John Ronning quoting himself and Jonathan Safren and then responding to J. Safren wrote (and I'm not always sure who is quoting who and who is responding)
Your point is valid that Gen 1:2 seems to presume pre-existent matter, but my point is that this matter is not said to be eternal - was it previously created or not? I don't think Genesis 1 addresses the issue,
BTW, I'm not sure I like the term "pre-existent matter." If it's physical matter, then it exists even if it is in a different state than the one we know (and love).
Can we understand the cosmic perspective of Gen 1 as an expansion of the perspective of Gen 2, which focuses on the earth? Gen 1 responds to the more cosmic concerns of the Assyrian and Babylonian myths and represents an expanded Israelite/Judahite perspective and response to the influence of a foreign culture.
What is the relationship between the idea of an absolute
beginning (creatio ex nihilo) and an endtime, especially an apocalyptic
endtime? Does one require the other?
irene
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