Book Review
Set Apart
How Genesis Stands Alone
What makes the creation account in Genesis different from other ancient Near Eastern (ANE) creation stories? Is it just mytho-history that converges with other creation accounts, thus reflecting the shared worldview of an ancient Near East person, or is it something more?
In Set Apart, How Genesis Stands Alone, J.R. Miller makes the case that not only is Genesis unique among all other ANE origin stories, it is actually theo-history. As such, it does not merely serve the purpose of explaining our spiritual origins, but is also a true history of our material origins. It is more than just literary symbolism with no relationship to real history or the physical reality of our world. One example of this is God's actual creation ex nihilo of the universe, not from pre-existing materials. In other words, IRL, the universe actually had a beginning and was created by nothing more than God's divine command.
A competing viewpoint, to which this book is a counterpoint, is the idea that Genesis is just mytho-history with more in common with ANE mythologies than a straightforward historical narrative, thought it may still have some truth embedded within it. This viewpoint argues for a convergent worldview between the author of Genesis and other ANE creation myths. Its purpose was more to teach important religious truths and practices, in much the same way as other cultures did too. While it was inspired writing, it did not concern itself with strict historical accuracy.
Miller argues that Genesis, while sharing literary similarities to ANE myths, is actually theo-history. This is the view that Genesis presents a worldview that is divergent from the surrounding nations, and that it tells of actual historical events, places, and people, as divinely revealed from the one self-existent Creator God. As such, it is a dependable foundation upon which to ground our understanding of the material world.
Genesis stands apart for its:
- Monotheism, One God who is ontologically distinct from His creation
- Linear view of history, which is advancing according to His eternal plan
- Contingent creation from nothing by God's Word (ex nihilo), using the Hebrew word bara in several places when something new came into existence
- View that humans were uniquely created in God's image and have intrinsic value and worth
- Claim that the Creation was originally created as good and serves as His General Revelation to all peoples
- Telling of the True Myth, as C.S. Lewis once noted
- Sometimes poetic and figurative language usage to describe actual history
- Grounding of ethics and morals as revelation from God
Miller states, "creation is contingency, not theogony". It depends on God's will, and was not derived from a battle of the gods and their cycle of birth, death, victories, and defeats. Genesis does not conflate aspects of the material world as embodiments of various gods, but rather as a good creation under His full control. Chaos and conflicts among the gods is non-existent in Genesis. So nor is it a theomachy, which attempts to explain a hierarchy of power for both deities and kings.
Clearly Genesis (or scripture as a whole) was not intended to be a scientific textbook, but it also stands as one of two books of Revelation from God, which are the Book of Nature and the Book of scripture (sometimes called General and Special Revelation). Since God is the author of both, they cannot contradict each other. We can improperly understand one or both, but we should expect a moderate concordance between them (sometimes referred to as soft concordism). True humility is required of the theologian, the scientist, and the rest of humanity, as we are all fallible.
As such, the Bible gives us reason to trust it as a starting point for understanding the world around us. Hugh Ross, the founder of Reasons to Believe, is quoted, "moderate concordism does not change the meaning of the biblical text, but allows science to shape our understanding of the text." Miller points out that, likewise, the Bible can help correct misunderstood aspects of the record of nature. Rather than science and faith being at odds, this allows for an open dialog on a scientifically testable creation model, instead of conflict between naturalism and belief in a Creator.
Yes, Genesis does stand apart as unique among ANE religious texts. As a true special revelation from the Creator, it:
- is written as a historical narrative, using literal, poetic, and figurative language as needed
- is theo-history, not mytho-history
- presents a distinct linear Hebrew cosmology and origin story
- is Monotheistic, unlike the surrounding cultures
- describes a contingent material world, created by God's command
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