The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book presents a profoundly important new analysis of the meaning of Genesis. Digging deeply into the original Hebrew language and the culture of the people of Israel in Old Testament times, respected scholar John Walton argues convincingly that Genesis was intended to describe the creation of the functions of the cosmos, not its material nature. In the process, he elevates Scripture to a new level of respectful understanding, and eliminates any conflict between scientific and scriptural descriptions of origins." ----Francis S. Collins, head of the Human Genome Project and author of The Language of God

Review

"Walton's cosmic temple inauguration view of Genesis 1 is a landmark study in the interpretation of that controversial chapter. On the basis of ancient Near Eastern literatures, a rigorous study of the Hebrew word bara' ('create'), and a cogent and sustained argument, Walton has gifted the church with a fresh interpretation of Genesis 1. His view that the seven days refers to the inauguration of the cosmos as a functioning temple where God takes up his residence as his headquarters from which he runs the world merits reflection by all who love the God of Abraham."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (July 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830837043
• ISBN-13: 978-0830837045
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,944 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #2 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Reference > Criticism & Interpretation > Old Testament
  #2 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > Creationism
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Definitive Step in the Right Direction, June 29, 2009

By	Dane Parker (Huntsville, Al USA) - See all my reviews

I have been quite pleased with the relatively recent spate of books that have been released by scientists who are quite and proudly adamant that a serious and intellectually minded Christian can be without cognitive dissonance between his faith and his view of science. Authors such as Kenneth Miller, Denis Lamoureux, Darrel Falk, and Francis Collins have demonstrated that one can be a good Christian while accepting good science.

Entering onto this stage full of lab coats is now eminent Old Testament scholar John Walton who brings his expertise as a contextually informed exegete to the table. I had something of a hint that we would see a book of this nature after reading his thoughts on the first few chapters of Genesis in his commentary some time back. Happily there is no more need for waiting.

In this work Walton's thesis consists of a series of propositions that culminate with the contention that the creation account of Genesis is a description of the universe's construction as a temple of God. Throughout the course of the book Walton makes a couple of salient points that relate to the "Origins Debate". First of all, we should keep in mind that there is little if no basis in thinking that God would intend to communicate "scientifically correct" statements via the creation account. For (1) there is no statement in the Bible that conveys a scientific truth that the biblical writers would not have already known. (2) There are statements in the Bible that convey cosmological and physiological notions that simply do not comport with science. "Domed cosmology" and the additional notions it contained is clearly without scientific merit. Another example Walton cites is that some of the words translated as "mind" in English actually mean entrails in the Hebrew. Why? Because people in those days simply thought that emotions and feelings derived from these parts of the body. As Walton points out, God obviously didn't correct them on the matter, and no one today would try to argue that we should seek to justify or explain that the source of our emotions is the digestive tract (granted I feel quite miserable when I've eaten something that does not agree with me)! And yet this is exactly how people approach the creation account.

Secondly, Walton demonstrates that the ontology of the creation account is not material but functional. He explains the difference between these two senses by comparing a chair and a corporation. He notes that the former is typically considered to be brought into existence (or created) by the nature of its material status. But as the example of the corporation shows, something can also be created in the sense that it is given a certain function. In his words, "In a functional ontology, to bring something into existence would require giving it a function or a role in an ordered system rather than giving it material property" (26). Of course the entities created in the creation account are material entities, so it is often presumed that Genesis must be manifesting material ontology. Yet as Walton goes on to explain with the contextual evidence of ancient Near Eastern creation accounts, and through an assessment of Hebrew words like "bara", such an assumption is, in the end, spurious.

This book should be required reading for anyone, whatever their predispositions in the origins debate, who wishes to understand the true meaning of Genesis one. If there are any criticisms to be proffered, it is that on rare occasion it does not seems that Walton himself avoids slipping into residual, quasi-concordist tendencies by seeking to apply the story of Genesis one to "what really happened". In the FAQ, for example, he proffers the possibility that dinosaurs and fossils existed in the prefunctional cosmos stage of Genesis one (169). This is a trivial criticism, however, and on the whole he is otherwise quite clear in saying that to ask "what really happened" in the historical and scientific sense is to ask something of the text it cannot provide.

To be sure there is a bit of irony in all of this. If Walton's scholarship is right, and I think it more or less is, we are forced to say that all sides have been wrong in taking the scalpel to the text and seeking to justify their view because of this or that word, or this or that phrase. It can no longer be about the definition of "yom" and how much time you can or cannot fit into it. And it can no longer be about finding a scientific cosmology that allows the day and night to exist before the sun in some convenient fashion. And although many of us who have worked hard to travel such roads will find it hard to turn around and go back, it is time for us to accept that they lead to false destinations. It is time to change our perspectives and see that Genesis speaks to its intended audience on an entirely different wavelength than what we are accustomed or want it to. It is time to accept the Bible on its own terms.

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, June 6, 2009

By	Sam Booksmith - See all my reviews

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John Walton is fast becoming my favorite author. Everything he writes is well-expressed in accessible jargon free language. Yet nothing he writes lacks acadmic depth or original insight. In this new book, released just days ago (it is now June 6, 2009)John Walton offers a fresh interpretation of Genesis 1. Using his vast understanding of Ancient Near Eastern religion, he interprets the Bible's first chapter as the inauguration of God's Temple. The Temple, says Walton, is the physical cosmos itself. He explicity takes on concordist views that attempt to reconcile Genesis 1 with modern cosmology. It can all be explained in terms of ancient cosmology. Here I would like to quote the author:

"So if God aligned revelation with one particular science, it would have been unintelligible to people who lived prior to the time of that science, and it would be obsolete to those who live after that time. We gain nothing from bringing God's revelation into accordance with today's science." Page 17

Dr. Walton also chips in on subjects such as creationism and Intelligent Design. There is a very compelling analysis of key words in Genesis 1, supported by charts that help you see how these terms are used throughout the Bible.

I found it interesting to compare this to Hugh Ross's concordist pamphlet called "Genesis 1: A Scientific Perspective." I happen to find Walton's case more compelling, but check it out for yourself. The book has been endorsed by scientist Francis Collins and Bible scholar Bruce Waltke, among others.

Highly recommended for all who are interested in the exegesis of Genesis, or the creation v evolution debate.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great New Approach, July 15, 2009

By	Scandalous Sanity (Texas) - See all my reviews

There are countless books arguing about evolution, creationism, and intelligent design. At first glance, The Lost World of Genesis One would seem to be one more addition to what is becoming a frivolous library. But upon more careful inspection, one would find that it is actually an original approach with a much different conclusion.

John H. Walton approaches the first chapter of Genesis from a literary and historical context, rather than a scientific one. His idea is simple: read Genesis one through the eyes of the audience it was intended for: the ancient Israelites. This involves an intricate understanding of the culture of ancient Israel.

Walton says that the account described in Genesis one is actually a description of God forming a cosmic temple in which he will dwell, a literary device that was common in ancient Near East creation accounts. Walton's theory is that the creation account we know so well is not an account of material origins, but rather functional origins. Genesis one is describing God creating order out of chaos. It would have been assumed in the ancient world that God created everything material. It was important that the Israelites know that it was God(Yahweh) that gave order and function to all.

Walton's book is a bit tedious to get through, but his ideas and thoughts are brilliant. The thinking he prescribes in his book causes a radical shift in attitude about numerous ideas. If one subscribes to them, there is no longer a need to argue over young earth/old earth or evolution. The Bible and science collude like no other theory. This is definitely a good read.