Christianity & Creation (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Genesis, the nature & role of humans

What does Genesis say about the nature and role of humans?

• The Book of Genesis is clear about humanity’s relationship with God and the world

  • God is viewed as the one and only omnipotent Creator 

  • God created a universe that was ordered, not chaotic 

  • Humans are made in God’s image

  • Humans have been given authority (dominion) over the rest of the created world

What does this mean for the role of humans in the world?

• The creation story impacts the role that humans have in the world

  • The universe was not created by chance, therefore human lives have meaning and purpose

  • Because humans were made in God’s image, all human life has potential and people should treat others how they would wish to be treated 

  • Dominion over living creatures means humans have a responsibility to treat everyone equally and to show all created beings, human and non-human, love and respect

    • This idea is known as stewardship 

Literal and non-literal interpretations of creation

What are the literal and non-literal interpretations of creation?

Literal interpretations of creation

• Christians believe that God created the earth and all living things on the earth

  • This is written in the Bible (Genesis Chapter One)

• The Bible says that it took six days to create the universe and God rested on the seventh

• Some Christians (Creationists or Literalists) believe that the biblical account of creation happened exactly as it was written

  • They believe that the Genesis creation accounts are literally true and that God created the world exactly as described

  • Creationist views can be separated into two different groups

    • Young Earth Creationists believe that the world was created in six 24-hour days about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago

    • Old Earth Creationists accept that the earth is older but still believe God created life directly

• Creationists are likely to reject evolution and the Big Bang because they conflict with the Bible account in Genesis

  • They believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible word of God and so it cannot be wrong

  • They view the Genesis 1 and 2 biblical accounts as factual history, not metaphor

Non-literal interpretations of creation

• Many Christians (Non-literalists) believe that although it may not be scientifically accurate, the account contains religious truth

  • The important part is that God caused it to happen by choice

• Non-literalists would argue that the Genesis creation accounts are not meant to be taken literally

  • They view them as symbolic stories about God’s role as Creator

• Non-literalists might believe that science explains how the world was made (Big Bang, evolution) and Genesis explains why it was made (by God, for a purpose)

• The “days” in Genesis may represent long periods of time or a literary framework, not 24-hour days

  • This is supported by many Christians who accept that scientific theories are not opposed to religious teachings

The role of the word & the spirit in creation

What are the roles of the Word and the Spirit in creation?

• Christians believe that all of the beings of the Holy Trinity were involved in Earth’s creation

• God the Father is seen as the Creator

• This teaches Christians that Jesus (the Word) existed before the world was created and so is eternal

• It also means that Jesus was active in creation and so everything was made through him

• This is important for Christians because it:

  • Shows that Jesus is divine and part of the Trinity

  • Shows that God’s act of creation was intentional 

  • Strengthens belief that Jesus was central to God’s plan from the very beginning

• The Spirit in creation refers to God as the Holy Spirit, which is also supported in the Bible

• This shows that the Spirit was present at the very start of creation

• It also shows that the Spirit helped to bring order out of the chaos and brought life, energy and power into the world

• This is important to Christians because it:

  • Shows that the Spirit is life giving and creative

  • Supports the belief in the Spirit as an active presence of God in the world

  • Encourages Christians to see the Spirit as guiding and sustaining creation today