thinking bible.

You asked

what is the difference between scientific models of the universe and this poetic description?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.

This is the very first passage in the Bible, setting the scene for the entire narrative. It describes the origin of the cosmos from the perspective of an ancient Israelite author, conveying a theological understanding of creation rather than a scientific one.

What does this ancient understanding of the cosmos invite us to consider about our own place within it?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

  • Psalm 19:1-4

    This psalm describes the heavens declaring God's glory, echoing a similar sense of wonder at creation.

  • Job 38:4-7

    God challenges Job with questions about the foundations of the earth, emphasizing divine wisdom in creation.

  • John 1:1-3

    This New Testament passage connects the creation described in Genesis with the 'Word' (Jesus).

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