• Home Page
  • Characteristics Of Creation Stories

Characteristics Of Creation Stories

Improved Essays
Show More
A creation myth is the philosophical and theological elaboration of the primal myth of creation within a religious community. The term creation refers to the beginning of things, whether by the will and act of a transcendent being, by emanation from some ultimate source, or in any other way (Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.). Creation myths are archetypal because of the similarities and characteristics that they display when referencing the creation of the earth. They are allegorical because they show elements of dramatization to emphasise the power of God and the authority of his command. Creation stories reveal the nature of God and the relationship between humankind and God through the recurrence of God punishing mankind for his mistakes, …show more content…
For example, the Christian and Babylonian creation myths have many distinct similarities such as the darkness that surrounded the world before the creation of earth and the fact that the first development of the earth was the formulation of light. Both stories share the fact that the second and third components in the worlds creation was the formation of the sky and the sun, moon and stars respectively. The final two developments in the creation of earth according to both the Christian and Babylonian stories was the creation of men and women and the resting of God (Religioustolerance.org, 2010). These two creation stories share many common attributes and the the sum of the similarities shown between the two stories concludes that creation myths are archetypal in their themes and …show more content…
He created human beings as an image of him, and therefore we share common attributes with him. God created us to be loving, patient, kind, just, merciful, gracious, joyful, creative, generous, jealous and wrathful. Christians affirm that the universe was created by an omnipotent, omniscient and transcendent being (Ham, 2010). This description of God as having unlimited power, knowing everything, and not being apart of our material universe reveals that the version of God presented by Christians is one of an almighty and powerful God. Depicting God in this way compels the image of God as a punisher, and encourages the following of the ten commandments so as to not face the wrath of God. The nature of God in the Bible is that of an almighty, disciplinary God, but in Genesis 1 (creation story) he is depicted to be caring for the world and its creatures, which are his own creation. The interpretation of God that is presented in the Babylonian creation myth is of two Gods who spawn many smaller Gods. These Gods end up in a war because of the noise of the smaller Gods, and after much fighting the God Tiamat is killed, and the earth and humankind are made from her blood. This may explain why humans are prone to mistake, as a result of them being formed by the blood of a God who lost their life as a result of fault. The creation myth shows the nature of God to be unforgiving, but

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Comparing Gilgamesh And The Code Of Hammurabi
    • 1451 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Comparing Gilgamesh And The Code Of Hammurabi

    These two myths demonstrates how some civilizations were more powerful than others and were able to gain dominance over other groups through their tyrannical rule and laws. There are many differences and similarities between the two myths in respect to their rulers and social hierarchy within their civilizations. Their achievements marked a transition in societies that greatly influenced the formation of future civilizations. Mesopotamian religious beliefs derives from their literature, which includes several major myths of western civilization such as the Great Flood in the book of Genesis and the Garden of Eden.…

    • 1451 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Violence In Enuma Elish
    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Violence In Enuma Elish

    The purpose of man, the workings of nature, and man’s relationship to a creative power are addressed in these creation stories. The Mesopotamian creation story, the Enuma Elish, and the Hebrew creation story, Genesis,…

    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Mayan Food History
    • 1338 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Mayan Food History

    For example, one myth told by the Mayans in their sacred book, the Popol Vuh, tells about the creation of mankind through their God’s many attempts at creating the human that best fit their needs. The story tells how mankind was first made from mud, but this didn’t work because man could hardly see, hear or walk and were soon washed away. The Mayan gods then made other beings out of wood and these beings were successful for operating but they lacked blood and souls, so they were destroyed. Finally, after much discussion and deliberation, the gods decided to take advantage of the ingredients they had and they added maize to the mixture and made the third generation of humans out of white and yellow ears of maize. The Mayans believed that they descended from this third generation of men and that their wives were created shortly…

    • 1338 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Similarities And Differences Between The Iroquois And Judeo-Christian Creation Story
    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Similarities And Differences Between The Iroquois And Judeo-Christian Creation Story

    With many religions and beliefs, comes a variety of creation stories. Through stories mankind has learned all kinds of lessons as well as where they came from, and these two creation stories are no exception. The similarities and differences between the Iroquois and Judeo-Christian creation stories are uncanny. Genesis 1-4 describes how God made the Earth in technically six days, since he took the seventh day off and made it holy; as well as several unfortunate events that took place involving Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. The creation story perfectly demonstrates their belief in the concept of sin.…

    • 1036 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Compare And Contrast Native American Creation Myths
    • 541 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Native American Creation Myths

    III. Statement of Purpose I intend to research origin stories, and I will be comparing and contrasting the biblical stories from Genesis to myths and folklore from cultures such as Mesopotamian, Native American, and from Greek mythology. For example, the creation story from Genesis is similar to the Native American myth of creation in that The Great Spirit of the Native people also created the Heavens and the Earth in seven days as God does in Genesis. However, in the Native American story, a massive rock (earth) was hung from the sky with thick ropes like a swing.…

    • 541 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Difference Between Different Creation Myths
    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Difference Between Different Creation Myths

