‘And God said . . . : Education and the Importance of Creation Order

Michael GoheenMichael Goheen

Trinity Western UniversityTrinity Western University

Langley, B.C., CanadaLangley, B.C., Canada

Starting with the Gospel

Restorative: Good news! God is Restorative: Good news! God is restoringrestoring creationcreation

Comprehensive: Good news! God is Comprehensive: Good news! God is restoring restoring allall of human life in the context of of human life in the context of allall of the creation of the creation

Story: Climax of long story of restorationStory: Climax of long story of restoration Mission: Given to church to make knownMission: Given to church to make known

Introductory remarks:

Lives not shaped by a doctrine of creation Lives not shaped by a doctrine of creation as much as it should beas much as it should be

Understanding of creation essential for Understanding of creation essential for educationeducation

Genesis 1 shows us God’s original intention Genesis 1 shows us God’s original intention for worldfor world

Genesis 1 must be understood in original Genesis 1 must be understood in original contextcontext

Historical and Cultural Context

Moses writing just after exodus Moses writing just after exodus from Egyptfrom Egypt

Polemic against the myths, Polemic against the myths, religion, gods of paganismreligion, gods of paganism

Genesis one contains “doctrine” so rich in meaning that “it cannot be easily over-interpreted theologically.” (Von Rad)

“Moses’ concerns were exclusively religious. His intent was to proclaim knowledge of the true God as he manifested himself in his creative works, to proclaim a right understanding of humankind, the world, and history that knowledge of the true God entails--and to proclaim the truth concerning these matters in the face of the false religious notions dominant throughout the world of his day.”

-John Stek

Literary Structure of Genesis 1

Stage One: Gen. 1:1-2

“In the beginning God created theheavens and the earth.”

“The earth was dark, formless, empty.”

‘Very Good’ Cosmos

Stage Two: Gen. 1.3-2.3

Darkness banished by creation of light (day 1)Darkness banished by creation of light (day 1) Formlessness removed by creation of sky, dry Formlessness removed by creation of sky, dry

land and seas (days 2-3)land and seas (days 2-3) Emptiness remedied by creation of creatures to Emptiness remedied by creation of creatures to

dwell in four ‘areas’ (days 4-6)dwell in four ‘areas’ (days 4-6) Accomplished by commands of GodAccomplished by commands of God

Powerful wordPowerful word Good wordGood word Wise wordWise word

God’s Creating Word

Creating words of God

‘‘By the word of the LORD were the heavens By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.’ (Ps. 33.6)mouth.’ (Ps. 33.6)

‘‘For he spoke, and it came to be; he For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.’ (Ps. 33.9)commanded, and it stood firm.’ (Ps. 33.9)

‘‘By faith we understand that the universe was By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.’ seen was not made out of what was visible.’ (Heb. 11.3)(Heb. 11.3)

Word of God

Originating word: Word that creates wise Originating word: Word that creates wise and good order of creationand good order of creation

Continuing word: Same word continues to Continuing word: Same word continues to bring order (2 Peter 3.7; Ps. 147, 148)bring order (2 Peter 3.7; Ps. 147, 148)

God’s Upholding Word

God has called the universe into being out of God has called the universe into being out of nothing, and hence at every moment it ‘hangs’ nothing, and hence at every moment it ‘hangs’ suspended, as it were, over the abyss of non- suspended, as it were, over the abyss of non- existence. If God were to withdraw his upholding existence. If God were to withdraw his upholding Word, then all being . . . would instantly tumble Word, then all being . . . would instantly tumble back into nothing and cease to exist. The back into nothing and cease to exist. The continuation of the universe from one moment to continuation of the universe from one moment to the next is therefore as great a miracle and as fully the next is therefore as great a miracle and as fully the work of God as is its coming into being at the the work of God as is its coming into being at the beginning.beginning.

