The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (Volume 2) (The Lost World Series)

Walton approaches Genesis one as a description of order/function being established, not a physical creation. This is an interesting perspective and I believe a needed consideration; however I am not sure the idea can stand on its own. The book is well written and easy to read if you have a general understanding of the bible. I feel like Walton is making clear a part of the whole, although it is not presented that way. The concept seems to be stretched a bit in some areas to make it through all of Genesis one. I enjoyed the description of what resting on the seventh day means; this was vey helpful. I did not like the how he set up straw men for both young and old earth creationists, or quickly dismissed thoughts like the "gap theory". His handling of these alternate ideas did not represent enough of an understanding of them to make it a part of the book. However, this book still deserves 5 stars. If you are studying Genesis one this book should be part of your study.

Walton is a scholar. Most importantly a scholar of the ancient near east (ANE as it is frequently referenced). It is this background that he brings to the text, and from this perspective that he advances his ideas.In essence, the core claim of the book is that nearly all of modern discussion around Genesis 1 is tainted by our modern materialist viewpoint. Whether we hold to a 24-hour day view or stretch our day to include millions of years, we've missed the point of the author. Walton claims that Genesis 1 is similar to other ANE cosmologies in that it is concerned with function and authority, not with the origins of material things. This is such a dramatic statement radical overturning of virtually every other argument about the meaning of the first chapter of Genesis that one has to wrestle with the idea.I read the book. I read a number of his articles and papers. I re-read the book. I felt distinctly uncomfortable as I realized the extent to which my scientifically-inclined, Western philosophically-influenced mind has tended to distort the text to suit my own desires. Walton's book helps us focus not on the translation of a few key words (though he does address them), or on a few key phrases (though he also covers those), but on translating the culture. This is a work of cognitive anthropology as much or even more than one of theology. As such, it succeeds to an astonishing degree and with startling results.According to Walton, Genesis 1 says nothing about the origins of the matter in the Universe. Other scriptures do, and claim God as the author of all that is. Genesis 1 speaks to the origins of the way the Universe functions in relationship to humans and establishes God as the supremely divine authority in place in His temple. He uses the phrase "functional cosmic temple" (itself a rather mind-blowing phrase) to summarize this view.As a modern reader, the metaphor that helped me the most was to consider the "creation" of a business. I could describe the processes and steps that I went through to create a new business. At some point, a business did not exist. Later, it clearly did by all legal and generally accepted definitions. At no point in the process would it be useful to talk about how the papers came to be, where the computers came from, the construction of the building or the various legal relationships. All of those were the material aspects of the business, but the *functional* aspects (establishing the `board', the articles of incorporation, and so forth) were what mattered. Walton argues that is what Genesis 1 is all about: making it clear who is in charge of what, and that a unique monotheistic God is charge of all.The book methodically advances this view in a series of "propositions" with careful layering of point upon point. He takes care with each point to only claim specific elements that he is ready to support. The gradually building argument takes on an inexorable quality of nearly irresistible logic. I suggest if you are not ready to be seriously challenged or are not ready to openly consider that his view may well be accurate, than you bail out early. To follow through with an honest reading of this book is to be forced to come face to face with a view of an exalted deity who gave His people a precisely accurate work that describes what they most needed to know. In this view, God is supreme, His Word unassailably accurate, and literally true [taking the word `literal' to mean "according to the intended meaning of how the author wished the literature to be understood"].Walton buttresses his arguments with references to "off-book" technical literature and has a modest amount of references. I appreciated his addition of series of common questions at the end. I noted it was a labeled a "FAQ" section; I couldn't help but notice how that simple term speaks volumes to the cyber-infused world we currently inhabit and how distant cognitive anthropologists might struggle to understand texts written to audiences of our age.On the whole, the effect of Walton's argument is to set aside Young-Earth views, Old-Earth views, `24x6' time frames,' day-age' time frames, `concordist' arguments, theistic evolutionist arguments and even common `framework view' constructs. All views that seek to understand Genesis as an explanation of how the material world came to be as we see it now, all of these ask the wrong question. Instead, Genesis is seen to answer the question of "who made the world work this way? Who is really in charge here? Who rules what?". The Author has given his people a strong rebuttal to the multi-godded stories from the cultures around them. Instead of many gods in strife, we see one God in control. Instead of capricious deities arguing with inconstant attitudes towards human, we see a loving Creator structuring the world for the benefit of humans and for his own glory.I highly recommend this book for all who seek to understand what the Author was really saying in the first portion of the first book in the holy literature of three major religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism).

