ABSTRACT
The book of Genesis heads both the Jewish and Christian canons. It is selfconsciously a book of beginnings, not only of the people of the covenant, but of time and space. It begins with a creation account that itself commences with the ultimate beginning, as summarized in the first verse: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, English Standard Version). This sweeping statement, along with the emphasis throughout the creation account on a single God working alone to create the entire cosmos, reflects the universalizing monotheism of the ancient Hebrew religion. The genius of Genesis is that a narrative originally meant for ancient agriculturalists and pastoralists also contains a majestic vision with timeless appeal that has long continued to inform Western religion and thought. The Genesis creation narrative provides the foundation of the biblical view of nature.
