Critical Analysis of Genesis free essay sample

World Behind the text Historical and Cultural Context Genesis illustrates the way Biblical writers J (Yahwist), E (Elohist) and P (Priestly) drew upon the cultural and religious legacy of the Ancient Near East (ANE) along with its stories and imagery and transformed it to conform to a new vision of a non-mythological God and a monotheistic, superior religion. â€Å"The Pentateuch developed against the background of the Ancient Near Eastern culture first cultivated in and spread by Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian empires†. From this, we can see how Israelite religion was â€Å"shaped by responses to and reactions against this culture due both to contacts with neighboring Canaanites and to conflicts with Assyrian and Babylonian empires†. Genesis 1:1-2:4a can therefore be said to reflect the â€Å"Babylonian account of creation, which we call Enuma Elish†¦known from at least 1700 BCE,† â€Å"predating the earliest text of Genesis by at least a millennium,† as both their structure and content are similar. In both Genesis and the Enuma Elish, the earth is made up of water and is divided into upper and lower waters and the days of creation in Genesis follow almost the exact same order in the Enuma Elish. The Enuma Elish is recorded on seven tablets and the Genesis account is completed in seven days. The Babylonians created humans to serve as slaves yet in Genesis God creates humans in the likeness of the divine. The Priestly source penned the creation story â€Å"with the purpose of portraying both the beginnings of mankind and Israel in the spirit of a monotheistic concept with a didactic aim. This conveys the notion of a superior religion assuming Gods eternity; as Genesis 1:1 states that in the beginning, He created, not that he was created. It is therefore implied that at the beginning of time God was already there, and as nothing is created from thin air, we can conclude that God is omnipotent and his existence has always been, portraying him as infinitely superior to those Gods o f the Ancient Near East who were created by other Gods. â€Å"The scope of Genesis 1:1-2:4 contains an entire portrait of the nature of Yahweh, over against all pagan claims. Implying that God is a being of infinite wisdom, power and absolute intellect, superior to those of the ANE. The passage was written for the Israelites to gain an understanding of their place within Gods creation and to explain the relationship between God and humans. Source Criticism The narrative occurs twice within the first two chapters, Genesis 1 is believed to be by the Priestly author or school of authors who referred to God as ‘Elohim’ because of their observance of and focus on the Sabbath, the establishment of the priesthood and various rituals. Genesis 2-3 is seen as a doublet, or second creation story, tied to a different source, J, who referred to God as Yahweh. Whilst having a doublet of a story and various names for God used in both stories cannot be considered evidence for two separate writers, â€Å"when the doublet of stories line up into two groups where one group consistently uses one name of God and the other uses another, that’s strong evidence. † When Israel went into exile under the Babylonians in 597 to 586, a school of priests seems to have gathered many of the cultic and legal traditions together. This priestly work, called P, thus formed a source which made the earlier historical accounts more complete. † Gowan also believes that P wrote the first creation story to reflect a setting during the Babylonian exile, â€Å"after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587BC between the middle of the 6th century and the middle of the 5th century†. Given that P writes with the purpose of showing Israelites that God has showed continuing care over them from the time of the origins of the universe and â€Å"was very concerned to give Israel a sense of trust in Yahweh’s goodness and fidelity so that they would not lose faith,† it is fair to assume that it was written during the time of exile when Israelites would be questioning their faith as a result of the significant and continuous hardships they had faced. Further evidence that the author of Genesis 1 is P is that â€Å"the account of creation in Genesis 1 has the refrains and solemn tones of a liturgical prayer†¦it maintains an interest in precise genealogy lists, a task of ancient temple scribes,† and pays close attention to structure and the repetition of key expressions, having a powerful effect on the reader, a style of writing that would only have been used by the well educated at the time, pointing directly to priests. World of the text Literary Context Genesis is the first of the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch, written in Hebrew in Israel, interweaving many genres including myth, epic and history. â€Å"Israel’s Bible begins with an extended look at the world prior to Israel instead of assuming that the world began when it came to be. † â€Å"Gen 2-9 is introduced by Gen 1 and carried forward by Gen 10-11. Gen 1-11 then is a single story, an unusually sustained â€Å"philosophical† and â€Å"theological† explanation,† explaining our relationship with God, our flaws and destiny and religious institutions. Whilst P is the author of Genesis 1, Genesis 2 has been tied to J and differs significantly in its tone and focus. J writes almost as if it is a fairytale and where the P account focuses on the origin of the world with the creation of mankind as its climax, J â€Å"begins with Gods creation of the man, and describes how subsequently God builds up a world for his new creature,† creating the animals for the purpose of human companionship and giving humans care over the Garden of Eden. This contrasts to P who writes that humans are to ‘subdue’ and hold ‘dominion’ over the other living beings. Furthermore, whilst P writes in a chronological and symmetrical structure, J has poorer structure and does not discuss the creation of the universe in as much depth and instead focuses on