Reconciling Adam and Eve with Evolution

[ewq1938]

You got me puzzled, EQW. I thought in a previous post you said you agreed that the notion that there were two very different creations here composed by authors at two very different times, with Gen. 2 being written long before Gen. 1

No, I said The creation events in Gen 1 are not the same ones in Gen 2. I didn't say there were two authors nor written at two different times and Gen 2 was not written first..

One author wrote Gen 1 and 2 and at the same time...likely was Moses but could have been someone else. The important part is that Adam and Eve were not created in Gen 1.

 

[Hoghead1]

Well, EW, I see I was certainly mistaken about you. Sorry. I beg to disagree with you. Based on content and a number of other key literary factors, the consensus favors Gen. two written long before Gen. 1. Also, the notion that Moses really really any part of the Pentateuch is long been passé.

 

[ewq1938]

Also, the notion that Moses really really any part of the Pentateuch is long been passé.

Did you read what I said?

"likely was Moses but could have been someone else"

There is also no evidence that Gen 2 was written before Gen 1.

 

[-57]

God is the author not the ones He inspired to write. You are correct there are two different creation accounts regarding man and animals, one where animals are created before man and one where man is created before animals but it is merely two different creations many years apart not that there is a contradiction or the writers were confused.

That would be incorrect. There is only one account of creation. The first is the big picture and the second focus on day 6 for the most part.
In both accounts animals were created prior to man.

 

[-57]

Now, imagine a population of hominids in Africa. At some point, say, a million years ago, designate two as "Adam & Eve". From a Catholic standpoint, God gives these two the first souls - they are the first "full humans", even though they are very similar in most respects to everyone else at the time, and so their children can interbreed with the others. All their descendants also receive souls, and hence are also "fully human".


The idea of a population of transitional apes becoming human, with one pair designated as Adam and Eve seems fine theologically to me. Maybe discuss what difficulties there could be with this or that explanation?

in Christ-

Papias

Problem being...the bible doesn't take that position. In fact there isn't any support for that view. None.

 

[ewq1938]

That would be incorrect. There is only one account of creation. The first is the big picture and the second focus on day 6 for the most part.

No, Gen 1 addresses the first week. Gen 2 shows us what happened after that first week.

In both accounts animals were created prior to man.

Again, that simply isn't true in Gen 2:

Gen 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Gen 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.


Man created first.

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

Animals created after Adam.

In Gen 1 the order is reversed with animals first and man last.

 

[-57]

No, Gen 1 addresses the first week. Gen 2 shows us what happened after that first week.



Again, that simply isn't true in Gen 2:

Gen 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Gen 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.


Man created first.

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

Animals created after Adam.

In Gen 1 the order is reversed with animals first and man last.

Gen 2:19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

 

[ewq1938]

Gen 2:19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

That's not what the verse says:

Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

These animals were created after Adam was. The previous verse said he was alone.

Additional differences:

Genesis 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.


This is the fifth day. God creates sealife and birds. Take note that fowls are also created from the waters.


Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.


Yet in Gen. 2 we are told about fowls being created out of the ground, not out of the waters.



Genesis 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Genesis 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.


This is the 6th day. What does God make first? Land animals!



Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.


Now man is made and has dominion over the animals that were made first.


1: animals created first.


2: man created last.



Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.


He makes the 6th day people both male and female!


Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


Tells them again to have dominion over the animals and the fish of the sea.





Genesis 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.


God sees no man that would be for tilling the ground, farming. Historically mankind were not farmers but were primarily hunter-gatherers which modern Archeology has also proven.


Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.


And he makes a man, alone. No female is created.


Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.


He is in charge of the garden of Eden, working alone.


Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.


God decides Adam needs help. Adam is alone! No animals are there!


Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.


God makes animals to help Adam! In the 6th day animals were first, then men AND women, but on the 8th day one man is made, then animals. Also note that there is no mention of sea life. Why? Because there was no waters inside the garden for sea life.


Genesis 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.


But Adam needs a more direct helper...


Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.


And now God creates female from Adam.


Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


6th day man wasn't in the garden but was told to subdue the earth and multiply. Adam and Eve were not told to subdue the earth, nor were they instructed to multiply. The 6th day ppl are told to subdue the fish of the sea but Adam was not, nor was Adam near the sea as he was inside of this garden inside of Eden. Adam's job was to take care of the garden of Eden which was a full time task.


Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.


Trees bearing fruit were created before mankind was.


Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.


But after the 7th day God created Adam before causing the trees in Eden to grow.


Recap of the facts:


Gen. 1 creation order: animals, men and women (plural) at the same time.


Gen. 2 creation order: one man, animals, then one woman.


For simplification ONLY, I will refer to the events after the 7th day as "8th day".


5th day- fowls of the air created out of the waters before man and before land animals
6th day- land animals created before man
8th day- man created before animals
8th day- fowls created at the same time as land animals, from the ground not the waters


6th day- male and female created at same time
8th day- man created first, then animals, then a female created


6th day- more than just a farmer
8th day- just a farmer


6th day- told to have dominion over everything on the earth and the sea, and to multiply
8th day- in charge of maintaining the garden in Eden only. No mention of fish or the sea and no mention of multiplying


6th day- fruit bearing trees created before man
8th day- fruit bearing trees created after man


Conclusion: Two different accounts of creating man and his environment. One is about a large number of people with dominion over everything, the other about a certain man, his environment which was a certain Garden within Eden, and his wife. God created things in different orders on the two different days of creation.

 

[SkyWriting]

1. All life on earth, including human biology, has evolved by the decree and creative guiding providence of God as per the theory of evolutionary creationism.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

In context, this reads that death was not the original design.

 

[-57]

That's not what the verse says:

Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

These animals were created after Adam was. The previous verse said he was alone.

Additional differences:

Genesis 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.


This is the fifth day. God creates sealife and birds. Take note that fowls are also created from the waters.


Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.


Yet in Gen. 2 we are told about fowls being created out of the ground, not out of the waters.



Genesis 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Genesis 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.


This is the 6th day. What does God make first? Land animals!



Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.


Now man is made and has dominion over the animals that were made first.


1: animals created first.


2: man created last.



Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.


He makes the 6th day people both male and female!


Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


Tells them again to have dominion over the animals and the fish of the sea.





Genesis 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.


God sees no man that would be for tilling the ground, farming. Historically mankind were not farmers but were primarily hunter-gatherers which modern Archeology has also proven.


Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.


And he makes a man, alone. No female is created.


Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.


He is in charge of the garden of Eden, working alone.


Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.


God decides Adam needs help. Adam is alone! No animals are there!


Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.


God makes animals to help Adam! In the 6th day animals were first, then men AND women, but on the 8th day one man is made, then animals. Also note that there is no mention of sea life. Why? Because there was no waters inside the garden for sea life.


Genesis 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.


But Adam needs a more direct helper...


Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.


And now God creates female from Adam.


Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


6th day man wasn't in the garden but was told to subdue the earth and multiply. Adam and Eve were not told to subdue the earth, nor were they instructed to multiply. The 6th day ppl are told to subdue the fish of the sea but Adam was not, nor was Adam near the sea as he was inside of this garden inside of Eden. Adam's job was to take care of the garden of Eden which was a full time task.


Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.


Trees bearing fruit were created before mankind was.


Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.


But after the 7th day God created Adam before causing the trees in Eden to grow.


Recap of the facts:


Gen. 1 creation order: animals, men and women (plural) at the same time.


Gen. 2 creation order: one man, animals, then one woman.


For simplification ONLY, I will refer to the events after the 7th day as "8th day".


5th day- fowls of the air created out of the waters before man and before land animals
6th day- land animals created before man
8th day- man created before animals
8th day- fowls created at the same time as land animals, from the ground not the waters


6th day- male and female created at same time
8th day- man created first, then animals, then a female created


6th day- more than just a farmer
8th day- just a farmer


6th day- told to have dominion over everything on the earth and the sea, and to multiply
8th day- in charge of maintaining the garden in Eden only. No mention of fish or the sea and no mention of multiplying


6th day- fruit bearing trees created before man
8th day- fruit bearing trees created after man


Conclusion: Two different accounts of creating man and his environment. One is about a large number of people with dominion over everything, the other about a certain man, his environment which was a certain Garden within Eden, and his wife. God created things in different orders on the two different days of creation.

Wow, if you need to go through all that biblical gymnastics to demonstrate a point excepted by no one but you....I think I'll pass and stick with the natural reading of the verse and order of creation.

