The Creation Story – Two Ways
A Conservative Versus A Progressive Approach
There are two fundamental approaches the Church can take when conveying its message about belief in God.
Message 1: Believe and worship God
God is real. His name is Yahweh. You must worship him as a matter of obligation.
Message 2: You are a child of the most high
Human beings can be civilized, beautiful, and outstanding stewards of Earth. We are called to embody the essence of a divinely civilized and restorative being. This higher ideal that we aspire to, whether or not it exists as a literal entity, is what we conceptualize as God.
Using the Genesis creation story, I will demonstrate how a sermon can promote either message through deliberate language choices. Consider both sermons and identify which encourages believers to "embody the spirit of the divine" versus "worship the spirit of the divine."
Sermon Examples
Sermon A
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." This shows us that God is good, for he transforms darkness into light, separating good from evil. He conquers all darkness.
God completed his creation in six days, reserving the seventh for rest. In sequence, he created light from darkness on day one, the skies and seas on day two, the sun, moon, and stars on day three, land and vegetation on day four, sea creatures and birds on day five, and land animals, including humans, on day six. On the seventh day, he rested.
This pattern suggests we too require rest, for we are not machines designed solely for work. The purpose of our labour should include restoration, mirroring God's example. Work diligently, rest purposefully. We work to enable rejuvenation, and rest to enable meaningful contribution.
Genesis 1:27 declares, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Though God created humans on the same day as other land animals, he distinguished us with something unique—his divine image. "In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:28).
We possess a godlike capacity of intelligence—to design, create, and solve problems. Unlike other creatures that exist primarily to survive and reproduce, we humans are appointed as Earth's stewards. Our purpose is to maintain order and prevent chaos.
This is our connection to God. He is an almighty power and an example showing us that we can create extraordinary things as he did, for we are children of the most high God.
Sermon B
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." This shows us that God is good. He transforms negativity into positivity, separating good from evil. He conquers all darkness. We serve a good God. Some people do not serve a good God, but here we are shown that the God of the Bible is a good God.
God completed his creation in six days, reserving the seventh for rest. In order, he created light from darkness on day one, the skies and seas on day two, the sun, moon, and stars on day three, land and vegetation on day four, sea creatures and birds on day five, and land animals, including humans, on day six. On the seventh day, he rested. We do not need science to explain our origins. What use is the Big Bang Theory? It is unnecessary when we are clearly told how we came into being. It is written that God made everything. He is so powerful and mighty that he created the entire universe in merely six days. And on the seventh day, he rested. This is why we observe the sabbath—a day of rest dedicated to glorifying our father, the creator of the universe.
Because we are his children and serve him, he will look after us. It is written, "ask and you shall be given." All you have to do is ask and he shall provide unto you. The most important command is to love your God with all your mind, body, and soul, so that is what we must do.
Identifying the Approaches
Sermon A promotes the idea that human beings are to embody the divine image of God.
Sermon B promotes the idea that human beings ought to worship the divine image of God.
Impact on Personal Responsibility
Sermon A instils in listeners a sense of duty and purpose. It challenges them to develop their character and become role models of upstanding citizenship. The divine light should manifest through them, inspiring others in their community. It encourages the cultivation of intellect, beauty, poise, character, respect, and all qualities of a civilized individual.
Sermon B shifts accountability away from the individual by emphasizing observation and reverence of a higher being. Being a child of God is presented not as an invitation to growth but as a dependent relationship similar to that of a child being cared for. This approach can foster passivity and dependence, potentially discouraging personal responsibility in favour of relying on divine intervention.
Broader Implications
Those listening to such sermons should be aware of whether they are being primed to become the higher, active, responsible version of themselves, or the lower, lazy, powerless version of themselves. Every church leader should carefully consider the philosophical foundations underlying their teachings.
These contrasting theological approaches to scripture have philosophical underpinnings seen in our political divide. The Sermon A approach aligns with conservative politics, which values independence and creating opportunities for individuals to achieve their potential through their own efforts. The Sermon B approach parallels progressive politics, which emphasizes benefits and encourages reliance on external help from government systems.
At their core, both these theological and political frameworks present a fundamental choice: Do we empower people to see themselves as divinely capable and responsible for creating positive change, or do we position them as detached from divine capability and fundamentally in need of external help and provision?
And at our core, we must decide in which camp we seek to reside.