Questions
Copy these questions into an email, provide brief answers, and send to Fr Charles who will comment on them. After you have received you comments, then you can go onto the next lesson.
Questions for Creation
I. Understanding Creation in Genesis
1. How does the Orthodox Church understand the purpose of the creation account in Genesis, and why is it important to read it as a spiritual revelation rather than a scientific explanation?
2. What major doctrines about God and the world emerge from the Genesis creation narrative, including the belief that God created all things out of nothing?
II. Order, Time, and the Goodness of Creation
3. Why do the Church Fathers emphasize the ordered and sequential nature of creation, and what does this reveal about God’s wisdom and purpose?
4. How should we understand the “days” of creation in Genesis, especially in light of the fact that the sun is not created until the fourth day?
5. What is the significance of God’s declaration that creation was “very good” (Genesis 1:31), and how does this help us understand the presence of evil and suffering in the world?
III. Humanity: Created for Communion
6. What does the creation of humanity in Genesis 2:7 reveal about the unique nature of human beings and our intended relationship with God?
7. What does it mean to be created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26–27), and how does this shape humanity’s spiritual calling and potential?
8. How does free will function as both a gift and a responsibility in humanity’s growth into the likeness of God?
IV. Personal Reflection
9. From your own background, what questions or challenges does the Orthodox understanding of creation raise for you?