Genesis 1–3 as a Resource for Twenty–First Century Faith

Abstract

Centuries of pre-scientific tradition underlie the widespread modern misunderstanding of the Book of Genesis. But, in fact, it is full of sharply relevant wisdom for the here and now. We can find real inspiration when we read it with attention to the original cosmological environment of Genesis 1, which supports the idea that it is not a prehistoric account of the origins of the universe, but the text of a six-day festival celebrating the inauguration of the cosmos as a fit and functional home for humanity. Likewise, a contemporary reinterpretation of the Eden story of Genesis 2–3 in terms of the origins, anatomy, and functions of the human brain can undo millennia of guilt and grief imposed by the idea of original sin. In this light, a serious, respectful, and integrated approach to Genesis based on the best of biblical scholarship and of modern neurobiology can reassure us that the widely assumed warfare between science and religion was never necessary in the first place. Rather, a deeply informed biblical faith can inspire us with new confidence in God and in our own human nature.