- Bruce Milne- Bruce Milne

Two Storeys of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Spiritual realm Spiritual realm GRACEGRACE Supernatural Supernatural

SoulSoul ChurchChurch Christian lifeChristian life

FaithFaith RevelationRevelation TheologyTheology

____________________________________________________________________________________

Material realm Material realm NATURENATURE Natural Natural

Body Body SocietySociety Cultural life Cultural life Empirical reasonEmpirical reason Natural lawNatural law ScienceScience

From dualism to secularism

““. . . in connection with the history of his . . . in connection with the history of his influence the fact cannot be overlooked that influence the fact cannot be overlooked that the Christian mediaeval synthesis presented the Christian mediaeval synthesis presented by Thomas is one of extreme tension, and in by Thomas is one of extreme tension, and in the dynamic of historical development had the dynamic of historical development had effects which were to prove self-destructive: effects which were to prove self-destructive: there was to be an unprecedented and all-there was to be an unprecedented and all-embracing embracing movement of secularization and movement of secularization and emancipationemancipation ‘at the lower level.’”‘at the lower level.’” (K (Küng)üng)

Secularism in succeeding centuries

While scholastic theologians granted a While scholastic theologians granted a limited degree of autonomy to the realm of limited degree of autonomy to the realm of our natural life (and natural reason), the our natural life (and natural reason), the Renaissance humanists so greatly expanded Renaissance humanists so greatly expanded the autonomy of nature that there was no the autonomy of nature that there was no longer any need for the realm of grace. If longer any need for the realm of grace. If God and Christianity were already basically God and Christianity were already basically irrelevant to most of life, why not make irrelevant to most of life, why not make their irrelevance complete? (Walsh and their irrelevance complete? (Walsh and Middleton)Middleton)

Two Storeys of Thomas Aquinas

Spiritual realm Spiritual realm GRACEGRACE Supernatural Supernatural

SoulSoul ChurchChurch Christian lifeChristian life

FaithFaith RevelationRevelation TheologyTheology

____________________________________________________________________________________

Material realm Material realm NATURENATURE Natural Natural

Body Body SocietySociety Cultural life Cultural life Empirical reasonEmpirical reason Natural lawNatural law ScienceScience

Historical results

Creation separated from presence of GodCreation separated from presence of God Natural laws built into creationNatural laws built into creation Can be discerned by autonomous reasonCan be discerned by autonomous reason Controlled to harness laws for social usesControlled to harness laws for social uses Technology and rational organisation of Technology and rational organisation of

societysociety

Creation according to Scripture

Secular world devoid of God’s presence

Deistic world devoid of God’s presence

Christian education . . .

. . . resisting secularism that teaches about . . . resisting secularism that teaches about God’s world as if his presence did not God’s world as if his presence did not matter.matter.

God’s presence permeates the world

““In Him we live and move and have our being.” In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Paul, Acts 17.28)(Paul, Acts 17.28)

God “has so implicated Himself with [the God “has so implicated Himself with [the creation], and taken it into His very bosom, by His creation], and taken it into His very bosom, by His presence in it, His providence over it, His presence in it, His providence over it, His impressions upon it, and His influences through it, impressions upon it, and His influences through it, that we cannot truly or fully contemplate it that we cannot truly or fully contemplate it without in some aspects contemplating Him.”without in some aspects contemplating Him.” (Cardinal Newman)(Cardinal Newman)

God’s immanence in creation

““There is not an atom of the universe in There is not an atom of the universe in which you cannot see some brilliant sparks which you cannot see some brilliant sparks at least of his glory.”at least of his glory.” God is immanent in all  God is immanent in all creation. The pure of heart see God creation. The pure of heart see God everywhere. Everything is full of God. everywhere. Everything is full of God. “I “I confess that the expression, ‘Nature is God’ confess that the expression, ‘Nature is God’ may be used in a pious sense by a pious may be used in a pious sense by a pious mind!”mind!”

(Herman Bavinck, quoting John Calvin)(Herman Bavinck, quoting John Calvin)

Charged with the grandeur of God

The world is charged with the grandeur of The world is charged with the grandeur of God. God.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;

It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil.It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil.

CrushedCrushed . . . . . .

