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God's existence and creative power apart from any original "building blocks" is assumed. Of course, a notable exception appears in the NRSV translation, which reads, "In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth," which, while still compatible with the Hebrew text, seems to make the assumption that God created the universe out of "chaos," and this idea is also found elsewhere in Scripture notably in the Psalter.
But, creation out of nothing is an official doctrine in Christianity. There are some New Testament passages that support the doctrine: Irenaeus , Tertullian, St. Hppolytus , Origen , St. Cyprian , Methodius, Lactantius, and Alexander of Alexandria adhered to it, [3] although there were some exceptions like St. Justin Martyr and St.
Before the Christian era, Aristotle had taught that the world, which has the duality of "form" and "matter," is made when "pure form" God and "prime matter" independently preexistent from God are combined. It had at least three problems from the viewpoint of Christianity: The Christian doctrine of creation was meant to overcome those three metaphysical problems, thus asserting the omnipotence of God, the unity of the world, and the non-monistic relationship of God and the world.
Only the creator, the Maker, Tepeu, Gucumatz, the Forefathers, were in the water surrounded with light. And I am a witness to this Truth " In many ways they partake of His nature, so we must not mistreat them. That of itself is reason enough that we should give Him glory forever! There is nothing too hard for You.
The creation of the world in six days was seriously discussed by St. Basil of Caesarea in the fourth century. It is interesting that he was trying to blend the scientific knowledge of his days with the Genesis account. Thus, various attempts today to integrate science with the Genesis account of creation seem not to be entirely new.
The creation story in Islam is not found in one place in the Qur'an. It is scattered here and there, each rather briefly. It is, however, quite similar to the Genesis account. Regarding God 's act of creation, we read in the Qur'an: We made from water every living thing" Concerning the creation of the heavens, the Qur'an declares: Come both of you, willingly or loath. Then He ordained them seven heavens in two Days and inspired in each heaven its mandate; and We decked the nether heaven with lamps, and rendered it inviolable. That is the measuring of the Mighty, the Knower" As for the creation of the earth , the Qur'an says: How excellently We do spread out" Your Guardian-Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne of authority: He draweth the night as a veil o'er the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, all governed by laws under His command.
Is it not His to create and to govern? Blessed be Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds 7: Another reference to six days: The doctrine of creation out of nothing is acceptable to Islam, and the Qur'ran has some passages in support of it: And I am a witness to this Truth " Then as he inhales, they are brought back into his body and become un-manifest again until the time of his next outward breath.
Each breath is equivalent to many billions of years according to our calculation. The first living being created in each universe is called " Brahma " that is, "Creator and is given the task of creating a diversity of life and environments within that particular universe. According to people's karma from the last universe they are put into appropriate bodies in the new one, anything from being Brahma themselves to being a small ant , and the cycle continues for infinity.
More purified souls are given the task of stewardship over the existence in a similar fashion to Brahma, and are known as "devas" but none have his specific powers. Maha-Vishnu originates from The Supreme Person Paramatma - whose abode is beyond this material world. It is said that the material universes exist in a small space of an infinite and eternal 'spiritual sky', known as Vaikuntha.
The spiritual sky, Vaikuntha, is beyond our material conceptions being filled with eternity, knowledge and bliss. In Vaikuntha it is said that "time is conspicuous by its absence" and thus, there is no creation or dissolution. It is not destroyed when the material universes become un-manifest, but stays as it is. There are at least 3 hymns within the 10th Mandala of Rg Veda that deal explicitly with the creation: The Maya account for creation is described in details in the Mayan sacred book Popol Vuh.
According to this book, Universe, Earth and people were created by three water-dwelling serpents and three heaven-dwelling entities:. There was only immobility and silence in the darkness, in the night. Only the creator, the Maker, Tepeu, Gucumatz, the Forefathers, were in the water surrounded with light.
They were hidden under green and blue feathers, and were therefore called Gucumatz. By nature they were great sages and great thinkers. In this manner the sky existed and also the Heart of Heaven, which is the name of God and thus He is called. Then came the word. Tepeu and Gucumatz came together in the darkness, in the night, and Tepeu and Gucumatz talked together. They talked then, discussing and deliberating; they agreed, they united their words and their thoughts. Then while they meditated, it became clear to them that when dawn would break, man must appear.
Then they planned the creation, and the growth of the trees and the thickets and the birth of life and the creation of man. And these three are the Heart of Heaven. Then Tepeu and Gucumatz came together; then they conferred about life and light, what they would do so that there would be light and dawn, who it would be who would provide food and sustenance. Thus let it be done!
Creation: The Christian Doctrine [Edward W. H. Vick] on www.farmersmarketmusic.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Christian discussions of creation or origins typically . Of the making of the universe and the creation of all things many have taken different views, and each man has laid down the law just as he pleased. For some.
Let the emptiness be filled! Let the water recede and make a void, let the earth appear and become solid; let it be done. Let there be light, let there be dawn in the sky and on the earth! There shall be neither glory nor grandeur in our creation and formation until the human being is made, man is formed. As noted above, the resemblance between "creator" and "created" is commonly acknowledged as part of the purpose of creation in all creation myths. The "created" are expected to resemble the "creator," by knowing, worshipping, uniting with, glorifying, loving, serving, or manifesting him.
This point tends to be more noticeable in the monotheistic religions that adhere to a personal God. According to Islam , if we know and worship God, his attributes such as mercy, grace, forgiveness , and justice will be manifested among us.
So, the purpose of creation is expressed in the Qur'an in terms of recognizing and worshipping God: For Moslems, worshipping other gods like in polytheism is against the purpose of creation, therefore. For Judaism and Christianity, the glorification of God in the main is the purpose of creation: Further discussions on the subject within Judaism include that of Zalman of Liadi , an Orthodox rabbi within the Hasidic tradition, according to which the purpose of creation is so that the infinite God may be able to dwell in the finite world of creation eventually. And how could He in that case be called Maker and Artificer , if He owes His ability to make to some other source—namely, to the material?
So that if this be so, God will be on their theory a Mechanic only, and not a Creator out of nothing; if, that is, He works at existing material, but is not Himself the cause of the material.
For He could not in any sense be called Creator unless He is Creator of the material of which the things created have in their turn been made. But the sectaries imagine to themselves a different artificer of all things, other than the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in deep blindness even as to the words they use. For whereas the Lord says to the Jews: Thus do they vainly speculate. But the godly teaching and the faith according to Christ brands their foolish language as godlessness.
For it knows that it was not spontaneously, because forethought is not absent; nor of existing matter, because God is not weak; but that out of nothing, and without its having any previous existence, God made the universe to exist through His word, as He says firstly through Moses: And among these, having taken especial pity, above all things on earth, upon the race of men, and having perceived its inability, by virtue of the condition of its origin, to continue in one stay, He gave them a further gift, and He did not barely create man, as He did all the irrational creatures on the earth, but made them after His own image, giving them a portion even of the power of His own Word; so that having as it were a kind of reflexion of the Word, and being made rational they might be able to abide ever in blessedness, living the true life which belongs to the saints in paradise.
But knowing once more how the will of man could sway to either side, in anticipation He secured the grace given them by a law and by the spot where He placed them. For He brought them into His own garden, and gave them a law: Now this is that of which Holy Writ also gives warning, saying in the Person of God: On the Incarnation of the Word , ch. Eerdmans, , pp. Documents for the Anniversary: Comments and Documents on special issues on Religion and Science.
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