humans. Genre The genre of Genesis 1:1-2:4a serves as a ‘consciously planned’ historical narrative or genealogy, containing dialogue in the form of God’s commands of creation, climaxing with the creation of man in God’s image. It has an introduction (1:1), a body (1:2-2:3) and a conclusion (2:4a) and together a unit is formed. ’ Structure In this passage, the author is the narrator; God himself is alive. â€Å"We first encounter God in motion – His spirit moving across the face of the deep. The entire creation account can be read as the result of this motion,† with the climax of this motion being the creation of human b eings in God’s image. In this way, humans are set apart from the creation of other beings, which establishes their role on earth and facilitates communication between humans and God. The passage uses imagery throughout along with the repetition of ‘evening’ and ‘morning’ in order to divide the passage into its seven-day structure. Genesis 1:1-2:3 comprises of six paragraphs for the six days of creation with the seventh paragraph emphasizing the importance of the Sabbath, repeating the theme of seven. †The account itself is organized into two parallel groups of three. In the first group, regions are created: night and day, firmament and oceans, and the land. The corresponding inhabitants of these regions form the second group: astronomical bodies, birds and fish, land animals and man. † Upon analysis of the seven days of creation, God created habitations in the first three days for the creatures created in the final three days. The phrase, â€Å"In the beginning God created† conveys the complete authority and ownership God has over creation and is a true introduction, one that condenses the essence of the whole passage. The power that God has over everything he created is the essential message upon which the rest of the bible is built upon. The completion of the passage with the creation of mankind is a climactic end and shows the great importance placed on the creation of humans in Gods image to control and care for his creation. Literary Qualities There are various literary qualities present in the passage. Firstly, days one to three and days four to six are tied together by particular verbs. Days one through three use verbs of formation, â€Å"separate† and â€Å"gather†. While days three through six use verbs of filling; â€Å"teem†, â€Å"fill†, â€Å"be fruitful† and â€Å"increase†. Furthermore, the first three days are concerned with forming while days 4-6 focus on filling. Also, day one and day four can be compared by the use of the key word ‘light’ as can days two and five’s use of ‘upper and lower waters’ in both their creation and inhabitants. These comparisons demonstrate the intentional literary composition of the creation story, â€Å"emphasizing the symmetry and orderliness of God’s creative activity. † P â€Å"presents God’s power, freedom and unchallenged control over the world by the calm and deliberate repetition of the basic formula ‘God said,’ ‘Let there be,’ ‘And it was so. ’† The repetition of these phrases conveys a message of the ultimate strength and powerfulness of God. The overall tone of the passage is joyous with series of solemn announcements and commands. The Priestly source also uses light as a metaphor in this passage as Maier states, â€Å"it is no accident that Jesus is called the light of the world. † Religious Message amp; Purpose The message of the passage is that God is the almighty and powerful creator of the universe and all beings within it, creating humans in his likeness to care for the world. â€Å"It concludes with the sanctification of the seventh day, showing that the Sabbath day is of such importance to the author that he associates it with creation itself; but he does not explicitly draw the law of the Sabbath from creation. † The passage is set in the wilderness at the beginning of time, with the only character present in the passage being God, the creator. He displays human qualities and personalities by resting on the seventh day, allowing humans to better relate to and identify with this Supreme Being who shows human weakness in the form of tiredness. The World in front of the Text Today, just as in ancient times, religion â€Å"helps us to define ourselves, making the world and life comprehensible to us. † Humans find comfort in believing that there is something out there more powerful than themselves that has control over what they do and what happens to them and in this ense I believe that Genesis 1 is still relevant to today’s society. Both versions of the creation story were written with the intention of proclaiming the greatness of God and historically I believe the writers served their purpose, particularly during the time of the Exodus, creating â€Å"more than a story of Israel’s past (instead) creating a theology and purpose that explained the religious faith and spirit of the nation,† becoming t he foundation for Israel’s future focus upon God’s love. In ancient times, particularly during the Exodus, Gods creation and recreation of the world (the flood) and his renewed blessing after humans commit sin would have been important to remember during exile and would have given the Israelites grounds for new and continued hope. â€Å"It is easy to see that P moves the story of salvation along as a single historical lesson for future generations†¦weaving themes of blessing, promise, covenant and human response to god. † Upon such deep analysis of this passage I believe that it can still be interpreted in the same way today as it was originally intended, not in a literal manner but with an understanding of the greatness and power of God and his impact on our lives. Bibliography Achtemeier, Paul J. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary. Rev. ed. NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 1996 Boadt, Lawrence. Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. New York: Paulist Press, 1984 Clifford, Richard. J. and Murphy, Roland. E. â€Å"Genesis. † In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary.

