從宇宙論與創造論，嘗試理解那一個論點是正確。從兩者之間，一個指宇宙是在某時某刻，因著一次大爆炸，而有序的型成。
相反，創造論的角度，便是由沒有到有。而柏拉圖理解創造為塑造，只是塑造一些從千古以來的物件。而一些神學家卻認為創造是由混沌到秩序。而其他相似的論點乃由Levenson 提出，生命乃是由有序的出現，從而形成一個群體。若然從創世記記載，萬物乃從上帝命令而來的。而另一位學者，Copan and Craig 的論點乃是由創世紀第一章的結構來探討，最恰當解釋乃是從無到有。而教父的看法又如何？從Theophilus of Antioch 為基督教的創造論作出進一步的體會，這位教父把物質及上帝的能力作出清楚的介別。上帝的能力必然比物質或是被造物遠超之上。而創造之學説也帶出上帝有主權去創造屬祂心意的，被造物絕對不是上帝的任何階段或任何存在的附帶條件。參考資料
Jon D. Levenson, Creation and the Persistence of Evil：The Jewish Drama of Divine Omnipotence (Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, 1988), p.12.
Copan and Craig, Creation out of Nothing, chs. 1-3
To be sure, I am not very familiar with the theories mentioned, not even those specific ones referenced in the post.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I tend to distinguish the hypotheses proposed by scientists from those by theologians or philosophers. The former group of people have been talking about the origin of the physical world, building on their knowledge about physics, biology, chemistry, whatever science as well as scientific evidence available as of today. I think I am in no position to comment on the cosmology (or cosmologies) coming out from such scientific studies.
Nevertheless, if we talk about "creationism" (創造論 or even more specific 神創論), I always try to be aware of its difference from the more scientifically-based cosmologies. Philosophical (in particular, metaphysical) and theological proposals have their own grounds - the two to me are very often not easily distinguishable, if not confusing, especially when interpretations of the Bible in early times were often making reference to philosophical or metaphysical concepts of Greek philosophers (including Plato). Based on different conceptions of God and His power in the creation, we can still have different versions of creation or cosmology. And, I tend to believe that they need not contradict with any scientific theories, in much the same way as philosophy or metaphysics being not contradicting physics or science.
However, instead of any comparison between the two approaches and coming back to the major concerns of this course, I try to ask the basic question, what does the Bible in general, and Genesis in particular, tell us about "creation"? In more specific terms and with human concerns, what does it mean by the usual saying, "we are made in the image of God"?
One may also put in another way: Concerning the debate over creationism, "What questions are unanswerable by Genesis?" [To my present understanding, which may be wrong, any questions concerning the origins of humans and whatever other living species in the world, and the origin of the physical world itself, is out of the scope of Genesis.]