Genesis 1-3 is an integral part of Genesis, however one reads it historico-critically. There is certainly good literary evidence that different motifs have been woven together yet it is the whole that we have as one narrative that is so fascinating!

Perhaps tantalizing would be an even better word! What has been dawning on me with more and more force is how little we really know about what these chapters do and do not assert.

For example, there has been a lot of heated discussion about what the creation narrative says about equality and relatedly hierarchy. The problem comes to a head today in the relations between men and women in the church. Paul has added his bit of exegesis at various times almost as asides and this makes the hermeneutical exercise even more interesting. Overall though, in looking at these debates, one is struck by the amount of assumption about what the creation account says. Obviously each of us has constructed a favourite scenario that we then take pretty much to be fact without bothering to consult the source itself.

With the paucity of scientific information, and the obvious lack of knowledge about what Genesis has to say, it seems to me that as uncomfortable as it makes me feel, I will have to maintain a bit of agnosticism about how the two do or do not come together.

If I had to guess,  I would take a stab at a mixture of 1 & 2 but guesswork does not really get us very far when we are trying to work out the practical implications of the creation account for life in and out of the church.

Live to serve : Serve to live