Chapter One free essay sample

Utter, simple, apathetic, tenebrous, tournaments darkness. I see a pinpoint of light, and try to swim toward It. Either I get closer to It, or it gets closer to me, but I cant tell In the Inky darkness. The pinhole expands as It gets closer, and I get pulled toward it. It expands, and suddenly engulfs me in a flash of light. Im in a perfectly cubical white room, apparently made of marble. I turn around and see the hole I came from. An human-sized black, inky hole. It seems strange in this perfectly white cube.I turn around and start to look for an exit, but as I walk way Inky black tentacles lunge out of the hole, gripping me tightly. I struggle, but their grip Is Iron. They pull me back, to the world of darkness, but I dont want to. I try to twist about, attempting to writhe free from the tentacles. I break free, go flying forward, toward the white wall. I brace myself for impact And go straight through the wall. I stumble, and almost fall. I find myself in a large room, but with an enormous hole in the center. I look around, but theres nothing but solid white marble walls.I turn around, and they wall I stumbled through is still there. I test Its solidity, and as I expect, its solid. I search around the room, looking for any way out. On closer Inspection, I see on panel of marble Is slightly loose. I lightly tap it, and the echo tells me its hollow. I pull the panel off and look inside the tunnel. I see a simple switch. I look around, looking for anything else I can do. I pull the switch, shrugging. Its not like I have anything to lose. Suddenly, the marble block right under the secret switch, goes flying outward, hitting me hard in the stomach.I fall backwards, into the hole. I spiral down, falling down the enormous hole. As I fall I think, I was wrong. I still have my life to lose. Oh well. Im surprised to see myself still alive. I look around, and hay_ Instead of a cubic marble room, Im in a cubic jade room. Nice improvement. I look around, once again looking to an answer to my new puzzle. At the top of the ceiling, I see a bright blue block, bulging out like a button. But from my height, its way to far up for me to push. Oh hay. I know what to do, but not how. I notice that some Jade marbles along the wall are also slightly more bulgy. O up to them and try pushing on the, but nothing happens. I wonder If this Is Like one of those things Like the button wont press In unless you press the other buttons first around It In a specific order. I start pushing, but get nowhere. I stare at the blocks some more, thinking hard. And thats when I realize my mistake. Thinking hard. I was over-thinking! The bulging jade blocks arent buttons! Only the blue one is. The jade ones are footsteps to climb up! I immediately start, and get to the ceiling easily, as I was always athletic.But as I look, I realize Ill have to Jump to hit the button. Suddenly, the Jade floor looks awfully hard. I collect my broken bits of courage together, and Jump, my hand barely slapping the button. I tart to fall, toward the jade floor. I try to steady myself out, but fail horribly. I brace myself for impact And once again fall through the wall. My feet suddenly hit solid ground, or, as I realize, solid obsidian. Now Im in an obsidian cubic room, but this time there is no ceiling. Cute. I walk up to the wall and try to pass through it.Once more, I fail. I growl at the wall In frustration. When I want to, you turn solid. I punch the wall with all my power, and all I end up with is a hurting fist. I yelp, flinching backwards. I look around, imagining what a bystander would think if they saw me. I look at the walls, and for the first time I realize that there is no source of light. Everything is Just evenly lit, but from no source. There are no shadows or highlights. Strange, I think. Now that I think about it, it look surreal. Lost in thought, I hear something falling. Something heavy.I look up and see an enormous Jade block falling toward