By the grace and providence of God, John Walton here cuts the Gordian knot between material and functional ontology, ending the futile war between 'creationists' and evolutionists.Clearly, there exists much evidence of an 'old' cosmos and an 'old' earth; far older than 6,000 years. Walton posits that God's revelation was given to ancient Hebrew people in terms they understood; the Biblical writing known as Genesis 1 was His revelation to those folk (and all humans on earth who followed) to describe His inaugurating His cosmos as His temple forever after.The fact that the pharaohs didn't have air conditioning or that Copernicus didn't own a spectometer or a space telescope doesn't mean that God cheated those folk -- or that we are any wiser than they. Scholastic pouting on *both* sides notwithstanding, mankind knows far less than he thinks he knows, and *infinitely* less than there is to be known in God's cosmos. We must get over it.In his book  Seven Days That Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science , John Lennox finds fault with Walton's book chiefly because Lennox apparently considers the naturalistic field as the only one to play on. Ironically, Lennox posits that only a materialist understanding of God's ways with earth is "intellectually respectable", blithely forgetting that the intellect *is non-material*.Like the Intelligent Design camp, who gave away the farm to keep one chicken -- assuring atheist antagonists that an Intelligent Designer need not be God -- Lennox faults this book because "generations" of moderns "expect" a material ontology. That ancient texts exhibit only *functional* ontology and cosmology rather than material ones is no fault of Walton's brilliant exegesis; only of arrogant modern "expectations".The author opens 'The Lost World of Genesis One' with a critical assignment: the reader must abandon the modern framework if he is to attempt to think God's thoughts after Him on this subject. The 'science' of eternal relationship between Creator and His cosmos -- including man, beasts, and the elements of this particular planet ...it simply is not the framework in which God gave man the revelation now known as Genesis 1.Scholastic hubris is not limited to atheists; Christians often want to appear, in the footsteps of Lucifer, to know more than they really do -- and more than we have a need for. Walton brings the same principle that we would do well to apply to today's contentious public arguments about the limits of government set out in the U.S. Constitution. The "supreme Law of the Land" stipulates quite clearly that it (not the government created by it) is the ultimate authority with respect to the very specific limits that it places on government's powers (by enumerating them and by stipulating that We The People retain all others). The civil government is deeply, systemically violating this. READ the words, as written. When something is broken, why do Americans have such aversion to simply reading the instructions, verbatim?Walton demonstrates that the same is true with the relationship between God and His cosmos including mankind. Just read God's Word, in the context it was given, and without freighting it with centuries of arrogation and self-serving interpretation. The ongoing war is not only destructive and futile; it is unnecessary. Christ said "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God". Pointless sword-crossing is now cultural civil war, and John Walton de-fuses it with intellectual vigor, Christian charity, and irenic style.The most satisfying aspect of the book? Walton never sets foot on the materialist's playing field, as John Lennox felt repeatedly compelled to do.I highly recommend this most edifying book I've read on origins. It offers the reader a theologically and intellectually honest path off the futile field of squabbling, so that a reader can return to more productive pursuit. This is a rare feat for a theological writer.To put it another way, this book is not only intellectually and spiritually valuable; it's literally *valuable* to America, for if every theistic apologist and sword-crossing egghead in our republic decided to avoid pointless argument, opting to produce, repair, build, or plant something instead -- our civilization and economy would be blessed indeed.

Uma abordagem inovadora. O que o livro descreve é muito coerente, confirmando o que defendemos para fé cristã, porém, iluminando o que ainda não conseguimos entender sem a compreensão dos textos antigos.

Ein Klassiker für jeden, der eine neue Sicht auf die Schöpfungsgeschichte bekommen möchte. John Walton situiert Genesis 1 stark in der kognitiven Kultur des Alten Vorderen Orient. Er betont also die Ähnlichkeiten von Altem Testament und Umwelt des Alten Testaments im Blick auf die Kosmologie. Dadurch kommt er zu dem Schluss, dass die Schöpfung in erster Linie funktional, nicht materiell verstanden werden muss. Ich finde das sehr überzeugend. Allerdings frage ich mich, wieso der Schöpfungsbericht nicht sowohl funktional, als auch materiell sein kann. Dennoch: Leseempfehlung für jeden Schöpfungs-Interessierten.

The book makes a lot of sense. Genesis 1 should be seen as a functional and operational expression of the building of God’s cosmic temple. The function has been distorted now because of sin but when Jesus comes back, it will be restored.

