Cheryl Schatz

Don,

You said:

As I see it, there are 3 origins stories in Gen, starting at Gen 1, Gen 2:4 and Gen 5.  It is not a single chronological story and does not claim to be.

I agree with you that Genesis 1 & 2 are not a single chronological story.  By that I mean that chapter 2 is not another account but rather a closer look at the details of the creation of man while chapter 1 is a bird’s eye view.  Chapter 5 goes right along with both Genesis 1 & 2 and I see no contradictions at all.

While some see contradictions in the Genesis account and so they dismiss the accounts as merely “stories” that are not to be taken as real events or factual accounts, I see the different look at creation as the work of one person who received the information from the inspiration of God who was the only one around to witness most of the events in chapter one except of course for the angels who also witnessed creation.

In my DVD set I mentioned that Genesis is foundational for our faith. Those who take Genesis as accurate are able to build a solid foundation of the Christian faith in the rest of the bible.  Those who take Genesis as merely “stories” without any ties to actual facts are left without a foundation to base moral and spiritual issues of faith and marriage since all of these issues have their roots in Genesis.  These issues also include hierarchy, authority and submission and the ability to dig into the inspired words of scripture help us to eliminate bad doctrine and hold fast to what is good.