CT I, Week Five: God as Creator I. Introduction 1. Definition: "The work of God by which He brings into being, without using any preexisting materials, everything that is." 2. Key questions (Grenz): (1) What does it mean to confess faith in the Creator God? (2) In what sense can we speak of creation as an act of God? (3) To what relationship between God and the world does this confession point? 3. Reasons why belief of creation is important.: (1) Strong biblical focus (Gen 1.1; John 1.1-3) (2) Significant doctrine in history of Christianity (3) Interrelationship with other beliefs (Goodness of creation; creative purpose; humanity) (4) Christianity's belief is distinctive from other worldviews about Creation. (5) Potentiality of dialogue between Christians and people of science (many of whom are Christians). (6) Helpful in seeking biblical teachings for controversies over age of earth, creation and evolution. 4. Doctrinal implications of Creation (McGrath) (1) Important to distinguish God from creation a. Natural to worship the created rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25) b. Augustine to Calvin stress world as fallen but to be redeemed by God (2) Creation suggests God s authority over world a. Human stewardship vs. human ownership b. Humans have special functions within the creation (3) God as Creator means Creation is good (Gen 1:10, 18, 21, 25, 31) a. The not good is Adam being alone. b. Goodness has to do with God s intentionality and His redemption of Creation.
2 II. Biblical Teachings c. Fallenness and sin do not compromise God seeing good in what He has made. (4) Creation means humans are created in God s image. 1. Creation out of nothing ( ex nihilo ) (1) What it means: not out of preexisting matter. (2) What it does NOT mean: direct or immediate altogether. a. Creation of reality at beginning, YES. b. But subsequent creative work as well, derivative creation. (3) Many biblical references regarding the foundation of world from beginning, beginning of creation, preservation (4) Theological conclusions a. God wills and it happens. Act of his loving will. Overflowing of eternal "love relationship" of Triunity. b. Creation is God's free act. Were God forced to create, God would need the world to be who He is; He remains eternally God whether creation exists or not; He graciously choose to create a cosmos with which to share His own reality. c. Creation is mediated by God, not something made out of Him. (God is to be distinguished from His Creation.) 2. All-Inclusive nature of Creation - -whole universe is His act. (John 1.3) 3. Creation Is the Work of the Triune God (See 1 Cor 8.6) (1) Father creates the world, through the Son, by the divine Spirit, Father fulfills primary function; all creation owes its existence to Him (Acts 17.28). (2) Son is the principle of creation (John 1.3, 14; Col 1.16a) Jesus also exemplifies stance of dependence on Father. (John 5.26). (3) H.S. the divine power active in creating the universe. Gen 1.2; Job 26.13. As Spirit of relation between Father and Son, H.S. is power by whom the one God fashions the world. (4) "While the creation is FROM the Father, it is THROUGH the Son, and BY the H.S." 4. Purpose of God's creation is for His Glory (1) Inanimate creation glorifies Him (Ps 19.1). (2) Animate creation obeys God consciously and willingly.
3 5. Creation is a future act (Grenz). Primordial past, Yes. But biblical speaks of coming "new creation" also. God's completion of His divine work, bringing it to His intended conclusion, consummation, goal. He remains active in history bringing about His world-creating work. Important for how we view His work AND ourselves. 6. God is sovereign over Creation. (Grenz) But how do we explain the presence and power of evil if we believe in a God who is all power and all loving? See the difference. between "de jure" & "de facto" sovereignty; former means "in principle" and latter means "in fact". In present history His complete will is not always evident; nor do humans live according to His design. In the end, we will understand Him in both aspects. III. THEOLOGICAL MEANING OF CREATION 1. Everything that is NOT God derives its existence from Him. 2. The original act of creation is unique. God's only limitations are His nature and any choices He has made. 3. Nothing God has made is intrinsically evil. 5 times: "good" (Dualism has moral distinction between higher and lower principles of creation; metaphysical difference; higher is good; lower is evil.) 4. Belief of creation shows responsibility of humans. 5. Guards against depreciating humanity of Christ. 6. Restrains asceticism. 7. Creator God provides a connection and affinity with all creation. 8. There is no monism, or emanation of world from God (ooze theory). 9. Shows inherent limitations of creaturehood (no place for worshiping self, nature, or other humans; God alone is unique). IV. BELIEF OF CREATION & SCIENCE 1. Science and the Bible (1) Historical friction between some scientists and some theologians still occurs. (2) Difference in methodologies (scientific, theological/religious) are often ignored. (3) Both have their proper focus and should not be pitted against one another. 2. Age & Development of the Earth (1) Age of earth
