualization of Bible • Cosmogony of Biblical World

  38. C. Cosmogony of Biblical World: EnumaElish (Babylonian Genesis)1. Data

  39. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 CosmologyB. Cosmogony of Biblical World 2. Similarities between Bab. Genesis & Gen. 1 • Conception of an immense primeval body of water as already in existence at time of creation • Existence of light before firmament and luminaries • Idea that the creation of the firmament involved the separation of the water above from water below • Partial similarities of a structural outline: creation of astral bodies after separation of land from water

  40. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 CosmologyB. Cosmogony of Biblical World 3. Explanation of similarities • Enuma Elish depends on Genesis 1? No, EE, as do some Egyptian texts, antedates Moses • EE distorted the original creation story that circulated in an oral tradition and that is preserved in Genesis 1. Possible, but speculative/unattested • Ancient cosmogonies influenced highly educated Moses. Finds support in parallels between almost all other genres of Biblical literature in their form and content with their corresponding genres in other literatures of the Biblical world. The Book of the Covenant (Exodus 21-23) shows striking similarities to the Code of Hammurabi (ca. 1700 B.C.)

  41. III. Theological Reflections on the Genesis 1 CosmologyB. Cosmogony of Biblical World 4. Aim of Genesis cosmogony • Not to teach conventional notions of cosmogony • To polemicize against theology informing pagan myth. Radically transforms its notions about God, the ontology of matter, and strips it of its immorality • To infuse ancient Near Eastern cosmogony with the sublimities of Israel’s God.

  42. OUTLINE OF THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON GENESIS 1 • Historical Contextualization of the Bible • Cosmogony in the Biblical world • Nature of narrative literature • Anthropomorphic Representation of Creator as Worker

  43. PART IV CONCLUSION

  44. Part IV: Conclusion • Genesis 1 not to be interpreted in wooden literalism • Genesis 1 as to natural world: restrained by sociology of knowledge. • Genesis 1 as to theology: to make us wise to salvation • Narrative: story (history) creatively fitted into plot • Creator is represented figuratively as a worker (cf. potter, gardener, architect) • Heuristic value of science to Scripture: a better understanding of Scripture • Heuristic value of Scripture to science: a better understanding of reality that leads to eternal salvation

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