Order of Creation: Adam and Eve

Several weeks ago (by the time this posts), a group of level 3 young ladies were studying the second chapter of Genesis, where Adam is created first, followed by the garden of Eden and its contents, Adam is the only human when God invites him to name the animals. Eve was then created as Adam's help-meet - as the flesh of his flesh and the bone of his bone - his earthly completion.

"I wonder why Adam was created first, and Eve only brought to the Garden after the naming of the animals?"

Perhaps a wrong choice of words - I was getting at "Why Adam first before all else; then Eve at the end --- as compared to chapter 1 when they seem to have been created in the same moment."

But let's take a look at the question I asked again:

"I wonder why Adam was created first, and Eve only brought to the Garden after the naming of the animals?"

An astute young lady confidently stated:
Perhaps because Adam and Eve would have argued about what to name the animals.

Indeed. Later, when reviewing typology of Sin, we further discussed that with the man as the head of the household/family, Adam's authority should be taken seriously and God was setting the stage for this plan for the human family. Eve still threw this order upside down - taking advantage of the fact that Adam failed to guard the garden (keep the serpent OUT to begin with) and guard his wife (he was right behind her while she was being tempted and led astray - he saw the whole thing). They were indeed equally guilty for Original Sin - and a huge part of that Original Sin came about because they turned the Plan of God - the order God created - upside down - thus disrupting all the REST of God's creation over which man is a steward. 

Wow. 

I love level 3.

Science and Faith

While exploring our options with the History of the Kingdom of God material (how much science? how much faith? what is our focus here? what about the fact that the Catholic Church allows the Faithful to discern for themselves the age of the earth, not dictating it as a matter of faith ---- yet how many CGS formation leaders insist (because of that very teaching/allowance of the Church) on keeping the billions of years of evolution - when there are many Catholics who, um, believe the Bible.

I don't know who is right - who is wrong - who is prideful - who is humble.... What I do know is that if the Church leaves it open, then it is NOT for us to teach one way is wrong or another way is right.

What I also know is that we, as a modern world, are in a BIG MESS.


I chanced upon this article, that shows that 'knowledge' as translated in the Bible could have been translated as 'science'.
Who You Know is More Important than What You Know

And reiterates something I already knew (the Church teaches this too) - there canNOT be conflict between science and faith - because science comes from the Creator! Science is the study of HIS Creation - so as long as we are looking at the evidence without attempting to twist it to mean what it doesn't, there's no conflict here!


Now, if we could just leave out the "billions" and "millions" of years references in all the Kingdom of God material, so that it truly teaches the FAITH and doesn't suggest to children that their scientist parents who believe in 6-day Creation are nutties (yes, I know some children in this very situation), we'll be doing well.

:)

Creation Ramblings of My Own

Totally random thoughts expressed on Facebook to a friend:


We've been studying the work of creation - and its ensuing typology with the 9-12 year olds - it is all prompting a study into the Hebrew language - and I just found a resource to share with the children at the next couple of classes about the Hebrew language's use of the SAME word for "thing" and "word" - so what comes out of one's mouth is a something - God breathed into Adam (who came from "adamah") and He "said" (spoke) and creation came into being - and things were done (waters separated, etc) at this "Word" ----- short story to say - from the MIND of God, comes His WORD and BREATH that became ALL of creation.

So I wonder - if we come to truly know ourselves, would we then know the mind of God? Therefore, we will never truly-truly know ourselves until we are with Him in eternity?

I didn't even get into "bara" - the Hebrew word for God's power of creation, used only in reference to creation found in Genesis.


For reference, one site I found that I really like so far is here: Learn Hebrew - Words Matter

Poetry in Creation

These past couple of week's my Sunday and Wednesday atrium groups have been studying the account of Creation and beginning work on the Typology of Creation timeline.

As we explored the reading together that first part of the timeline ("Creation: the Account"), and reading how God created man:

God created man in His image,
in the divine image He created him;
male and female He created them.
~Genesis 1:27~

The repetition here struck me.

Some background:

• In our original reading, we share different spots we noted repetition - the children usually focus on words or phrases. We discuss what these repetitions reveal. 
• Is there anything we hear just once? What could that mean? (in this case, the Hebrew word for "create" is used ONLY in this section of the Bible - specifically to God's power of creation - so this is powerful for the children to begin exploring the original language)
• About a year ago, at home, my son and I did a middle school level Psalms study, with a beautiful booklet from a very non-Catholic publisher - but this booklet was RICH and Catholic companies should take notice! Anyway, we learned the basics of Hebrew poetry and how to apply it to understanding the meaning of various Psalms, but also other passages of the Bible. This study prompted my son on a personal in-depth study of the Psalms - but that is another post on a different blog ;)
• Hebrew poetry has lines that "rhyme" by repeating - repeating phrases or repeating *ideas* - that is the key one here. There are many more aspects to Hebrew poetry, but that is the crucial one right now. 
• These meditations are not just about the children delving into it, but also about the adult exploring with the children. At level 3, we don't have all the answers and the children appreciate when we explore with them, acknowledge their ideas, share our experience and expertise where appropriate and guide the children's mind towards proper conclusions, without just spoon-feeding them. 

