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Genesis: A Scientific Account?

It is not the level of detail that makes a science book scientific, but simply whether or not the level of detail given in the book is scientifically correct

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Our Miraculous Planet Earth

This article explores the Bible’s teaching on God’s wonderful creation and examines whether our miraculous planet Earth was created relatively recently or some time before the Creation week got underway.

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“When Death Was Not Yet": The Testimony of Biblical Creation

The biblical view of death is essentially different from the one proposed by evolution. While the belief in evolution implies that death is inextricably intertwined with life and therefore has to be accepted and eventually managed, the biblical teaching of creation implies that death is an absurdity to be feared and rejected. Published in Dialogue 30/3.

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Similar Plan, Similar Response

ARTICLE. This article examines linguistic and thematic parallelisms found in two passages of Genesis (Gen 1:28-3:21 and Gen 9:1-27) that describe God’s instructions to humans at creation and after the flood, and their subsequent response. Published in Origins n. 65.

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The Unique Cosmology of Genesis 1 Against Ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian Parallels

This article was originally published as a chapter in the book " The Genesis Creation Account and Its Reverberations in the Old Testament"

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The Genesis Account of Origins

This article was originally published as a chapter in the book "The Genesis Creation Account and Its Reverberations in the Old Testament."

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The Myth of the Solid Heavenly Dome: Another Look at the Hebrew RāQîaʿ

This article was originally published as a chapter in the book “The Genesis Creation Account and Its Reverberations in the Old Testament."

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The Syntactic-Pragmatic Function of Genesis 1:1-2 in the Creation Narrative

A textlinguistic analysis—focusing especially on word order, forms of predication, clause types, and their functions on both clause and text levels—suggests that Gen 1:1-2 is an antecedent information which provides the narrative base for the six-day creation. V. 1 reports a previous act of creation and v. 2 describes the state of the earth as it was originally created, thereby setting the narrative stage for the six-day creation (vv. 3-31). Article published on Valley View University Journal of Theology 3 (2014): 67 - 85.

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Change in Species – Biblical or Not?

Many kinds of animals appear designed for predation and violence, in contrast to what one would expect based on the biblical description of Edenic peace. It seems that animal species must have changed in major ways since the creation, but is this idea compatible with biblical teachings? Many people have asked this question, wondering whether changes in species point to evolution rather than creation.…

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Human Suffering and Creation: the Surprising Missing Link

What does humans suffering have to do with the doctrine of creation?

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“He Spake and it was Done”: Luther’s Creation Theology in His 1535 Lectures on Genesis 1:1-2:4

Martin Luther approached the issue of origins from the basic premise that the Bible is the only safe and reliable source of information on that topic, being superior to the writings of philosophers, theologians, astronomers, and scientists.

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A Fresh Look at Two Genesis Creation Accounts: Contradictions?

One would be exegetically blind to not see differences between the first (Gen 1:1–2:4a) and the second (Gen 2:4b-25) Genesis creation accounts. Do they stand in opposition to each other?

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Genesis 1:1-2:3 as a Historical Narrative Text Type

The ‘genre’ of Genesis 1 has long been debated, with approaches centering largely on traditional form criticism. From a textlinguistic perspective—especially examining such elements as clause types, word order, grounding, lexical repetition, prose particles, and linear structuring—this study argues that the first pericope of the Hebrew Bible is better read as a historical narrative text type in its own right. Article originally published on Valley View University Journal of Theology 1 (2011): 18-35.

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Genesis Kinds and the Sea Urchin

The idea that different types of organisms were created and commanded to reproduce "after their kinds" seems widely believed among creationists. It may therefore come as a surprise to many to learn the idea is not stated in the Bible. Published in Origins n. 60.

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Cain, Abel, Seth and the Meaning of Human Life as Portrayed in Genesis and Ecclesiastes

The meaninglessness brought into the world through Cain's murder of his brother is forever revoked by the death of Jesus, the second Adam.

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Problems with Time

LITERATURE REVIEWS A review of the book, A Matter of Days: Resolving a Creation Controversy. Published in Origins n. 59.

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He Breathed into His Nostrils: God’s Kiss of Life

The gift of life is conferred on humankind in an intimate face-to-face encounter. God forms a work of art out of moist clay. A bond with this piece of art begins to grow in the gentle process of making. Then comes that incredible moment.

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Creation in the New Testament

In this paper we will take a look at the NT references to creation, discuss the contribution of Jesus and his disciples to the theology of creation, and draw some conclusions for our present situation.

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The Genesis Creation Story: Text, Issues and truth

This paper examines exegetically the Hebrew text of the biblical Creation story, paying close attention to its sounds, rhythm, words, syntax, literary structure in relation to its parallel text, and its literary genre and style, without ignoring its literary extrabiblical environment. Published in Origins n. 55.

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The Sabbath and Genesis 2:1-3

There is general agreement that the weekly Sabbath is at least partly in view in Gen 2:l-3. The more controverted point is whether it is presented as a Creation ordinance, i.e., as something commanded for human beings to keep from the beginning of human history.

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