Living Gen One

The word Genesis means origin, production, creation. Close by it in the dictionary are words like generation, genes, generic, generate, and genetic. So we are looking at a book which offers an explanation of life itself.

I have a note in my Bible that Genesis Chapter One was written 850BC, while Genesis Chapter Two was composed 950BC. When Bible scholar Laura Pleming was in Australia some decades ago, she explained that several documents make up what we now call the one book of Genesis. She referred to the E (Elohistic) document, the J (Jehovistic) document, and the P (Priestly) document. Like Aboriginal Australians, the people of that time were story-tellers: we can imagine family groups gathering around a camp fire at night, the elders sharing with the youngsters explanations of how life began. At various periods, in an effort to preserve the stories, they would have been written down on papyrus, and over time such fragments were no doubt collected together and arranged by various editors.

Mary Baker Eddy has written a very helpful chapter called Genesis in her major work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Genesis is the first book in the "Key to the Scriptures" section, beginning on page 501. Here Eddy emphasizes the need to interpret the Scriptures scientifically because this offers the spiritual meaning. This is of major importance for the metaphysician, who wants to know about thoughts, rather than things.

A major theme of the Bible is that nothing occurs without "the Spirit of God", and that phrase is right here in Genesis One verse three. And so, as we listen for, and feel, the Spirit of God, thought is lifted above the mundane facts of time, space, figures and human activities, to the wonder and glory of God's work unfolding before us. This work of God is seen here in qualities such as abundance, enlightenment, order, goodness, blessing, multiplication, renewal, freshness, variety, completeness, attention to detail, and creativity. It is very good! All needs are met; work is accomplished and rewarded. There is work, but there is also rest. There is no depletion, but rather replenishment; and dominion is accompanied by responsibility.

Who wouldn't want to be a child of "Gen One"! And we are!

Julie Swannell