me. I leap away, my foot Just barely evading the block. I look at the Jade block. It looks strange in the obsidian room. I wonder why I didnt realize something was falling when the block came down. Shouldnt the shadow have covered me first? And then I realize, in his world of no shadows, I wont know when something falls down. Another block comes falling down, Just next to me. I realize whats going on. This is the ultimate test, and I have to avoid getting hit. I stare up, trying to spot the next block. It hits across the room, but I realize that I dont see them until seconds before they hit. That means all I can do is run around the room, screaming like a little girl. Which is exactly what I proceed to do. Eventually the blocks fill up the floor of the room, and the only space left is the area Im in. Just enough area for the next cube. I become cognizant to the act that to avoid being crushed, Ill have to Jump on top of another block. I start from the corner. I start running toward the Jade blocks, and leap for all my life is worth. I make it, but Just barely.My shoe gets caught in the next blocks fall, and I have to leave it behind. I sigh in relief, thinking everything is okay now. But Im wrong. A voice, obviously synthesized to show no emotion, says, Subject has passed Level One. Level Two will initiate in 5. .. 4 3.. . 2 1. I look at the darkness that the blocks fell from in horror, hoping that the voice is wrong. But no, nothing works for me in this world. A block falls, and I repeat the entire process again. I pray and hope for the voice to say that I passed, that its done. Im exhausted, running and Jumping everywhere.The voice, know of voice of pure evil to my ears, says, Subject has passed Level Two. Level Three will initiate in 5 4 3 2. .. 1. I curse underneath my breath. Soon, with my breath haggard and barely being able to stand, I see a ladder on the side of the wall. It was definitely not there earlier. But I accept it gratefully. I climb up and find myself in another room. Again This room is slightly different. Its still cubical, but its split in half. One side is Jade, the other obsidian. The obsidian side has a black portal, the same one that I came from, the same one from which all this started.The Jade side has the same portal, black and all. But in the middle, dead center, is a white portal. I really didnt like my experience with the dark portal, so I close my eyes and step into the portal of light. The moment I enter, I feel refreshed. I start to walk, but the very same tentacles that attacked me earlier, only white this time, grab me, wrapping around tighter than before. I struggle, and the whiteness becomes blackness. Im in the very same looking portal. The tentacles push me forward. I see two exits. One of light and one of darkness. They move toward the darkness.I struggle, and try to escape, but dont get very far. They curl tightly around me, squeezing the life out of me. The move backwards for momentum, then Jerk forward, throwing me through the inky I find myself in a stony looking room chained to the wall. I see a door in front of me. The chains pinch into my skin, burning my wrists and ankles. I wish they would go away. And they do. They suddenly disintegrate into black gas, drifting away in the wind. I go to the door, expecting it to be locked, but it isnt, as always. I step through and find myself in a room made of marble.I see a round table, in the dead center of the room. Standing on the table is a stone statue, made of obsidian with green veins flowing through it. I squint to get a better view, and see that the green veins looks like liquid Jade (if it exists) flowing through the weird statue. Two hooded figures discuss in voices to quiet for me to hear next to the table. As I step closer, one of the hooded figures turn toward me. He straightens and begins to pull his hood off. I step closer, trying to get a closer look. His face enters my vision, and suddenly Im on the ground, blackness everywhere.

