Relationship between human beings and the environment from the creation stories

13/6/2021

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Relationship between human beings and the environment from the creation stories

Both human beings and the environment were created by God/ have a common origin.
Human beings are superior to all other creatures.
Human beings should take care of the environment/ conserve/ preserve it.
Human beings have authority over the rest of creation.
Human beings should enjoy/ use God’s creation/ rest of creation was made for human beings.
All creation is very good/ human beings should treat the rest of creation with reverence/ respect.
Human beings and the environment are interdependent/ owe their existence to each other.
Human beings and the rest of God’s creation have a common destiny.

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Responsibilities given to human beings at creation

13/6/2021

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Responsibilities given to human beings at creation

To procreate/ multiply.
To cultivate the land and guard it.
To name the living creatures.
To eat from all plants.
Not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
To rule/ be in charge/ have dominion over other creatures.
To marry and procreate/ multiply.
To care for the environment.
To obey God.

In what ways have human beings failed to carry out responsibilities given to them by God in Genesis I and 2

By deciding to remain unmarried.
By not worshipping him / observing the Sabbath / resting.
Not guarding the land from erosion
Failing to conserve the environment e.g keeping it clean.
Through deforestation / cutting vegetation / not planting trees.
Mining an excavation leading to open ground.
Prevailing pregnancy by taking contraceptives / not procreating.
Murder / capital punishment.
Pollution of the environment.
Through abortion
Through sexual immorality e.g Homo sexuality, lesbianism etc.

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TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VIEW OF CREATION

13/6/2021

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TRADITIONAL AFRICAN VIEW OF CREATION

This refers to the traditional African ideas about creation.
The African creation stories are different from one community to another and myths are used to explain them.
A myth can be defined as a story that explains the origin of something, some customs and practices. It has a deeper meaning and even tries to explain the origin of a community.

Common ideas in Traditional African views of creation

African communities acknowledge God as the creator of the universe.
God is the sustainer of his creation for example, He provides for human beings.
God is the only creator and created the earth independently.
God’s work of creation is continuous and he does so through humankind e.g. through pro-creation.
It is God who set up human customs and traditions which humankind should follow.
Man was created with a mate. The woman is supposed to be his companion and helper.
The creation of man was after the rest of the creation.
To sustain him, plants and animals were created for food.

similarities-between-the-traditional-african-myths-and-the-biblical-accounts-of-creation.html

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The meaning of Biblical Accounts of creation

12/6/2021

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THE MEANING OF BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS OF CREATION

God worked as a spirit e.g. in the beginning the spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
God created the universe all alone. He is the sole creator.
He created by word of mouth and out of nothing and substance.
He created human beings in his own image and likeness.
God put man in charge of the creation and man is to take care of it.(Gen 1:26, 28)
After each work of creation, God emphasizes on the goodness of creation and always ends with “And God saw that it was good”.
God gave people/human beings understanding, namely; of good and evil and man had to make a choice.
The dignity of a woman is emphasized. She is portrayed as a companion to man and both are equal before God and are also complementary.
God is depicted as a God of order.
He created the earth with a plan e.g. He created light first to be used by human beings.
The seventh day is set aside by God as a holiday or sacred for rest and worship.

Comparison between the two accounts of creation:

Similarities

In both, God is portrayed as the only sole creator.
In both, man is portrayed as a special creature; Man was created in God’s image and likeness and there was nothing else created in that way.
Both outline the creation of the living and non-living things i.e. heaven, man, plants and animals etc.
In both, Man shares in life with God. God breathed life into man’s nostrils and created him in his own image.
In both cases, the earth was empty, formless.
In both cases, Man is given special privileges and responsibilities and is to multiply and fill the earth.
In both stories, God existed before creation.
In both mankind is created into full sexuality (male and female).

Differences

The creation of the firmament, the sun, the moon, stars, fish and creeping animals is only mentioned in the first story.
The planting of the Garden of Eden and the making of the river is only mentioned in the second story.
The creation in the first account is out of nothing (word) but out of substance in the second account e.g. the creation of man.
In the first account, creation took place for six days and God rested on the seventh day (Sabbath) while there is no mention of duration and the Sabbath day in the second story.
The first account is God-centered i.e. God is pictured as the one doing the work of creation while the second account is man-centered i.e. man is created first and the rest of the creatures are then made to serve the needs of man.
Marriage is meant for procreation in the first account (Genesis 1:38) while it is meant for companionship in the second story. (Genesis 2:23 – 24)
In the first account man was created last but in the second account man is created first.
In the second story there is mention of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil which is not mentioned in the first account.
In the first account God affirms the goodness of all that he created but this is lacking in the second account.
The privileges and responsibilities given to man are more emphasized in the first account. (Genesis 1:26 – 30)
In the second account human beings are forbidden to eat the fruits of the tree in the middle but in the second, they can eat all plants yielding seeds and none is forbidden.

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Attributes/Characteristics of God from the Biblical Creation Accounts

25/7/2020

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Attributes/Characteristics of God from the Biblical Creation Accounts

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD FROM THE BIBLICAL CREATION ACCOUNTS

Attribute refers to the characteristic/ nature / quality or attribute of someone.
The two creation accounts bring out the following qualities of God;

He is the only God.
God is moral and is concerned with the behavior of human kind.
He is the sole creator and created out of nothing/substance.
He is a God of order, a planner and organizer of the universe e.g. He created in stages.
He is good and the source of goodness and real happiness. (Genesis 1:10).
He is a personal God and likes having a loving relationship with him.
He is all-powerful-omnipotent e.g. He created out of a word.
He is a spirit and Omni-present or is spiritually present everywhere.
- In the beginning the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:2).

Genesis 1:2 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God[a] swept over the face of the waters.

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Ways in which Christians continue and care for God’s work of creation

23/6/2020

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Ways in which Christians continue with God’s work of creation

Ways and Why Christians Care for God’s Creation Today

Through procreation.
By planting trees/ crops/ afforestation.
Through generation of electricity.
By helping the needy.
Through provision of medical care.
Through advancement of science and technology.
Through discovery and space exploration.
Through provision of education and training.
By establishing income generating projects in rural areas.
Through cleaning of the environment.
Through building and construction.
Through growth and development of industries.
By conserving and managing wildlife.

Outline Six Ways in Which Christians Care for God’s Creation Today

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