To Begin With, God Created... Biblical Theologies of Creation

includes index and biblioraphy

I: Ideas About the Beginning of Creation 1. The Interplay of Chaos and Cosmos 9 Creation as Origin and Goal 10 Ancient Oriental Conceptions of the "World Before Creation" 11 2. The Beginning of Creation in the View of Genesis 1 18 The Meaning of the Images of Chaos in Genesis 1:2 18 A Comparative Look into Egyptian Iconography 21 Invocation of the Good Beginning: Creation Theology as Theodicy 24 3. The Effects of the Beginning Continue: YHWH, the Good Ruler, Cares for the World 32 The Royal God of Creation as the Tamer of Chaos (Psalm 93) 32 Longing for the Continuing Care of the God of Creation (Psalm 104) 34 4. The Eschatological Establishment of God`s Rule as the Deliverance of Creation 45 The Place and Value of the Creation Theme in New Testament Theology 45 Motifs of Creation Theology Within the Framing Conception of the Gospel of Mark 47 II: Personification of the Creative Beginning 5. Lady Wisdom as God`s Creative Life Force (Proverbs 8) 57 The Context and Composition of Proverbs 8:1-36 57 The Search for Wisdom as an Art of Living in Accord with Creation 61 The Torah as Creation`s Blueprint 62 6. The Logos as the Revelation of God`s Creative Glory (The Gospel of John) 65 "From his glory we have all received": The Prologue of John`s Gospel (John 1:1-18) 65 Early Jewish Wisdom as Tradition-Historical Background 74 Elements of Creation Theology in the Exposition (John 1:19-2:11) and in the First Ending (20:30-31) of the Gospel of John 77 The Healing of the Lame Man at the Pool of Beth-zatha (John 5) 83 III: The World as the Creation of the Merciful God 7. The Biblical Primeval History in Genesis 1-9 as a Theological Composition 99 Genesis 9:28-29 as the End of the Primeval History 99 The Three Parts of the Primeval History in Genesis 1-9 101 8. The World as a House for the Living (Genesis 1:1-2:3) 105 The Universe as a Home for All 105 Human Beings in the Service of Life (Genesis 1:26-28) 107 The Utopia of Cosmic Peace (Genesis 1:29-2:3) 113 9. The World as the House of the Merciful God (Genesis 5:1-9:29) 118 The Purpose of the Flood Stories 118 The Biblical Flood Narrative: A Complex Story 120 The Creation of the World as the Creator God`s Learning Process 122 The Human Being as the Image of God in the Tension Between Chaos and Cosmos 126 10. Israel as Revelation of the Merciful God of Creation 128 The Connection Between the Creation of the World and the Creation of Israel in the View of the Priestly Document 128 The History of the World and Israel`s Pre-History 129 Creation, Torah, and God`s Rule (Psalm 19) 11. The Torah as the Sun of Creation 133 The Structure of Psalm 19 134 The Metaphorical Coherence of Psalm 19 138 The Torah as the Light of God`s Realm 140 12. God`s Creation and the Wisdom of Jesus (Synoptic Jesus-Traditions) 143 The New Testament Is Not a Book of Torah Wisdom 143 The Creative Power of God and the Charisma of Jesus (Exorcism and Therapy) 145 "The Earth Brings Forth Fruit by Itself": Creation and God`s Rule in the Parables of Jesus 146 Learning from the Lilies and the Ravens: Didactic Wisdom Discourse in Luke 12 147 The Mercy of God as the Measure of Righteous Action 152 The Other Fence of the Torah: The Sermon on the Mount as Interpretation of the Torah 157 13. The Patience of Creation: On the Relationship Between Creation, Torah, and Eschatological Revelation of the Righteousness of God (Paul`s Letter to the Romans) 163 The Apocalyptic-Wisdom Structure of New Testament Soteriologies 163 The Place and Value of the Creation Theme in Romans 164 The Revelation of the Glory of the Children of God as the Liberation of Creation (Romans 8:8-27) 167 14. The Activity of the Spirit of God (ruah) for the Fulfillment of Creation (Isaiah 11:1-10) 173 A Creation-Theological Utopia 173 Revitalization of