(Gerard Manley Hopkins)(Gerard Manley Hopkins)

God’s presence and knowledgeHe is One who is sovereign over, operative He is One who is sovereign over, operative amidst, independent of, the appointments which amidst, independent of, the appointments which He has made; One in whose hands are all things, He has made; One in whose hands are all things, who has a purpose in every event, and a standard who has a purpose in every event, and a standard for every deed, and thus has relations of His own for every deed, and thus has relations of His own towards the subject-matter of each particular towards the subject-matter of each particular science which the book of knowledge unfolds; science which the book of knowledge unfolds; who has with an adorable, never-ceasing energy who has with an adorable, never-ceasing energy implicated Himself in all the history of creation, implicated Himself in all the history of creation, the constitution of nature, the course of the world, the constitution of nature, the course of the world, the origin of society, the fortunes of the nations, the origin of society, the fortunes of the nations, the action of the human mind . . . the action of the human mind . . .

- Cardinal Newman- Cardinal Newman

Life coram Deo

‘‘Before the face of God’ or ‘in the presence Before the face of God’ or ‘in the presence of God’of God’

Latin phrase, 50x in VulgateLatin phrase, 50x in Vulgate Oriental court where servants live in King’s Oriental court where servants live in King’s

presence, alert, ready to respond to his presence, alert, ready to respond to his biddingbidding

Christian education . . .

. . . resisting naturalism that teaches about . . . resisting naturalism that teaches about non-human creation as if God’s word and non-human creation as if God’s word and activity does not matter.activity does not matter.

God’s activity in upholding in the non-human creation

Psalm 147.7-9, 15-18Psalm 147.7-9, 15-18

God’s Ruling Word

The Bible shows us a personalistic world, not The Bible shows us a personalistic world, not impersonal law. What we call scientific law is impersonal law. What we call scientific law is an approximate human description of just how an approximate human description of just how faithfully and consistently God acts in ruling faithfully and consistently God acts in ruling the world by speaking. There is not the world by speaking. There is not mathematical, physical, or theoretical cosmic mathematical, physical, or theoretical cosmic machinery behind what we see and know, machinery behind what we see and know, holding everything in place. Rather God rules holding everything in place. Rather God rules and rules consistently and rules consistently

- Vern Poythress- Vern Poythress

Three uses of word ‘law’

Word God speaks to give creation orderWord God speaks to give creation order Lawful regularity we experience in creationLawful regularity we experience in creation Attempt at scientific, analytical formulation Attempt at scientific, analytical formulation

of these regularitiesof these regularities

E. D. Fackerell E. D. Fackerell

Christian education . . .

. . . resisting relativism that sees human life . . . resisting relativism that sees human life as ‘free’ from God’s ordering word.as ‘free’ from God’s ordering word.

. . . teaching for wisdom that finds true . . . teaching for wisdom that finds true freedom by discerning God’s order for freedom by discerning God’s order for human life.human life.

What is wisdom?

‘‘. . . the practical knowledge of . . . the practical knowledge of the laws of life and of the world the laws of life and of the world based on experience.’ based on experience.’

- Von Rad - Von Rad

Divine and human wisdom

‘‘Wisdom [is] wrought into the constitution of the Wisdom [is] wrought into the constitution of the universe’ so that human wisdom is ‘ethical universe’ so that human wisdom is ‘ethical conformity to God’s creation’ (Fleming). conformity to God’s creation’ (Fleming).

Kosmos: ‘the world held a divine order’ and Kosmos: ‘the world held a divine order’ and therefore wisdom was ‘fitting oneself into’ this therefore wisdom was ‘fitting oneself into’ this divine order. (Gladigow).divine order. (Gladigow).

God’s wisdom (order); human wisdom God’s wisdom (order); human wisdom (conformity to that order)(conformity to that order)

God’s Word as Law

. . . the Ten Commandments are a brief . . . the Ten Commandments are a brief summary of the Christian ethic and an summary of the Christian ethic and an unsurpassed rule for our life. There are also unsurpassed rule for our life. There are also many other laws to which we are bound. God many other laws to which we are bound. God also laid down laws for our thinking, for our also laid down laws for our thinking, for our appreciation of the beautiful, for our social appreciation of the beautiful, for our social life, for heaven and earth, for sun and moon life, for heaven and earth, for sun and moon and stars, for day and night, for summer and and stars, for day and night, for summer and winter, for seed time and harvest. winter, for seed time and harvest.

