Since the Beginning: Interpreting Genesis 1 and 2 through the Ages

Few passages in the Hebrew Bible have been subject to more scrutiny than Genesis 1 and 2. In this volume, a diverse international team of experts guides readers through interpretations of the Genesis creation stories throughout history, inviting them to consider perspectives from the earliest times to the present. The book offers an accurate description of how these chapters have been read through the centuries, explaining each interpretive approach in its own terms. Each chapter includes sidebars and suggestions for further reading.Review"This is a great resource for use in the classroom and for those who want to gain a deeper appreciation for the rich complexity of both the biblical accounts and their interpretation through the ages." -The Bible Today"I highly recommend Since the Beginning for anyone interested in the history of biblical interpretation in the context of the dialogue between science and faith. In its advocacy of intelligence and humility, this work reminds us that 'we do not come to the text tabula rasa. We are formed and informed by our cultural milieu, which entails economic, linguistic, philosophical, political, sociological, and theological influences' (270)." - Marcelo M. B. Cabral, Calvin Theological Journal"It gently chastens our ambitions to grasp the meaning of the text on our own terms and encourages us to read in the company of a greater cloud of witnesses. In the current state of confusion about origins this is truly what the church needs to hear." - Wes Arblaster,Stone Campbell Journal"Since the Beginning is a superb work of both biblical studies and Christian scholarship that deserves a wide reading for anyone who dares to cite from Gen 1-2 with any degree of hermeneutical depth." - Jamin Hübner, Canadian-American Theological ReviewFrom the Back Cover"Greenwood's volume provides students with a highly useful resource for studying both the background and the afterlife of the first two chapters of Genesis. The volume ably demonstrates that 'literal' readings are hardly ever univocal."--William P. Brown, Columbia Theological Seminary"The creation narratives found in the first chapters of Genesis have been foundational for Judaism and Christianity, and indeed for Western culture more broadly, for millennia. This volume gathers together excellent studies by leading scholars who offer insight into how Judaism and Christianity have drawn nourishment from these texts and, in so doing, show us how they can continue to stimulate our lives and faith."--Fr. John Behr, St. Vladimir's Seminary"Since the Beginning offers a kaleidoscopic array of interpretations of Genesis 1-2. The contributors provide a symphonic experience as they guide readers through an exploration of the creation narrative within the canonical context and the Ancient Near Eastern context, from the premodern era to the present. The rich variety makes this volume a useful resource for both classes and personal study."--Laura Suzanne Lieber, Center for Jewish Studies, Duke University; director of the Duke-UNC Center for Late Ancient Studies"As the relationship between science and the Bible is under constant discussion, many think that a long-standing consensus in church history is being challenged. In this book, however, readers discover that this perceived consensus is actually a controversy that has stretched throughout the history of interpretation. Here they discover various voices and interpretations that have characterized the discussion. Such valuable information gives us pause before concluding that Christianity has always been of one mind about these issues. An extremely important volume that elegantly addresses these fundamental questions."--John H. Walton, Wheaton College"This contribution to the ever-growing body of literature on the book of Genesis fills a void by providing in one volume a thorough examination of the 'afterlife' of Gen 1-2. It will mak