mom2tcks's review
5.0
Started reading this for many reasons - one of which is the number of young adults who were raised by the lessons of the Bible but found that as they reached adulthood they had to choose between science and the Bible. That choice shouldn't be one a person has to make. This book was very helpful in reconciling the truth of the Bible with empirical science. Highly recommend reading this book if you or you know of someone who is struggling with this choice.
skinnercolin221's review
4.0
My ramblings while my kids jump on me as I attempt a review: this is a great look at how to interpret Genesis 1 in light of authorial intent and the culture of the time. I’ll be honest that I need to take a second look at the arguments in the first few chapters, because I don’t think the small space really allowed for a thorough comparison of the Bible and other ancient near east texts of a similar time. I still think the functional view is a great idea and he does a great job of dealing with objections through out the book. The one objection I’m not sure he sufficiently dealt with was “can’t the Hebrew ‘create’ refer to both material and functional creation?” Regardless, it was the first time I noticed how little “ex nihilo” happens in Genesis 1. There’s nearly always a pre-existing substance being molded in some way with a function prescribed.
I think the strongest points were comparisons to Joshua’s command for the sun to stand still and that the Bible had no anachronistic scientific advancement in it’s description of the natural world. Both of these would lead us to believe that the authors spoke to the people of their time as people of their time. As someone studying earth history and biology at a university, this is helpful to keep straight, because then there is no uncomfortable squeezing of empirical scientific results into an ancient mind, whether it would align or not.
I think the author’s goal is great. The false dichotomy of “choose God or science” sometimes pushed by both the religious and the secular has successfully destroyed many people’s faith. It can also be psychologically destructive as some people (myself included) have had a conflicting sense of both a desire to honor God and a desire to be honest about evidence in a field I love. This book offers an imperfect first attempt (as the author admits) to find an interpretation of scripture that is faithful, while allowing science to be science. It’s not the first, but I think it’s the best I’ve seen yet.
I think the strongest points were comparisons to Joshua’s command for the sun to stand still and that the Bible had no anachronistic scientific advancement in it’s description of the natural world. Both of these would lead us to believe that the authors spoke to the people of their time as people of their time. As someone studying earth history and biology at a university, this is helpful to keep straight, because then there is no uncomfortable squeezing of empirical scientific results into an ancient mind, whether it would align or not.
I think the author’s goal is great. The false dichotomy of “choose God or science” sometimes pushed by both the religious and the secular has successfully destroyed many people’s faith. It can also be psychologically destructive as some people (myself included) have had a conflicting sense of both a desire to honor God and a desire to be honest about evidence in a field I love. This book offers an imperfect first attempt (as the author admits) to find an interpretation of scripture that is faithful, while allowing science to be science. It’s not the first, but I think it’s the best I’ve seen yet.
tawallah's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
camebrew's review
challenging
informative
medium-paced
5.0
An absolutely critical book to my personal understanding of teleological origins and approaching the Bible from an ancient-near eastern worldview. I believe reading this book would clarify so much for so many people.
davehershey's review
4.0
A great book on how to read Genesis 1. Walton argues that when we look at the ancient context we see that creation is Genesis 1 is not material, rather it is functional. In other words, though Christians believe God created the materials (the stuff), Genesis 1 is about how this stuff was given its functions (jobs). All sides in the debate on Genesis 1 are mistaken then, for they assume create is to create the materials when it actually is to give them function.
From this he argues that Christians can accept any findings that science presents, as Genesis 1 says nothing about science. Science is metaphysically neutral; it has nothing to say about whether there is purpose (as in Christianity) or no purpose (naturalism). Walton challenges scientists to frown as much upon those who interpret the universe to be purposeless and teach this purposelessness in a science classroom as it already is to those who teach it has a purpose along with the Christian message. Scientists should discuss purpose, since life is not value neutral, but this discussion should take place in ethics and philosophy, outside of the science classroom.
Overall, a great book on how to understand Genesis 1 and what such an understanding means in today's culture.
From this he argues that Christians can accept any findings that science presents, as Genesis 1 says nothing about science. Science is metaphysically neutral; it has nothing to say about whether there is purpose (as in Christianity) or no purpose (naturalism). Walton challenges scientists to frown as much upon those who interpret the universe to be purposeless and teach this purposelessness in a science classroom as it already is to those who teach it has a purpose along with the Christian message. Scientists should discuss purpose, since life is not value neutral, but this discussion should take place in ethics and philosophy, outside of the science classroom.
Overall, a great book on how to understand Genesis 1 and what such an understanding means in today's culture.
nbarrett17's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
As a follower of Jesus studying the topic of origins, I realize that it is a tertiary issue (non-salvation issue), which gives me the great liberty of being agnostic in my interpretation of Genesis 1 and the origins debate.
I came into this book expecting a book defending the position of theistic evolution, but I was surprised and elated with what it truly was: a cultural, contextual, hermeneutical perspective on Genesis 1 that is extremely difficult to refute.
I am still agnostic on this issue and intend to stay that way, however, after reading this book, this interpretation of Genesis seems very plausible and truly opens the door for productive conversation between creationists and evolutionists.
I am excited to look more into this view and the rest of Walton’s interpretations of Genesis 1-11.
I came into this book expecting a book defending the position of theistic evolution, but I was surprised and elated with what it truly was: a cultural, contextual, hermeneutical perspective on Genesis 1 that is extremely difficult to refute.
I am still agnostic on this issue and intend to stay that way, however, after reading this book, this interpretation of Genesis seems very plausible and truly opens the door for productive conversation between creationists and evolutionists.
I am excited to look more into this view and the rest of Walton’s interpretations of Genesis 1-11.