- Herman Bavinck- Herman Bavinck

Scope of God’s Ordinances

. . . All created life necessarily bears in . . . All created life necessarily bears in itself a law for its existence, instituted by itself a law for its existence, instituted by God himself. . . . Consequently there are God himself. . . . Consequently there are ordinances of God for our bodies, for the ordinances of God for our bodies, for the blood that courses through our arteries and blood that courses through our arteries and veins, and for our lungs as the organs of veins, and for our lungs as the organs of respiration. And even so are there respiration. And even so are there ordinances of God in logic, to regulate our ordinances of God in logic, to regulate our thoughts; ordinances of God for our thoughts; ordinances of God for our imagination, in the domain of aesthetics; imagination, in the domain of aesthetics; and so also, strict ordinances of God whole and so also, strict ordinances of God whole of human life in the domain of morals. of human life in the domain of morals.

– –Abraham KuyperAbraham Kuyper

Diversity and lawfulness

PCredal/Faith

PEthical

PPolitical/Judicial

PAesthetic

PEconomic

PSocial

PLingual

PHistorical/Formative

PAnalytical/Rational

PSensitive/Emotional

PBiotic/Life

Religious BeliefsP Directing power

P Christ or idol

Diversity and law

The merit of the much-disputed The merit of the much-disputed Philosophy of Philosophy of the Cosmonomic Ideathe Cosmonomic Idea of the philosophers of the philosophers Dooyeweerd and Vollenhoven (Free Dooyeweerd and Vollenhoven (Free University) is that, from the perspective of the University) is that, from the perspective of the idea of creation, it puts such a strong emphasis idea of creation, it puts such a strong emphasis on the variety and plurality of the various on the variety and plurality of the various levels of existence, and points out the levels of existence, and points out the confusion that results from the failure to confusion that results from the failure to discern the laws which hold for those different discern the laws which hold for those different levels.levels.

– – Hendrikus BerkhofHendrikus Berkhof

Word of God and educationThe University must be bound to the The University must be bound to the wordword of God, in every of God, in every way in which God makes known to us his word: in nature, way in which God makes known to us his word: in nature, in history, in our own heart, and in his Scriptural revelation. in history, in our own heart, and in his Scriptural revelation. Do not forget that the University does not only have a Do not forget that the University does not only have a Theological faculty, but also investigates nature, history, Theological faculty, but also investigates nature, history, the juridicial sphere and so much more. It is therefore not the juridicial sphere and so much more. It is therefore not enough to say that it is bound to Scripture. Wherever and enough to say that it is bound to Scripture. Wherever and however God speaks, the University must always give ear however God speaks, the University must always give ear and follow. Materially, therefore, there is no difference of and follow. Materially, therefore, there is no difference of opinion; the University must be bound to God and to God opinion; the University must be bound to God and to God alone, whenever and wherever God makes manifest his alone, whenever and wherever God makes manifest his Wisdom, his Will, and his Ordinance, or renders them Wisdom, his Will, and his Ordinance, or renders them knowable through investigation and research.knowable through investigation and research.

- Abraham Kuyper- Abraham Kuyper

Life as religion

Everything has been created was, in its Everything has been created was, in its creation, furnished by God with an creation, furnished by God with an unchangeable law of its existence. And unchangeable law of its existence. And because God has fully ordained such laws because God has fully ordained such laws and ordinances for all of life, therefore the and ordinances for all of life, therefore the Calvinist demands that all life be consecrated Calvinist demands that all life be consecrated to His service, in strict obedience.to His service, in strict obedience.

-Abraham Kuyper-Abraham Kuyper

Historical unfolding and cultural embodiment

Now the peculiarity of all revelation is, that Now the peculiarity of all revelation is, that while it posits principles and lays down while it posits principles and lays down foundations, it charges men with the foundations, it charges men with the application of these principles and the application of these principles and the building upon these foundations. Creation was building upon these foundations. Creation was the first revelation. . . thought and speech life the first revelation. . . thought and speech life and history, science and art, have all had their and history, science and art, have all had their commencement in principles which are laid commencement in principles which are laid down by God’s creative power.down by God’s creative power.

- Herman Bavinck- Herman Bavinck