The Devil in the White City - Discussion Questions

'The Devil in the White City' - Discussion Questions The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson is a true story that takes place at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details about the story. Finish the book before reading on. Why do you think Erik Larson chose to tell Burnham and Holmes stories together? How did the juxtaposition affect the narrative? Do you think they worked well together or would you have preferred to read about just Holmes or just Burnham?What did you learn about architecture? What do you think the fair contributed to the architectural landscape in the United States?How did the Chicago Worlds Fair change Chicago? America? The world? Discuss some of the inventions and ideas that were introduced at the fair that still impact life today.How was Holmes able to get away with so many murders without becoming suspect? Were you surprised by how easy it was for him to commit crimes without being caught?What ultimately led to Holmes capture and the discovery of his crime? Was this inevitable?How did Holmes hotel contrast with the buildings of the Worlds Fair? Can architecture reflect goodness or evil, or are buildings neutral until used?How did the White City contract with Chicago, the Black Cit y? What do you think of Holmes claim that he was the devil? Can people be inherently evil? How would you explain his strange allure and cold-hearted behavior?Burnham, Olmsted, Ferris and Holmes were all visionaries in their own ways. Discuss what drove each of these men, whether they were ever truly satisfied, and how their lives ultimately ended.Rate The Devil in the White City on a scale of 1 to 5.

A Sample of Communication Studies Module Is Your Best Resource For Learning To Communicate Effectively

A Sample of Communication Studies Module Is Your Best Resource For Learning To Communicate EffectivelyFor students, a sample of a communication studies module is an invaluable resource for understanding the many components of well-structured, persuasive writing. An essay, like a communication module, must be structured and move through several distinct stages in order to be meaningful. Students' ability to discern the needs of a given work (material) and create a structure to better understand that material should be at the heart of their writing experience.Writing is a skill; however, a person can develop a mastery over the written word if they take the time to practice. This is where a module on communication comes in. Students gain the opportunity to write several essays, either short or long, that are representative of various learning styles. They choose a specific style of writing they want to perfect. The module will offer suggestions on what to include in the essay, as well a s how to structure it.One advantage of this module is that students can get to know which writing styles work for them before they need to write their essay. In other words, students can become familiar with how they present themselves and what style of writing they most prefer. When this happens, they will be better able to communicate their ideas and feelings effectively to readers.Students can use this module to craft short essays that are representative of their learning style. They will find that each section contains a technique they can use to develop their own specific style. These essays are a valuable tool for teaching them to express themselves clearly. By reviewing the strategies included in the module, students will also have a better understanding of what types of essay they are most comfortable with.The composition portion of the module will help students improve their ability to develop and express their ideas in writing. They will learn the mechanics of using differ ent sections of speech in their writing, such as passive voice, active voice, and the reflective perspective. Additionally, they will learn about the characteristics of persuasive writing as well as effective e-mail communications.The term 'persuasive writing' encompasses all types of written communication, such as letters, essays, and reports. When students learn about the many components of persuasive writing, they will be better able to deliver the information to readers. The module also provides a general framework for making persuasive statements and it provides an introduction to social and psychological factors that influence our attitudes and behavior.Through the process of identifying and understanding the different components of persuasive writing, students can begin to see patterns in their writing. They will also understand the limitations of certain styles. With this information, they will be able to craft essays that are truly their own.Communicating effectively and pe rsuasively is more than just being a good writer. It is also about the use of words and structures that move the reader. Students can use a sample of a communication studies module to give them a foundation for making persuasive writing their own.