Currenty I know on no denomination...christian or cult that is trying to pass of what you're trying to pass off. Perhaps you could tell me just what denomination is presenting this interpretation as truth?

 

[-57]

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

In context, this reads that death was not the original design.

Without the literal six-day creation account, God created a "very good" world that quickly degenerated into violence and illness naturally, without the curse of sin. Death itself was not a curse or a deviation from God's "very good" world. Without the literal six-day creation, God intentionally included death and violence and sickness in His world. And if death is a natural, "very good," aspect of creation, then we don't need Jesus to save us from it. ref

 

[ewq1938]

Wow, if you need to go through all that biblical gymnastics to demonstrate a point excepted by no one but you....I think I'll pass and stick with the natural reading of the verse and order of creation.

Currenty I know on no denomination...christian or cult that is trying to pass of what you're trying to pass off. Perhaps you could tell me just what denomination is presenting this interpretation as truth?

It comes from the bible, a true and natural reading of the order of events, undisputed by you or anyone else other than in automated denial. You cannot argue against any of the facts laid out so you have no other option to go after this invented idea that I must be part of some imaginary cultish type denomination. Typical ad hominem type tactics.

 

[-57]

It comes from the bible, a true and natural reading of the order of events, undisputed by you or anyone else other than in automated denial. You cannot argue against any of the facts laid out so you have no other option to go after this invented idea that I must be part of some imaginary cultish type denomination. Typical ad hominem type tactics.

Why is there only one person who believes it? You.

 

[ewq1938]

Why is there only one person who believes it? You.

That is neither evidence nor factual. This is simply the truth by consensus fallacy, following your version of the guilt by association fallacy in your previous post.

 

[-57]

That is neither evidence nor factual. This is simply the truth by consensus fallacy, following your version of the guilt by association fallacy in your previous post.

You're theology isn't convincing. You expect us to hop on board...drop all the theology from centuries past...and simply accept your translation?
If you're going to present something new...and truthful...it shouldn't be as hard as you make it.

 

[ewq1938]

You're theology isn't convincing. You expect us to hop on board...drop all the theology from centuries past...and simply accept your translation?
If you're going to present something new...and truthful...it shouldn't be as hard as you make it.

It's not as hard to understand as you describe. You cannot explain why God made animals before man in Gen 1 but makes man before animals in Gen 2. It should be obvious why the two chapters don't match.

 

[-57]

It's not as hard to understand as you describe. You cannot explain why God made animals before man in Gen 1 but makes man before animals in Gen 2. It should be obvious why the two chapters don't match.

We've been over this. Both chapters match.

And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

 

[ewq1938]

We've been over this. Both chapters match.

And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

You are changing the verse to make it appear to say something it doesn't say.

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Adam is alone, so God decides to make other living creatures.

Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

God made animals and Adam named them. These animals did not previously exist.

Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

But no helpmeet was found among these creatures so God will make Eve.

These are the facts of Genesis:

Gen. 1 creation order: animals, men and women (plural) at the same time.

Gen. 2 creation order: one man, animals, then one woman.

 

[Hoghead1]

I thought I explained to you before why HAD cannot be used here. If not, I'll email you shortly.

 

[Hoghead1]

When we approach the study of Scripture, I think we should be willing to step outside the small box of narration presented within the narrow confines of fundamentalist thinking about the Bible. In so doing, we must cast aside the preexisting bias that everything in Scripture has to be true, that everything happened just the way the Bible says it happened. We should approach Scripture, with an open mind. Maybe it is all dictated by God and inerrant , maybe it isn't. Let us see.



Bearing the above in mind, let us proceed on to the Genesis account of creation. It is readily apparent that it stands in stark contradiction to modern scientific accounts. If we stay within the confines of the fundamentalist box, science is clearly a thing of the Devil, and that's the end of it. But is it? Perhaps there are other possibilities. Let us also explore those. For centuries, solid Bible-believing Christians have had no problem in recognizing the Bible is not an accurate geophysical witness. After all, who believes that the earth is really flat, that everything revolves around the earth, etc.? So I don't see why Genesis should be any exception. Bur wait a sec. Just how did traditional Christianity manage to step out of the fundamentalist box here? Here it is important to consider the writings of the Protestant Reformers, who lived right on the scence, right at the time when science was beginning to serious question the flat earth, etc. Let's take a peak at Calvin, for example. He followed what is called the doctrine of accommodations. Accordingly, our minds are so puny that God often has to talk “baby talk” (Calvin's term) to us, to accommodate his message to our infirmities. He wrote a major commentary on Genesis, and, in his remarks on Gen. 1:6, he emphasized that God is here to accommodate to our weaknesses and therefore, most emphatically, is not here to teach us actual astronomy.



