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“Scripture bears witness to faith in creation ‘out of nothing’ as a truth full of promise and hope.” (CCC 297)
Ex nihilo is Latin for “from nothing.” It was stated by an atheist with whom I have had extensive interactions, that the Bible does not teach “creation from nothing.” As usual, he is mistaken, and greatly so.
Let’s see what the Bible actually teaches about this. There are many verses in support of creatio ex nihilo. I found almost all of them way back in 1981, when I was just starting out in apologetics. Here they are:
And of course modern Big Bang cosmology agrees with this. Christian philosopher William Lane Craig sums up the current state of knowledge in his paper, “Creation ex nihilo: Theology and Science”:
Continued below.
Creation Ex Nihilo is in the Bible
Ex nihilo is Latin for “from nothing.” It was stated by an atheist with whom I have had extensive interactions, that the Bible does not teach “creation from nothing.” As usual, he is mistaken, and greatly so.
Let’s see what the Bible actually teaches about this. There are many verses in support of creatio ex nihilo. I found almost all of them way back in 1981, when I was just starting out in apologetics. Here they are:
- Psalms 33:6 (RSV) By the word of the LORD [i.e., not by existing matter] the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
- Isaiah 44:24 . . . “I am the LORD, who madeall things . . . “
- Wisdom 1:14 For he created all things that they might exist, . . .
- John 1:3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
- Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. . . .
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
- Ephesians 3:9 . . . God who created all things;
- Colossians 1:16 for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities — all things were created through him and for him.
- Hebrews 2:10 . . . he, for whom and by whom all things exist . . .
- 2 Peter 3:5 . . . by the word of God [i.e., not by existing matter] heavens existed long ago . . .
- Revelation 4:11 “. . . our Lord and God, . . . didst create all things, and by thy will they existed and were created.”
And of course modern Big Bang cosmology agrees with this. Christian philosopher William Lane Craig sums up the current state of knowledge in his paper, “Creation ex nihilo: Theology and Science”:
Continued below.
Creation Ex Nihilo is in the Bible