"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"
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Genesis 2
"God created order out of formless chaos"
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Nicene creed on creation
"We believe in one God... maker of heavens and earth, of all that is seen and unseen"
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Ex-nihilo: Early Christian thinkers
God created the universe from nothing, no pre-existing matter
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Ex-nihilo: Iranaeus
This supports the idea creation was good, sin came later
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Ex-nihilo: Tertullian
Creation was due to God's free choice, not defined by any pre-existing matter. Supports God as all powerful
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Gnostic belief
Dualism: there are 2 Gods, a lesser God who created the material world, and a superior God who created the spiritual world, hence goodness of spiritual & evil of material
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How: Emanation?
An overflow of God's creative energy. Creation reflects the divinity of God
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Problems with Emanation
Suggests creation wasn't a free choice of Gods, undermines him as all powerful
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How: Construction?
God was a master creator/ architect, he created the universe and gave it purpose
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Problems with Construction
Implies pre-existing matter - contradicts ex-nihilo, e.g. Tertullian
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How: Artistic expression?
Creation is beautiful and complex therfore God is loving and intelligent, Swinburne's aesthetic argument
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Implication: creator and created
Difference between God as the creator and creation - must not worship the created, e.g. credit to the artist not the art
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Implication: Stewardship
God created the earth for humans to rule over "have dominion over... the fish in the sea, the birds in the skies"
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Augustine on creation
God created the whole of creation in one moment of creation. He created the materials to develop into the world and the human race, and the conditions. Created the world to evolve (seed analogy
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
"God created order out of formless chaos"
Back
Genesis 2
Card 3
Front
"We believe in one God... maker of heavens and earth, of all that is seen and unseen"
Back
Card 4
Front
God created the universe from nothing, no pre-existing matter
Back
Card 5
Front
This supports the idea creation was good, sin came later
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