Original Goodness: Taking our First Creation Seriously
I often listen to the theology podcasts from Yale Divinity School. Their by line asks a question: “What is a life worthy of our humanity?” I love it. It reminds us that although we might talk about original sin, God’s first word after the creation of humans was that they were very good, and indeed, that they were made in God’s own image. To bear the image of the Creator is a lofty status and provides a hint at how much is involved in leading a life worthy of our humanity, a life blessed by original goodness. The reason why we strongly object to poverty, slavery and injustice of all forms is...
Read MoreRedeeming Work: Job, career, or calling?
A significant portion of our life is engaged in ensuring that we have a roof over our head and food on the table. Some of us are able to work in such a way that life’s basic needs are just taken care of, for others it’s a pathway to wealth. But how do you view the work you do? Is it a job, a career or a calling? The answer given is a likely indicator of how satisfying you find Monday to Friday – or whatever days you dedicate to earning your keep. If you say ‘job’ it is probable that you are acutely aware of how many hours are set aside performing the activities your...
Read MoreDid the Fall Really Matter? Reflections on Genesis 3
If you have ever been impacted by the pain of life (and is there anyone who has not?) you might well have asked the ‘why’ question. Why is life so difficult? Why is it so hurtful? Why can it be delightfully enjoyable one moment, and then swing around and devastate us the next? While there are no easy answers, the story of the fall found in Genesis 3 is usually cited by theologians as representing a key building block of any explanation. We are busy with a mini series on Genesis 3, and in the first post looked at 4 views of why eating the forbidden fruit in Eden’s garden was...
Read MoreWhy was it wrong to eat the forbidden fruit? Four Views…
Ever asked, ‘so what was so bad about Adam and Eve eating from the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden?’ Do you remember the account in Genesis 3? A serpent persuades Eve (who in turn persuades Adam) that God’s instruction that they refrain from eating from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was misguided, and would not result in their death, but rather in their being like God, and thus having the ability to differentiate good from evil. Adam and Eve find the argument persuasive, eat from the tree, and in Christian theology this is seen to trigger...
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