Hi Don, you wrote:
>>Why can we be pretty sure that Genesis 1-11 is the *history* of the
Semites and Arabs rather than a foundation story expressing how Israel
sees itself in covenant relationship to God? And in what way does
Christian faith depend on this distinction?<<
Genesis 2-11 is helpful in seeing the first glimpses of Israel's role in
God's grand plan. The curse upon the serpent contains the first
prophecy of Christ, for example. And Genesis appears to be grounded in
somewhat verifiable history. The list of patriarchs in Genesis 5 and 11
are helpful to see there are no more than 20 generations between Abraham
and Adam. I don't see any push to deny Abraham a role in history. He's
buried in the tomb of the patriarchs.
Luke 3 also gives us a line of descent for Christ and for itermediate
generations; Juda, Joseph, David, Shem, all linked to Noah and Adam.
Noah's grandsons and great grandsons became inextricably interwoven into
the immediate surroundings of Mesopotamia. Elam goes to Iran, Mizraim
heads to Egypt, Ashur discovers Ninevah, etc. And their descendants,
Elamites, Hittites, Amorites, Cannanites develop into identifiable
cultures associated closely with the affairs of Sumer and Accad.
It's intriquing, fascinating history totally ignored by apologists who
are locked into methodologies that force them to neglect the very
history that underscores the credibility of Scripture itself!
I don't think it requires any particular measure of faith to see the
historical connections between Genesis and ANE literature. Whereas
having seen the connections myself, it has only bolstered my faith in
these much-maligned chapters.
Dick Fischer
Dick Fischer, Genesis Proclaimed Association
Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History
www.genesisproclaimed.org <http://www.genesisproclaimed.org/>
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Received on Wed Jun 14 10:33:22 2006
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