PIULA THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE
COURSE: TH 711 – Philosophy of Religion
LECTURER: Rev Dr Olataga Elu
STUDENT: Tipa Fa’alafi Lale
TASK: Episode 2 review – ‘Creation?’
Due Date: 16/09/2022
This episode explores the different types of views on creation of the World. There are many
stories of how the world came to be. As Freeman investigates, it becomes noticeable the
many opinions and beliefs on how the world started. Fortunately, it becomes very
interesting and thought provoking how different some of the views are on the story of
creation. It begs the thought, is each individual creation story suited to the situation,
environment and the culture. The most popular of the creation story and the original
conversation with God is the Jewish tradition which started with Adam and Eve. Something
that struck a chord with the understanding of the Jewish tradition was the concept of
Garden of Eden or Eden. Even though there was no proof of an actual Garden of Eden but
was believed to be a metaphor. It is believed that the Temples were considered Eden.
In search for more understanding Freeman seeks further stories on creation or where is
could have started. It is difficult to grasp the true concept of God because there are many
views of creation. Freeman explores Cairo which is home of the Muslim faith. Now, creation
was believed to begin with a massive cloud of smoke from which earth was created. In the
Aboriginal belief, creation started from two Goddess dancing with a baby in the milky way,
the baby fell from the milky way from which earth was created. This was called the Star
Baby and of which the first man and woman was created. These two beliefs are very similar
to the more well-known views of the ‘Big Bang’ theory which is believed that the earth was
created with a massive explosion which consequently created the universe and Earth.
Together with this in Hinduism, There are many Gods with many creation stories, however,
the most popular in this version in Hinduism is the story of the ‘Ganges’. It is believed that
Ganges was so powerful that if Ganges possessed earth it would drown. Gange was believed
to be the God to which created all things. Also, Hinduism is believed to not believe in one
creation but multiple cycles of creation. Interestingly, in the Judeo-Christian story of
creation they believe that the nature of Creation stems from the ‘First Cause’ which is God.
So therefore God is the higher being that is the creation. This is the act of an everlasting and
something the continuously holds the universe together. One great point of this was that
God is the master of time and space and the Gods ongoing activity which includes evolution
which means creation was and ongoing activity of God. This was not just a one off act of
God.
Overall, without taking a bias view on this subject. We cannot prove or disprove the beliefs
of any of these but what we can understand God, or entity creation is much bigger that
what a person can fathom. But we must all think that we share in one thing, which is the
wonder and gratitude that we are here at all. We are of existence as well because of one
common belief that it was an entity, God, a child or anything such as this was at hand in the
creation. This being the foundation of faith and belief of any sort we must grasp the great
impact it has on the world and what drives the purpose driven lives of any religion. This
expands our minds to see that world of not just one founding belief but many. Not just one
opinion but many. This further enriches the world of opinion and research and gives more
understanding of areas of life that is not normally accessed when one is usually restricted to
their own life.
