Category Archives: Genesis

Why Was Adam Created?

Posted on August 24, 2018 by mtpeterson1948

Well, it’s that time, again. My class on the Genesis creation stories begins next month. Accordingly, I’ve been spending time reflecting on topics that students invariably find difficult to accept. One good example is Genesis 2:4b-9. Many of us, familiar … Continue reading →

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What’s In A Name: Adam

Posted on March 30, 2017 by mtpeterson1948

In biblical Hebrew, like English, proper nouns almost always appear without a definite article (the). So, for example, when we refer to someone by name we never say “The Sharon” or “The Richard”((I can think of only one exception – can you … Continue reading →

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Being Human

Posted on January 17, 2016 by mtpeterson1948

Genesis 2:7 is rightly famous for revealing that the human was created from the dust of the earth. But, there is so much more that I never realized until I was rereading the text in preparation for next week’s class. … Continue reading →

Posted in Genesis, Hebrew language, Moral values, Nature, Prayer | 1 Comment

Reading The Genesis Creation Stories

Posted on May 31, 2015 by mtpeterson1948

When I teach the Genesis creation stories, I always begin with the proposition that we ought to read these two narratives as symbolic, not literal. To be more specific, I draw a simile between the Genesis stories and George Orwell’s … Continue reading →

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