Could the Universe of Genesis 1 merely be Eden?

[Chris_Falter]

Hi Wookin,

Were you aware that the greatest scholar in the history of the church was an African? Augustine was a Berber from Algeria who was marvelously gifted of God to instruct and lead the church.

@Wookin_Panub

Just because I don’t agree with everything Augustine wrote does not mean I am a better scholar than Augustine.

So you think Augustine was a great scholar, but he made a mistake in the exegesis of Genesis 1-2 that you disagree with. Do you think that Augustine made that mistake for the following reasons?

1. He drew his conclusions about Genesis because he wanted influential people to like him.
2. He was delusional.
3. He was twisting and contorting Scripture to fit a preconceived idea

The reason I ask is that when evolutionary creationists agree with Augustine that Genesis 1-2 should not be interpreted literally, you say this about them:

@Dr.Ex-YEC

Casper_hesp said: There were also some dirty personal attacks by claiming that BioLogos just wants to “fit in with the worldly people”

I see that kind of childish argument at far too many ministry websites. Do they really think that everybody makes conclusions based on who will like them if they hold a particular view? That sounds more like junior high than it does science and adults reviewing the evidence.

@Wookin_Panub

It may sound childish to you, but it is quite true. Why else would Christians such as yourself not read the book of Genesis as plainly written? Why would Christians such as yourself delude yourself into believing that the bible and evolution can co-exist? Why would Christians such as yourself have to twist and contort scriptural interpretation to fit evolution?

Also, you are still not quoting Genesis 1:1, which was written in Hebrew. You seem unaware that difficulties can arise in translating and understanding “what’s happening” in a literature from a very different time and culture from ours.

The doctrine of sola scriptura states that Scripture provides our only written guidance for practicing Christian faith. (I won’t get into the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding God’s people–that would at a minimum require another thread.) Sola scriptura does not tell us that Genesis 1-2 is a literal history and Ezekiel 28 is figurative, or vice versa. Understanding that Genesis 1-2 teaches us that God created everything, and that He has commissioned humanity to be the agents of His reign over the earth, can be understood by anyone and everyone. Understanding whether it’s literal or figurative, on the other hand, requires more than a Hebrew-English lexicon; it requires a deep understanding of the Hebrew language and culture to which God revealed this passage.

So maybe we can agree to disagree about how to interpret Genesis 1-2 without saying nasty things about one another’s motives…What do you say, brother Wookin?