Christian Beliefs About Creation (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)
Revision Note
Written by: Glenn Millington
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Biblical Account of Creation
The Bible and Creation
Christians believe that the bible (Genesis Chapter One) provides information about how the universe began
Christians believe that God created the Earth and all living things on it
The Genesis account describes the order in which the universe was created
The first book of the bible (Genesis) is divided into three parts
Genesis 1 describes the creation of Heaven and Earth
Genesis 2 focuses on the creation of the first humans, Adam and Eve
In Genesis 3, Christians learn how Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought sin into the world
‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth’ (Genesis 1:1)
Genesis explains to Christians a lot about the nature of God
God is the only creator
God existed before he created the world
The world was well planned and is sustained by God
God blessed creation, which means that all creation is holy
God created everything in Heaven and on Earth in six days
On the seventh day, God rested
Literal and Metaphorical Accounts of Creation
Some Christians (Creationists / Literalists) believe that the biblical account of creation happened exactly as it was written
Many Christians (Non-Literalists) believe that although it may not be scientifically accurate, the account contains religious truth, and the important part is that God caused it to happen by choice
Literalists (Creationists) | Non-literalists |
|---|---|
The Creation story as written in the bible is the literal truth because the bible is the ‘Word of God’ | God created the universe but it was not exactly as it says in the bible. The bible was written by man but inspired by God |
God created the world in 6 x 24-hour days and then rested on the 7th day | The Genesis account of creation is more ‘myth’ than ‘fact’ and the story is metaphorical. For example, six days instead refers to longer periods |
Do not accept scientific explanations about the universe including the Big Bang and Evolution | There is no conflict between biblical and scientific accounts of creation. The science tells us how it happened and the bible tells us why it happened |
The Role of the Word & the Spirit in Creation
The Word in Creation
The bible introduces the idea that the universe was created at a command from God or his ‘Word’
The account of Creation is mentioned in the Gospel of John
John starts his Gospel with the words, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1)
John uses ‘the Word’ to refer to Jesus, showing that he was present at the Creation of the universe
The Spirit in Creation
The bible also shows the power of God in creating the universe and the role of the ‘Spirit’ of God
Genesis 1 states that the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters
For Christians, it was the Spirit of God that created the universe out of nothing
This is important because it shows that God is omnipotent and the source of all life
It also shows that the concept of the Holy Spirit has been part of the universe since the beginning of time
The Importance of the Word and Spirit in Creation
The presence of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit at the time of Creation is very significant to Christians
It underlines the importance of the Trinity and indicates that it has existed since the beginning of time
The Importance of Creation for Christians Today
Why is the account of Creation important to Christians?
Christians believe that the story of creation has significance relating to the nature of God and His relationship with humans
It tells Christians that God is the one and only, omnipotent Creator
God created a universe that was ordered, not chaotic
Humans are made in God’s image
Humans have been given authority over the rest of the created world
The Creation story also influences how Christians live their lives
The universe was not created by chance; therefore human lives have meaning and purpose
Because humans were made in God’s image, we should remember that all human life has potential, and we should follow the Golden Rule
Our dominion over living creatures means we have a responsibility to treat everyone equally and to show all created beings, human and non-human, love and respect
This idea is known as stewardship
Worked Example
Explain two ways the biblical creation account can be understood by Christians
(4 marks)
Answer:
Some Christians believe it is literally true and that God made the world in six days (2 marks)
Some Christians believe it is a metaphor and is there to help people understand why God created the world (2 marks)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Remember that all Christians believe that God created the universe. The difference in opinion relates to how it happened and how much the bible should be seen as a factual, scientific document or just as a guide that was never meant to be taken literally
Most Christians would accept scientific explanations for the creation of the universe but they would believe that this has happened because of God and not by pure chance
For many Christians it is the message of creation that is the most important as it suggests that God is powerful, God loves humans, the universe was planned and ordered in this way etc.
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