So as I read that passage for the umpteenth time in 2 weeks, it suddenly struck me! I pointed out to the children what I had learned about Hebrew poetry - and I asked them - what is repeated here? 

• created is on each line
• image is used twice
• it says the same thing 3 times, but He didn't make man three times. That's odd they said. 

"Ah!" I said, "but each line says the same thing!" They didn't get it, but were very curious. I had some raised eyebrows like I'd just sprouted another head. Yep, they were curious but skeptical - I loved it! 

Look at each line. Look for the actual repetition from one line to the next - and what does that reveal about God? 

AH - SIGH! I love it!

Have I lost you yet?

Have you ever noticed that man and woman are not complete without one another? That to bring new life into the world and to support that life they need each other? And who is the only one who can actually create that new life? Everything comes from God, and man and woman are so different, yet their perfections are only found in God the creator. See this section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for more to ponder: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p6.htm

Ok, so right now is not the time for me to get into the adult level portion of this study - let's just look at what I experienced with the children. 

First we broke down the phrase in each line to see where the parts where - we found 4 parts in each phrase. 

• God -------- created -------- man -------- in His image, 
• in the divine image -------- He -------- created -------- him; 
• male and female -------- He -------- created -------- them. 

Then I asked - what parts are easy to see are repeated? And what is left? This was a verbal discussion, but for the sake of us here, let's physically re-arrange just to align the parts that "rhyme" (by Hebrew poetry definition):

• God -------- created -------- man -------- in His image, 
• He  -------- created -------- him  -------- in the divine image; 
• He -------- created -------- them  -------- male and female. 

Part 1: HE

God is considered "He" - an interesting symbolism here (not shared with the children) is that fathers control the gender of their children - only they have the two different chromosomes to offer (x, y) where women have just one variety in duplicate (x x). Interesting that ancient languages match modern science. Hm. ;) 

For the children: we call God Father because of his protection, His discipline, His headship. 

Part 2: created

We already spoke about the fact that the Hebrew word for create is only used here and it refers directly to God's power. This word, used in repetition within this verse indicates that the human race did not come about by any power of its own, but through the direct power of God Himself. The children spoke of adam  and adamah because we had already discussed these words. 

(ok, I've got to say it just ONCE - I won't discuss it in the atrium - or let the children discuss it --- but anyone who has seen Battlestar: Galactica knows that the commander's name is William Adama - now some of the children knew that right off - and I am so grateful I knew right away what made their eyes light up, because I could just nod and say, "You've heard this name before and we can discuss it separately" (add understanding smile) - and I just say to them later - think about the nature of that tv series - what could that name chosen by the screenwriter reveal about the storyline, the meaning, etc. One of the 3 boys involved said, "Wow. I thought it was just a good show. Now I have something to think about." He liked that! I won't ask why children this age were watching this show.)

Part 3: man/him/them

(all the information in this paragraph came from the children, including the questions asked)

man, then him, then them. "Man" must be referring to mankind - humans in general, but also to Adam because he came first - did God know that He would be creating Eve? Yes, because it then refers to "them" meaning both of them - and maybe even to all of us because He is still creating people today. 

Part 4: in His image/in the Divine image/male and female

I did feed a bit more information to the children - that man and woman are referring to physical bodies, while male and female are referring to the very being - so what could this refer to? Their souls the children responded right off. 

Ah! I said. That's interesting. Let's look at the first two phrases here. If we are created in His image, in the Divine image, does that mean God has eyes, mouths, hands, heads, feet, etc.? Well, responded some of the more astute children, He has our eyes, mouths, etc to do His work here on earth. Yes, that is wonderful, I said - is there something more to learn here? Each of us look a bit different; some people don't have some body parts for one reason or another - are they less human? Less worthy of serving God? ABSOLUTELY NOT! the children responded. So this image of Him - is it in our physical bodies? 

NO! It is in our souls. 

Oh. I said. And the essence of our being - male and female - is in our souls. 

They all got quiet, clearly pondering. 

What does this mean? 

We've already said when things are repeated many times in the Scriptures, they are critically important. And this is repeated three times right here, in one verse alone. What does it mean? 

One child ventured to say, "It means that our very being who we are, as male or female, is actually the same being as God - that we come from Him directly, when He breathed the breath of Life into us, it was HIS life, HIS being - like, when we read "My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit" - this is saying the same thing. I am a temple because God made me to hold His own being. And that is me. It is like we all have a bit of God in us. Because we have His image."

While stumbling and perhaps not 100% how an academic theologian would phrase it, this child brought me to tears. 

"Do you believe that?" I asked. "That you are truly made to be God's temple?" 

Yes. 

I just smiled. 

(I was trying SO hard not to cry!)

