Reading Genesis after Darwin

by Barton, Stephen C; Wilkinson, David

• ISBN13: 9780195383355
• ISBN10: 0195383354
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-11
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

From creationism to The God Delusion, the public dialogue of science and religion either uses the early chapters of Genesis in a naive and simplistic way or rejects their relevance to contemporary questions. This is reinforced by the myth that Darwin caused a rejection of a literalistic reading of Genesis 1 and from that point most Christian theology lost any confidence in these texts. The truth is far more complex. Jewish and Christian interpretation of the early chapters of Genesis had a long a fruitful history from the earliest times. In the 19th century, many more important issues were at stake than biblical literalism, and there were many different interpretations of how the discoveries of Darwin helped or hindered the reading of the biblical text. Today, theologians are returning to the importance of Genesis as a partner in dialogue with science, gender, and environmental care. As the distinguished authors of the papers in this volume show, far from Darwin burying these ancient texts, he has liberated them to speak in new and different ways. The volume is divided into three parts. In the first, the authors explore how the scriptures themselves were interpreted before the time of Darwin. The fact that non-literal interpretations were standard in early Jewish and Christian thought is often ignored. In fact, these insightful early interpretations have much to teach us today. Part II presents essays on the real history of the Darwin controversies. Exploding the myths about this period, it is fascinating to see how Darwin was welcomed by many religious thinkers. In Part II, the authors apply the insights of Genesis post Darwin to contemporary issues today, such as: what it means to be human, questions of gender, and of evil and environmental care. The final chapter deals with the rise of creationism in its current social context.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Stephen C. Barton and David Wilkinson

Part 1: Engaging Again With The Scriptures
Chapter 1. 'How Should One Read The Early Chapters Of Genesis?'
Walter Moberly
Chapter 2. 'Genesis Before Darwin: Why Scripture Needed Liberating From Science'
Francis Watson
Chapter 3. 'The Six Days Of Creation According To The Greek Fathers'
Andrew Louth
Chapter 4. 'The Hermeneutics Of Reading Genesis After Darwin'
Richard S. Briggs

Part 2: Understanding The History
Chapter 5. 'What Difference Did Darwin Make? The Interpretation Of Genesis In The Nineteenth Century'
John Rogerson
Chapter 6. 'Genesis And The Scientists: Dissonance Among The Harmonizers'
John Hedley Brooke
Chapter 7. 'Science And Religion In Nineteenth And Twentieth Century Landscape Art'
David Brown

Part 3: Exploring The Contemporary Relevance
Chapter 8. 'Reading Genesis 1-3 In The Light Of Modern Science'
David Wilkinson
Chapter 9. 'All God's Creatures: Reading Genesis On Human And Non-Human Animals'
David Clough
Chapter 10. 'Evolution And Evil: The Difference Darwin Makes In Theology And Spirituality'
Jeff Astley
Chapter 11. '"Male And Female He Created Them" (Genesis 1:27): Interpreting Gender After Darwin'
Stephen C. Barton
Chapter 12. 'Propriety And Trespass: The Drama Of Eating'
Ellen F. Davis
Chapter 13. 'The Plausibility Of Creationism: A Sociological Comment'
Mathew Guest

Index of Modern Authors
Part 1: Engaging Again With The Scriptures
1. 'How Should One Read The Early, Walter Moberly
2. Genesis Before Darwin: Why Scripture Needed Liberating From Science, Francis Watson
3. The Six Days Of Creation According To The Greek Fathers, Andrew Louth
4. The Hermeneutics Of Reading Genesis After Darwin, Richard S. Briggs
Part 2: Understanding The History
5. What Difference Did Darwin Make? The Interpretation Of Genesis In The Nineteenth Century', John Rogerson
6. Genesis And The Scientists: Dissonance Among The Harmonizers, John Hedley Brooke
7. Science And Religion In Nineteenth And Twentieth Century Landscape Art, David Brown
Part 3: Exploring The Contemporary Relevance
8. Reading Genesis 1-3 In The Light Of Modern Science, David Wilkinson
9. All God's Creatures: Reading Genesis On Human And Non-Human Animals, David Clough
10. Evolution And Evil: The Difference Darwin Makes In Theology And Spirituality, Jeff Astley
11. '"Male And Female He Created Them" (Genesis 1:27): Interpreting Gender After Darwin, Stephen C. Barton
12. Propriety And Trespass: The Drama Of Eating, Ellen F. Davis
13. The Plausibility Of Creationism: A Sociological Comment, Mathew Guest
Index of Modern Authors