4 a. Young earth views - 4004 B.C. (Bishop Ussher, 16 th century) Flood "aged" the earth; "days" in Genesis; generally the earth is viewed as 10,000 years old. b. Old earth views do not seek to posit a length of time; some think maybe millions if not billions of years, insisting that God didn t worry about the calendar. (2) Erickson.: "God created in a series of acts which involved long periods, and which took place an indefinite time ago." (3) Development views of creation a. Scientific evolution (Darwin) - life originated through a series of chance factors and process of natural selection. All existing species derived from one simple organism. b. Fiat creationism - God directed created at the beginning every species that would EVER be. c. Theistic evolution - God created the first organism and put creative process in place so that life hence developed according to scientific laws. Possible that God aided in the process at some points. Example.: changing a higher primate into first human. NOTE: What about occurrence of new species through natural development? Or resemblance between some different forms and existence of some transitional forms? Or the restriction of certain species to isolated areas? Or the existence of vestigial organs. In light of these factors, plus others, Erickson opts for a progressive view of creation because of the biblical implication God created in a series of acts. V. THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS d. Progressive creationism - God created the first member of a group; other related forms evolved from these; then God created other forms; this view Erickson says seems to account for systematic deficiencies in fossil record. e. Theologians and scientists need to respect one another; one should not attempt to speak for the other. 1. Everything that is, has value, by virtue of God's creation. 2. God's creation includes his initial creative work as well as his later indirect activities. (Development is included.) 3. There is justification for scientifically investigating creation. (Order in universe; significant that science. developed in European culture first with its belief in single God.) 4. Nothing other than God is self-sufficient or eternal. 5. Summary of Grenz's points: (1) Creation is: a free, loving act of a sovereign, triune God and also includes His future act.
5 VI. God s Providence (2) God created ex nihilo in expressing his absolute responsibility for all that exists. (3) He created everything good; tragic circumstances are not a reflection of a flawed creation. (4) Whence evil? Evil is not a part of God s creative plan but a distortion of the good. Evil has no positive existence. The fault is not in things created but in things wrongly related. Relationships have gone wrong. (5) Creation consists of heaven and earth. 1. Definition: God s continuing relationship to His creation in terms of bringing His purpose to completion through His preservation and government of it. 2. Problem of evil and suffering (1) An all-powerful God (2) Who is good (3) But reality of evil and suffering Questions usually asked: If he had power, couldn t He do something about it? If He were altogether good, wouldn t He? If He can and wants to, why do evil and suffering persist? 3. God s providential working (1) Two main categories: a. Generally: rain falls on the just and the just; natural laws like gravity, apply to all. Christians die from cancer, too. b. Particular: God s personal involvement (2) Two theological tracks: 4. Providence as Preservation a. Augustine/Calvin: divine predestination; God s sovereignty directs all; no difference seen between God s ordaining or permitting something. b. Augustine/Wesley: God gives aid and freedom; strong emphasis on human freedom and responsibility; differences seen between God s intentional and permissive will. c. The Cross/Resurrection IS God s response to evil and suffering. (1) Biblical examples: Genesis 50:20; Job; Romans 8:28 (2) Theological application a. No separation from His love
6 b. Saved WITHIN trouble, suffering c. Confidence and hope 5. Special Concerns: prayer and miracles 6. Theological Summary: Providence, therefore, is the perfect reflection of the doctrine of Creation It is the assurance that when all is said and done, in spite of the intervention of evil, God s will is going to be accomplished. Good will ultimately triumph (Conyers). VII. Theological Parenthesis: Theodices (McGrath) 1. Definition: a theological or philosophical approach to the reality of evil in the world. How do we reconcile the presence of evil and suffering in God s good creation? 2. Historical approaches (1) Irenaeus proposes an idea which has been picked up by John Hick: humans as we are on this earth are not yet complete. The only real way we can reach maturity is to be free to choose between good and evil. Evil is present to help us choose the good. a. This is attractive with its emphasis on human freedom and the comfort God gives in suffering b. But does it dignify evil by positing a positive place for it in God s purpose? It at least opens the door to that possibility. (2) Augustine: evil is the result of the misuse and abuse of our human freedom a. But how could Adam/Eve choose evil if God created the world good? b. How can good angels turn out bad? (3) Karl Barth: claimed the Reformed view of providence was too dependent on Stoicism. He pushed a more Christological approach, the ultimate triumph of God s gracious will in Christ. (4) Liberation theology: has a distinctive emphasis upon God s poor and oppressed who are side by side with God in suffering in world; present struggle is experienced hopefully in view of God s ultimate victory. (5) Process theology: stresses a radical limitation of God in evil world; He delimits His power of coercion; He chooses to persuade rather than force. No real assurance of how things will end or work out; metaphysically, He just does not interfere. (6) Protest theodicies utilize O.T. themes which protest the reality of evil and suffering. Yet in the midst of the protest, God s people faithfully and trustfully respond to God, in spite of anxieties and lack of assurances.