In other news, has anyone else noticed, besides my children in these two atrium sessions that Adam's name is NOT mentioned anywhere until after the expulsion from the garden, the naming of Cain and Abel, the murder... he was a grandfather several generations down and it was only in fathering Seth that Adam was finally named? The Scripture keeps saying "man" ("ish") until that point - BUT if we were reading in the original language, Adam would have been named in verse 2:7 and it would be presumed you know his name from there, despite the use of ish. Eve isn't named at all until after the expulsion (except from reference of "ishah" - she is named in verse 3:20. My children found this fascinating.

(and yes, there was a group of them off in the corner reading ahead until they found his name - they found a few other interesting points too - like Adam being a grandfather to many generations before having Seth - not missing a beat)

:)

Creation - the second moment

Today my level 3 children began work on the first typology timeline: Creation. 

No, we do not introduce creation at level 1. It is too abstract - and too easy to focus on the cutesy and fluffy; not so easy to focus on the meat that is actually there. Do we expect that the children have some knowledge of creation when they come into the atrium? Yes. Because it can fit at home; but it just does not have a place in the atrium until level 2 and then only to identify the moment, its place in the Bible and explore it as a history of gifts. 

NOW we read it. We meditate on it. We analyze it. We make it our own. How does it apply to MY life? 

As I greeted the children, I invited them to the prayer table with a Bible and to silently re-read the First Account of Creation as a way of review. 

Once I ascertained that everyone who was coming had already arrived, we reviewed what we knew from that First Account. I intended to hit on the concept that there was a history before the first verse of Genesis, but I just now remembered that I left it out. That's ok - because it will come in at a more appropriate moment when we begin the account of Sin. 

We reviewed the presence of the Holy Trinity at the dawn of creation; how God created with His Word and how is Jesus but the Word made flesh? These are concepts that for some of the children they are thinking, "Ah. Ok. Whatever." But as I noted to our parent assistant this morning and even to the children themselves at the end of class --- this work is not about getting it all into your heads and you just accepting it. You will pick up on the connections as you go about your daily lives, as you hear familiar phrases in the liturgy - and someday it will all have meaning for them, even if not right now. I told them that in the atrium we don't just dump things in because some adult thinks they should know it; rather we look at their lives and consider "what will be most meaningful?" To the parent I presented the analogy of the seed - we are planting seeds and at the right time, when their minds and hearts are ready, the seed will already be waiting. 

We followed our review with a textual meditation on the Second Account of Creation. We noted the differences; we learned Hebrew words for man/woman and Adam/earth (this is when we had a visitor come in: our parish priest blessed our atrium - a perfect timing as we had also just touched on God's blessing of the earth and fertility). We then continued with some contemplation on those trees. What is the knowledge of good and evil but the knowledge of *everything*.  And ended with "how many rules did God give us?"

1. Be fertile and multiply. 
2. Subdue the earth and have dominion over it. 
3. Do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 

Some of the children in this group are studying more information on Hammurabi's code - over 300 laws - talk about complicated! Then God gave us just 10 Commandments - simpler, but still more than the original 3 rules! Only later, when we are covering Moses and the giving of the 10 Commandments, as we lead back into the maxims (we introduce these each week to a few children) - will we make the connection on our timeline, that now Jesus has given us JUST ONE RULE: Love God with your whole heart and love your neighbor as yourself. 

Only then will they truly be able to contemplate the great depth of this commandment. Because at that time, they will have studied creation, sin, the flood, Abraham and finally Moses. 

Just one golden thread we could follow through these typological studies - there are many more!

• Creation: God created us in His image. 
• Sin: We chose to turn away from God. 
• Flood: God re-creates and starts again. He gave us everything; He gave us everything again - and it wasn't enough, because He later gave the gift of Himself. 
• Abraham: He calls a particular people to be His light in the world. He calls each of us to be a light in the world. 
• Moses: He gave us His name. In many cultures, knowing a person's name gives power over that person.
• Therefore, when we love God with our whole hearts, we DO love ourselves AND our neighbors, because each of us is made in the image of God. 

After our Scriptural meditation, I invited the children to a very quiet work period. I then called the children in small groups to begin work on the timeline. We focused on the account of creation only at this point, placing the pictures and the words, working together to read the noted Scripture passages and answer the questions. I then left them with the last two questions on the second large card: What have I learned about God? What have I learned about us humans? 

Parousia
When God will be all in all.
Corinthians 15:28

While I gave them a choice this time of working on these questions in their prayer journals or re-creating the timeline, I will start working with small groups on making a timeline in the near future. This is a new concept for 2/3 of the class and the 1/3 who have some familiarity have never studied typology - nor have they seen the entire timeline yet. SO. I think it is ok to not enforce the creation of a personal timeline YET. 

As we finish up this first timeline, I am certain that someone will want to re-create the entire strip -- and then we will have inspiration for the other children. 

Next week, we will work on the rest of the timeline in small groups and I will likely start the meditation on sin at the end of class for the 5th and 6th graders. The 4th graders will rest with creation and start on the Mass materials in the following weeks. 

Oh. and Prophets are coming soon!

I am too excited about all of this work ;)