Beginnings: What Genesis Says (And Doesn’t Say)
Shenango Presbytery Fall Pastor Retreat – October 15-16, 2018
Villa Maria Conference Center

When critics and defenders of faith argue about beginnings, both sides generally assume that Genesis presents a straightforward account of how the world was made. One side defends this account, while the other attacks it. But close reading of Genesis 1-2 reveals a serious flaw in this assumption. Genesis presents not one creation account, but two, which differ markedly from one another.
This forces us to ask new questions:
- If Genesis 1-2 is not a factual description of the origin of the world, then what is it?
- What are these two stories about?
- What is the effect of their combination?
- What are the implications of Genesis 1-2 for the relationship between science and faith?
“We will engage these questions and more through a close, careful reading of the biblical text.” – Dr. Steven Tuell
Sessions will include:
- Which Creation?
- An Ordered World: Genesis 1:1-2:4a
- The Drama of Relationship: Genesis 2:4b-25
- Putting It Back Together: What Does Genesis 1-2 Mean?
(Registration is now closed.)
Click here to read more about Dr. Steven Tuell.