Review of The Lost World Of Genesis One, Part Seventeen

Review of The Lost World Of Genesis One, Part Seventeen November 19, 2009

Proposition seventeen in John Walton’s book The Lost World of Genesis One emphasizes that the theology of creation that one can elaborate on the basis of his understanding of Genesis 1 is stronger rather than weaker. In support of his point, Walton appeals to an Orson Scott Card novel, Prentice Alvin, which features a dialogue about the nature of reality and the fact that most “things” are mostly empty space. The point is that most things are mostly nothing as far as matter is concerned, and so what gives them their distinctive attributes is the arrangement of the atoms, molecules, and so on of which they consist.

Walton writes, “The Bible considers it much more important to say that God has made everything work rather than being content to say that God made the physical stuff. The purpose, the teleology (which is the most important part), is located and observed in the functional, not the material” (p.144).

Walton also emphasizes the important status this theological viewpoint gives to humans. “He has tailored the world to our needs, not to his (for he has no needs)” (p.149). I suspect it might not be inaccurate to summarize Walton’s point in the following way: From the standpoint of material, human beings are a tiny, almost unnoticeable speck in the universe; but if we ask about the purpose of creation, then humans and their relationship to God can and should be thought of as central. And so that’s just one more reason why a theology of creation ought to focus more on questions of purpose rather than mere material origins.

In related news, I’m happy to say that John Walton will be speaking at Butler in the Spring!


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