    Normally, as someone who is highly invested in the idea of science and creation, there is a lack of understanding when it comes to thinking about the different myths of creation. For me, creation all started when a group of molecules happened to join together and eventually evolved into the many organisms that are seen every day. It never occurred to me that there is such a difference between different creation myths. During the first couple of weeks in the semester it became clear that creation is rooted in many cultures in diverse ways.…

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Creation Story In The Old Testament
    • 702 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Creation Story In The Old Testament

    Giving purpose to life is valuable and eases the mind of many questions. However, how is a creation story to be interpreted? The creation story in the Old Testament is a story that has many meanings behind the text. The meanings of the text strongly convey their messages, and possibly impact future cultures.…

    • 702 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Aztec Creation Story Essay
    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Aztec Creation Story Essay

    The wood men were also not good so they were destroyed, but some survived and later became monkey people. Finally, God made them out of the ears of corn grounding them into meal. The concept of this story is similar to my belief; however, it illustrates the many trials it took God to create man. The Aztec creation story was the story that impressed me the most because according to my Mexican culture we are mixed with indigenous and European ancestry. The indigenous group to which my family referred to is the Aztecs, and this was my first time I read about my ancestors’ theory on their creation.…

    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Similarities between Hesiod's Theogony and The Book Of Genesis
    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Similarities between Hesiod's Theogony and The Book Of Genesis

    Hesiod 's Theogony and the Book of Genesis, came from two very distinct cultures. Hesiod’s Theogony is the Greek account of the creation of earth and humankind, while The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, which also stands as an account of creation. There are a number of profound similarities and differences between the creation stories contained in Hesiod 's Theogony and the biblical book of Genesis. The similarities and differences between these works may reflect a great cultural similarity between human kind, and can reflect social understandings and interpretations of the outside world.…

    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Creation Myth And Literacy Narrative Analysis
    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Creation Myth And Literacy Narrative Analysis

    There are many similarities and differences in both creation myths and literacy narratives. Most creation myths we have read so far introduce the and how it began and all that is mankind , , , and so on while the three Literacy Narratives, describe the struggles each of authors went through as they learned to read and write and how their cultures had a big influence as they strived to succeed. Although these creation myths and literacy narratives may be very different in one way, they also prove to be very similar in ways other than time and place. Similarities such as conveying a lesson to the reader. That being said, there are also differences between Literacy narratives themselves, these three literacy narratives communicate their different…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Punishments In The Epic Of Gilgamesh, Popol Vuh And Genesis
    • 1501 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Punishments In The Epic Of Gilgamesh, Popol Vuh And Genesis

    Relationship Between God and Man Within Myths Gods have expectations that man struggles to understand. The Epic of Gilgamesh, Popol Vuh, and Genesis, like many creation stories, show similar themes that create a common lesson for the reader to learn from. There are rules, laws and commandments that the gods use to instruct man on how to live. When these commandments are broken, the gods impose punishments that show their authority over man. The punishment is not only given to the immediate offender, but to all of mankind.…

    • 1501 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Similarities Between The World On Turtle's Back And The Iroquois
    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Similarities Between The World On Turtle's Back And The Iroquois

    In the creation myth “The World on Turtle’s Back” the Iroquois Native Americans describe their beliefs about the creation of the world and humanity. The myth exhibits many archetypal settings and greatly resembles the story of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis. The differences between the two creation stories’ archetypal settings, however, illustrate the greatest difference between the two cultures; monotheism and polytheism. Both “The World on Turtle’s Back” and the Book of Genesis involve a tree that connects heaven to earth. In the Iroquois story, it is the “Great Tree… [that] had grown there forever….…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Navajo Creation Story
    • 1300 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Navajo Creation Story

    Origin Stories A creation story is any story that tells of a creation, these stories can be as specific as the creation of a new invention or they can be as broad as the creation of everything (Creation Story Definition). Many creation stories have points that are very similar and point out that it is very possible that many of these events are true since they are in common. There are also many differences in these stories as well. This paper however is going to detail the similarities and differences between the Native American creation story of the Navajo “Haijiinei” to the creation story of the Bible which is detailed in the book of Genesis.…

    • 1300 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Christiani Christianity: Improving The Quality Of Life
    • 1309 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Christiani Christianity: Improving The Quality Of Life

    Every Christian relates with the God who is described as being great, wise, infinitely good and infinitely powerful. The great description of God allows Christian to develop a perfect figure to look up to for guidance and blessings. However, the evil nature of the world disqualifies the description of God as prescribed by Christianity. God is described as all perfect and good while the world is marked with evil and misery. There is no connection between the supremacy of God as described by the Christianity and the extremity of evil as described by the nature of the world.…

    • 1309 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Iroquois Creation Story Analysis
    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Iroquois Creation Story Analysis

    Two Worlds Become One How does the Iroquois Creation story show similarities and differences from the Christian Creation story? In “The Iroquois Creation Story” by David Cusick, connections can be made with the Christian Creation story.…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings