How do beliefs about creation impact the rest of theology?
The creation story is foundational to the Christian faith. What Christians believe about how the universe and humankind came into being shapes their understanding of God, humanity, sin, salvation and more. There are different perspectives among Christians regarding creation, but some key beliefs unite them.
God as Creator
All Christians affirm that God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The divine act of bringing the universe into existence from nothing displays God’s awesome power. Creation reveals God’s eternal nature, as He exists outside of time and space. God’s work of creation also shows His love and care for what He made. According to Genesis 1, God pronounced His creation “good” and even “very good.”
Humanity in God’s Image
Christians further believe that human beings are unique among creatures, made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). To be made in God’s image suggests humans reflect God’s spiritual nature, with mind, will and emotion. It also implies a special relationship and stewardship role for people over the rest of creation. Jesus Christ is seen as the perfect image of God, and redeemed believers are being restored to God’s likeness. Different beliefs about exactly how God created humanity lead to differing views on human nature and the effects of the Fall.
Goodness of Physical Creation
Genesis affirms the goodness of the material world. Some philosophies view the physical realm as inferior to the spiritual. But the Bible teaches that the entire creation is precious to God. He takes care to sustain it and promises future restoration (Colossians 1:17, Romans 8:18-21). Honoring God thus requires responsible stewardship of the earth’s resources. However, creation’s goodness is marred by sin. Focusing only on the blessings of creation can lead to sentimentality about nature disconnected from humankind’s need for salvation.
Sin’s Corruption of Creation
Just as God’s initial work was good, human disobedience brought corruption and brokenness. Adam and Eve’s rebellion unleashed sin’s effects on creation (Genesis 3:14-19). Natural disasters, disease, death and predation in the animal kingdom all reflect creation’s bondage to decay. Christians affirm that sin fundamentally disrupts not only humanity’s relationship to God but also people’s bond with the wider creation. Consequently, creation longs for future redemption from sin’s effects (Romans 8:18-22).
God’s Redemptive Plan
Thankfully, the biblical story does not end with Genesis 3. Christians believe God promised a redeemer to rescue humanity and defeat sin (Genesis 3:15). Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished salvation for those who believe (Romans 5:6-11). The creation account in Genesis anticipates Jesus as the true image of God and second Adam who succeeded where the first Adam failed (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45-49). Genesis also foreshadows God’s plan to restore creation to an even better state than its original perfection (Isaiah 65:17-25).
Creation and Salvation History
In the Old Testament, God reveals Himself as Creator of all things (Psalm 19:1-6). He forms the nation of Israel to display His glory and righteousness. The Exodus liberation of His people further demonstrates God’s might and salvation. The Psalms and prophets employ creation language to poetically portray God’s mighty works for Israel (Psalm 74:12-17, Isaiah 40:22, 42:5-9). God’s power and faithfulness as Creator reassure His people of His covenant loyalty.
In the New Testament, passages like John 1 and Colossians 1 portray Christ as the divine Word and Son through whom all things were made. His incarnation mysteriously unites creation and redemption. Jesus’ miracles over nature display His authority as the world’s rightful ruler (Mark 4:35-41). Christ’s death and resurrection inaugurate the promised new creation, defeating the powers of sin and death. The consummation of God’s restorative work in the new heavens and earth is assured in Christ (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1-5).
Competing Views of Creation
Among Christians who affirm biblical authority, three main viewpoints emerge concerning creation. The young earth view insists Genesis 1 refers to literal 24-hour days, with creation completed in six days around 6,000-10,000 years ago. Scientific measurements of earth’s age are reinterpreted in this paradigm.
Old earth creationism accepts mainstream geological dating of the earth at 4.5 billion years old. But it asserts God specially created kinds of plants and animals at different times, overseeing a gradual process of development. Theistic evolution goes further to fully integrate biological evolution as God’s mechanism for developing life over eons of time.
Each position has detailed arguments from scripture, science and theology. Christians holding different perspectives, however, all affirm God as Creator. Debate continues over whether creation was immediate or progressive and the proper interpretation of Genesis 1. Faith in God as Creator remains foundational.
Creation and the Nature of God
God’s act of creation displays His glory, wisdom, power, goodness and creativity. Creation reveals God’s transcendence exalted over His handiwork, as well as His immanence actively sustaining each creature (Psalm 104:24-30, Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:17). God creates freely out of the overflow of His Trinitarian love and for His pleasure. At the same time, He invites humans to participate in the work of cultivating, governing and enjoying creation.
Creation is wholly dependent on God, yet distinct from Him. God is self-existent and uncreated while all else derives existence from Him. Pantheism confuses the Creator with His creation, making nature itself divine. But the Bible maintains the ontological distinction between God and His handiwork. God is prior to and greater than creation. Holding this tension preserves God’s transcendence and majesty.
At the same time, creation is valued and sustained by God, not discarded as inferior. The material world reveals God’s attributes and glory. All things were called “very good” originally. While twisted by sin, creation still reflects divine purposes and goodness. Christians are thus called to celebrate and care for creation within God’s intended order.
Creation and Humanity
Diverse perspectives on creation lead to differing emphases regarding humankind. Special creation of Adam and Eve as recorded in Genesis yields a traditional view of humanity distinct from animals, made in God’s image. It also portrays a historical Fall from an original state of innocence into inherited sin. This introduces death and corruption, shaping the human condition.
A purely naturalistic evolutionary scenario presents a different picture of gradual hominid development over eons. Human uniqueness and God’s image may be defined in more relational, functional or emergent terms rather than divine constitution. Focus shifts from human origins to destiny and purpose. Images like the cultural mandate to create civilization take priority over a lost Eden.
A mediating view incorporates distinct divine creation of spiritual humanity combined with some kind of evolutionary physical process. This synthesis attempts to integrate science and theology regarding human origins. It upholds both continuity and discontinuity between humans and the rest of creation. But challenges remain in explaining how and when a soul or God’s image arose.
Interpretations of Genesis impact whether the Fall is seen as historical event or representative myth. Differing paradigms lead to contrasting notions of human nature, the origin of evil, definitions of sin and corruptibility. This in turn colors perspectives on redemption and future hope. Literal physical immortality is replaced with relational fulfilment in paradigmatic visions.
Creation and Christology
The opening of John’s Gospel and other New Testament texts portray Christ as the divine Word and Son who creates and sustains all things. Jesus is the perfect image of God, the true human who succeeds where Adam failed. His incarnation mysteriously unites creation and redemption. Christ’s death and resurrection inaugurate new creation, breaking sin and death’s power.
In evolutionary paradigms, Christ embodies the pinnacle of human development. His obedience unto death becomes the catalyst for spiritual and moral transformation. Jesus models true humanity in right relationship to God and others. He is the head of a redeemed humanity destined for glorious consummation in him.
Some mediating views describe the incarnation as God uniting Himself with an already existing hominid creature, transforming it with a rational soul. Others posit a special creation of Jesus’ human body to accompany his divine nature being veiled in flesh. Logos Christology provides biblical rationale for the Creator taking on creaturely existence to redeem His fallen work.
Creation and Anthropology
In traditional paradigms, human nature is constituted in God’s image with fixed human-animal boundaries. This yields a substantive ontology of human personhood. Humans possess immaterial and immortal souls, originally created pure. The Fall fatally corrupts human moral nature, propagating original sin. Redemption restores God’s image through progressive sanctification and glorification.
Non-traditional paradigms adopt a more functional, relational view of what constitutes imago Dei based on capacities like reason, creativity, morality, spirituality. Human uniqueness emerges from higher order capacities made possible by evolutionary developments. Continuity places more emphasis on human embeddedness within the continuum of nature.
This shapes whether sin is perceived as inherited corruption or developmental immaturity. Salvation involves transformation either from death to life or from old to new ways of being human in communion with God. Teleological fulfilment through union with Christ, the perfect image of God, remains the goal. But paradigms differ regarding human origins and constitution.
Creation and Redemption
How the drama of creation relates to redemption shapes eschatological vision. Young earth creationism tends to envision Eden restored, with harmony in nature and physical immortality regained. Old earth views focus more on spiritual renewal of creation’s purpose. Theistic evolution emphasizes relational fulfilment in the new creation’s social and cultural order.
Most paradigms portray creation, fall, redemption, consummation as a narrative sequence. Differences concern the desired ending and continuity with original creation. But eschatological hope remains firmly grounded in God’s renewal of all things through Christ’s redemptive work (Revelation 21:5). Creation’s blessings will be amplified, its wounds healed, and its purpose fulfilled.
Creation and Ethics
Creation theology impacts systems of ethics. Traditional views emphasize conserving creational norms and structures embedded in nature by God. These approaches stress human responsibility, restraint of sin, and obedience to divine moral law. Responsible dominion under God and concern to restrain evil are emphasized.
Alternate paradigms adopt a more revisionary posture toward creation’s imperfections. They call for creative transformation and redemption of structures through science, technology and social progress. Improving life and relationships becomes the primary ethical concern. A sense of responsibility toward future generations gaining opportunity replaces mourning a lost past.
Christians holding different creation perspectives often clash on applied issues like environmental policy, biotechnology and sexual ethics. Debate centers on discerning which features of creation reflect God’s ideal versus those marred by sin. All agree that love for God and neighbor should guide moral thought and action within our sphere of influence.
Conclusion
Christian doctrine offers an overarching drama of creation, fall, redemption, consummation. While perspectives on creation vary, all affirm God’s sovereignty and wisdom in originating all things. Where Christians locate the essential human problem shapes the solution they seek in Christ. Sin and its effects introduce brokenness at every level of existence.
But in Christ, God reconciles and will finally restore all things in consummate harmony and peace. Diverse creation views thus complement each other in comprehending God’s multi-faceted revelation in scripture and creation. Together they enlarge perspective on God’s transcendence and immanence, humanity’s origin and destiny, the cosmos’ past and future. Contemplating God’s mighty creative and redemptive work elicits worship, humility and hope.
