Genesis 1:1-4
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was waste and void; and darkness was on the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.”
This passage opens the Bible, describing God's initial actions in creating the cosmos. It was likely written down during or after Israel's exile in Babylon (6th century BCE), offering a theological understanding of creation to a people who had lost their land and temple, providing comfort and a sense of God's enduring power and order.
What does it mean for our world to be inherently 'good' from its very beginning, even amidst present challenges?