Creation
Creation, human rebellion, judgment, and the preservation of God’s purpose for humanity.
What the sources say, and how sure we are
- The text says
Genesis 1–11 tells of creation, the first humans, the fall, Cain and Abel, the flood, and the scattering at Babel, and then narrows to one family through whom God promises blessing.Gen 1–3; Gen 6–9; Gen 11:1–9
- Outside evidence
Mesopotamian texts such as the Enuma Elish, the Atrahasis epic, and the Epic of Gilgamesh describe creation and a flood. Scholars agree there are parallels and disagree about how they relate to Genesis.Enuma Elish; Atrahasis; Gilgamesh XI
- Debated
Christians read Genesis 1 in several ways, including as six literal days, as long ages, and as a literary framework. They also differ on whether the flood was worldwide or regional, and on whether the genealogies in Genesis 5 and 11 have gaps. These questions affect dates but not the book’s claim that the world was made by God.Gen 1; Gen 5; Gen 11
- Christian conclusion
Christians read the story of Adam’s fall as the problem that Christ’s work answers.Rom 5:12–21; 1 Cor 15:21–22
Why this era matters
Everything that follows depends on this opening. It says who God is, who humans are, and what has gone wrong. The rest of the Bible tells how God deals with it.