Now, about the to contradictory accounts. It is my position that we must step outside the fundamentalist box and come to the text open-minded. It is my position that there are two contradictory accounts. It is my position we must resist all the fiendish effects created within the narrow confines of the fundamentalist box to unduly smash them together and bludgeon them into one account. The best way to approach a text is to go on the plain reading. Hence, in Gen . 1, first animals are created, the man and woman together. In Gen. 2, first man, then animals, then woman. What may or may not be apparent in English translations is that there are two very different literary styles here. Gen. 1, fr example, is sing-songy, very sing-songy. Hence, Haydn wrote a major work titled

“The Creation,” based solely on Gen. 1. Gen,. 2 is narrative and not very singable. If you study the Hebrew here in more detail, we are also dealing with to different authors coming from tow different time periods.



Let's turn to the stated content of the chronologies. As I said, a plain reading shows an obvious contradiction here. And as I said, many a fiendish attempt has been made within the fundamentalist box to smash these together. That is a favorite tactic of mode than one online self-styled apologists and also certain members in this group, no personal insult intended. So let us now go down through a list of the major devious attempts to smash the texts together and why they don't work.



There is the pluperfect theory. Accordingly, all apparent contradictions can be easily explained simply by recognizing that everything in Gen. 2 should be translated in the pluperfect tense, thereby referring right back to one. So the line should read,...So God HAD created the animals,,,” So the problem is simply generated in the reader's mind simply because the English Bible has been mistranslated here. To a lay person, this might look impressive. However, if you know anything at all about Hebrew, this solution immediately falls on its face. There is no, repeat no, pluperfect tense in Hebrew.



There is the two-creation theory. Accordingly, Gen. 1 and 2 refer to two different creations. Gen. 1 describes the total overall creation of the universe. Gen. 2 is purely concerned with what happened in the garden of Eden, with events that happened after the total overall creation. Looks promising. However, what is snot shown or addressed in the fundamentalist box is the fact fact this theory generates treffic problems in accounting for all the personnel involved and, in so doing g, has led to ridiculous results. A good example is the Lilith theory that was widespread among Medieval Christians and Jews. The problem was this: If we are fusing these accounts together, then there is a woman created in Gen. 1, and at the same time as Adam, who is not named, and who obviously exists in addition to Eve. Who is she? Her name is Lilith and she is Adam's first wife. She was domineering and liked riding on top of Adam when they had sex. Adam didn't like this and neither did God, as women are to be submissive. So God gave Adam a second wife, Eve, who at least stayed underneath during sex. Lilith then got mad, ran away, became a witch, and goes around terrorizing children, so that it was common to find a crib with “God save up from Lilith” written on it. Now, unless you believe in the existence of preAdamites, and the fundamentalist box does not and most Christians do not either, then this whole situation is absolutely ridiculous.



There is the latent-chronology theory. Accordingly, the account is written by one author, never mind the literary differences. What he takes as the real chronology is that which is presented in Gen. 1. However, when he gets to Gen. 2, he for some reason, does not work through or explicate that chronology in its true order. Well, by that same token, why not assume his rue chronology is gen. 1 and that Gen. I is just his idea of explicating it out of order, for some reason? See, that strategy backfires. In addition, one wonders why an author would set up his chronology on one page and then on the next explicate it out of order. That sure is an awkward, messy way of explaining yourself.



Now if any of you readers have in mind a better solution, I and other biblical scholars would like to hear it.



P.S. Another problem with the Genesis account is that it does not make it clear how God creates. Some will say it definitely means creatio ex nihilo. But God created Adam out of dust, not out of nothing. God created Eve out of Adam's rib, not out of nothing. God creates the adult out of the child, not our of nothing. The opening of the Genesis account is ambiguous here. Maybe god creates out of nothing, but maybe out of some preexistence chaos.