Discussion Three Example

Discussion Three Example Discussion Three – Article Example of due: Ronald Reagans First Inaugural Address Reagan accepted the opportunity to air out his vision for the government. While referring to the economic ills suffered by the state in several decades, he clearly urges Americans that government is not the solution† to the present crisis (Reagan, para 8). The most interesting element of his speech is that he tries to create a sensation of belonging among the Americans by emphasizing on the indigence for the masses to govern themselves first before they think of governing others (Reagan, para 10). His confidence in the people to revive America from economic woes by emphasizing the achievements and duties of the multitude can be felt throughout his speech (Reagan, para 11-30). Reagan creates an argument with the aim of inspiring the Americans to be the future heroes of their government. His speech clearly elucidates the platform that founded America (West Valley College, para 2).The riots present a true picture of police brutality t hat led to the reawakening of many Americans. The most interesting element in the article is that even despite Rodney giving himself to the police, they decided on their own that he was resisting arrest and went down to take power into their hands and beat him. Firing live at the suspect further introduces the nature of police brutality that the people felt silently as traffic violations were offenses punishable by courts of law. On the other hand, since the suspect was black, there was increased interest among African American community, which felt people silently suffered from racism and police brutality. Reagan, Ronald. First Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural Addresses. 20 Jan. 1981. [Web] 15 June 2015. [Available at] bartleby.com/124/pres61.htmlWest Valley College. Cooper Goldin. [Web] 15 June 2015. [Available at] instruct.westvalley.edu/kelly/Distance_Learning/History_17B/Readings/Cooper_Goldin.htm

How does this form fit with the characteristics of the Romantic period Essay

How does this form fit with the characteristics of the Romantic period (refer to Chapter 22 in the text) - Essay Example Long composite orchestral work, is one progress that leads to the development of a poetic inspiration, creates the doldrums, or even suggests a panorama. This case is quite similar with the romantic composers now as it was in the olden days (Hoffer 173). In romanticism, there are two aspects that are evident in romantic art. One of it is the expression of feelings. Most of the writers who participated in multi-movement words wanted just to express their feelings. The characteristics accountable for romance in music according to chapter 22 of this document are quite similar to the ones used in the present world composing. The characteristic of writing and message sent via this poetic song is quite similar to the olden day’s invention. The usage of romantic sceneries in most of the composing art of this song is what used to happen in the olden days (Hoffer 174). In one way or the other difference between the arts of composing is quite different in comparison what chapter 22 of the document provided states (Hoffer

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

No topic - Essay Example God is viewed holy and perfect and as a person who has established high standards for perfection for humanity. The reformers saw it insufficient due to the fact that it was referenced to God’s honor as opposed to his holiness and justice. The medieval notion was that punishment of sin had to involve bloodshed. The reformers believed that Christ died for man as he took his sins and bore them for him. Through bearing of man’s sins, Christ is believed to take the punishment from them and deliver the believers free from the demands of the law. This is a clear indication that the holiness of God and the righteousness of the law are satisfied by his substation. There are relevant scriptures including Isaiah 53: 12 â€Å"yet he bore sins of many, and mistakes intercession for the transgressors.† And Isaiah 53: 6 â€Å"the lord has laid equality of us all.† The Penal substitution theory assumes that God is infinite, minor human sins are an infinite debt to him. This can only be cancelled through infinite satisfaction through the death of Jesus Christ. The belief that God’s need to seek justice is so strong that he would only demand satisfaction through the death of an innocent person is an assumpt ion that modern readers would reject. With reference to John Scott’s classic work â€Å"The cross of Christ†, he tries to offer a deeper understanding of satisfaction with his fifth chapter â€Å"satisfaction for sin†. He argues that the cross was necessary due to the fact that God had to satisfy himself in the way of salvation. Scoot uses this chapter to analyze that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was necessary for satisfaction. This is a statement that most people affirm to. However, the nature of satisfaction has been a subject of debate throughout the history of the church. He looks at different methods to which the theologians believe as the method God used to forgive the sins of mankind (Stott 120). Other speak of satisfying God’s law,