God, Creator of Everything
The Bible is a narrative of God and us humans. It shows our grandeur and our brokenness, sin. It shows God’s work to free us from our self-destruction and bring us to share God’s life.
But all that is within a recognition of God as creator. Highly disputed today in a physicalist orthodoxy that asserts a world of chance, without mind, meaning, direction. Within two colorful narratives are affirmations of the why behind all the particulars of existing things.
Why is there something rather than nothing? All things we see are dependent, changing. What’s their source? God! Being itself, uncreated. God gives existence! All always depends on God.
Why are humans so different? With personal consciousness, directed, expansive, through which we know and do all else. The image of God: we’re responsible in a complex, abundant world.
Much more in Gn 1: God without conflict. Very good! Things are things. Discover order, rationality. God’s Word & Spirit pervade all. World participates in creation. God orders time & rest.
Everyday Life within the Reality of God
Gn 1 & 2 both see human life within the wonderfully complex world flowing from God’s being, intention, & character. No division of religious & secular. Every element of our everyday life is enfolded. They begin a vast parable of Gn 1-11 and tell the challenging, broken, and hopeful nature of human life. Challenges of loneliness, relationships, danger & death emerge in Gn 2.
Old stories finally written in the time of exile. Isaiah of the exile especially calls people to think of creation’s meaning. God’s creation ranges from stars to grieving hopeless people. When we look at every experience within that great reality, God’s power & hope pierce through even deep despair. Isaiah wants broken Israel to see themselves renewed within God’s strength.
Paul in Athens is called to speak to philosophers. He starts from their defensive pagan piety toward gods within the world. He challenges them to envision the Existence-giving God beyond all religion & piety. God is inescapable because he is in every breath we take. On our own, humans only feel after God as one outside us, though we live & exist within God. Seeing the reality of God elevates our vision of all humans including ourselves as his offspring.
The narratives of God as creator were never intended as statements of scientific analysis. The creation itself fulfills that role. God made it discoverable and usable. Even fusion energy.
But they know that all physical existence is within the more fundamental reality that God is. That deep being of God in love, relationship, power & purpose encounters us as God’s image in our own consciousness, love, mind, creativity, freedom, will, etc. A call to the life of God.