Unfortunately, Genesis 1 is often a difficult subject to talk about with other Christians, because so many people have been taught that a particular view of "origins" is a "fundamental of the faith", and anyone who denies a particular view is "heretical".The truth is, Genesis was never written to answer questions about the age of the earth, the scientific mechanisms God used to create the world, or even the origin of material creation at all. Those are OUR questions - we live in a modern (or post-modern) world where we have had generations of enquiry into scientific matters, and we (as Christians) want to know which model of origins the Bible agrees with …… but it doesn't even address these matters, because, as I said those are OUR questions. Those questions would not even have entered the minds of the original writers and readers of Genesis. They had totally different questions and THIER questions had to do with how they understood God and the world from the perspective of THEIR culture and background, not ours. That seems so obvious that it shouldn't have to be mentioned, and yet with todays especially-narrow-minded versions of fundamentalism, so many people seem to think that Genesis is a science book that God gave us to know the exact mechanisms (7 literal days etc) that he used to create the universe.John Walton has not only pointed out that Genesis 1 was written to answer THEIR questions and not OURS, he has shown what their questions were; he introduces us to the cultural and religious world of the Ancient Near East, and all of a sudden, Genesis 1 begins to make sense. Its about God refurbishing his temple - "the heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool" - creation is God's temple where his presence dwells - and all of a sudden we get a fresh story. Not a story about how God took 6 literal 24 hour days to create the world and then had a rest, but rather, how God prepared everything for the arrival of humanity, and how the questions raised by the other ANE creation and origin stories are answered in the Genesis account.That leaves the question of - "well, what about actual creation views? Is Young Earth Creationism, or Old Earth/Progressive Creationism, or Theistic Evolution true?" Walton answers that by saying that the Bible doesn't answer that! In fact, it doesn't even ask that question. So, we are free to follow whichever theory we feel has the most scientific backing. And we are free to read Genesis as an inspired account of the "purpose" of God in creating a habitat suitable for humanity and liberate the story from the prison of overly-literalistic interpretation that has been forced upon it.

The central thesis of this book is that, firstly, a truly literal interpretation of Genesis 1 (and any other text for that matter) is that which was intended by the original author and understood by the original recipients. It is not 'whatever seems most natural or obvious to me' - far removed culturally, geographically and temporally from the original writer and readers.The author then demonstrates by reference to both the Biblical text and materials from other contemporary cultures that our 21st century assumption that the text is dealing with material origins is mistaken and driven by what he calls 'cultural imperialism'. In assuming that the original author shared the same presuppositions, prejudices, interests (even obsessions) that we have, we can dishonour the text and its message. Rather, Walton argues, the text is dealing with the creation of functions. The big picture of Genesis 1 is cosmic temple inauguration.Days 1 to 3 describe the establishment of the primary functions of time, weather and food. Days 4 to 6 describe the installation of functionaries, culminating in humanity. Alongside this analysis, his treatment of Day 7 is thrilling. On a material approach, Day 7 is an anti-climax. Nothing happens. However, as Walton argues with clarity, it is the grand climax of the whole narrative. 'Rest' does not mean disengagement without responsibility but rather engagement without opposition. This day therefore describes God entering into the control room of the cosmos having brought about order through the installation of functions and functionaries. As I write this in general election week in the UK, it is like the newly elected Prime Minister walking through the door of 10 Downing Street for the first time on the day after the election - not in order to put his feet up, but to get on with running the country having dealt with opposition.Walton is careful to state his conviction that the material universe is the handiwork of God, but is clear that this is not the concern of Genesis 1. He is able to be relaxed as to whether the earth is young, or billions of years old - the Bible does not have a position on the age of the earth.On the functional approach, Genesis 1 does not offer an account of material origins and therefore there is no need to choose between it and the current scientific consensus. This is followed by a helpful engagement with those who see it in material terms (eg Young Earth Creationists) and who are prone to see this text as being in conflict with science. He is remarkably patient with them, despite the fact that they drive countless people away from Christianity by compelling them to make this unnecessary choice.This book is commendably short, tightly argued and well written in a coherent, logical style. It leaves some questions turning over in my head, which is no bad thing. One criticism I have is that the front and back covers both have quotations that describe the analysis of Genesis 1 as 'new'. This is not strictly correct. He is not advancing a new analysis, but stripping back layers of misinterpretation that have built up over the centuries and seeking to uncover the original meaning. I understand that the cover is the responsibility of the publishers (who have an eye to sales) rather than the author. However, it will encourage those who instinctively oppose his conclusions to deride the possibility of a 'new' interpretation all these centuries later. That will be their loss.