1.17.17 Creation Stories

Academic approach to the study of religion RELS2001 Academic approach to the study of religion 4 “virtues” of the academic study of religion Bracketing our assumptions Informed Empathy Historical / Contextual imperative Symbolic sensitivity

Creation stories Mircea Eliade Perennialist - proposes that religions all share something in common argues that people are instinctually wired to make sense of the world through religions — otherwise we are distressed translation: Modern people, without myth and ritual, have existential problem; no sacred space, so no meaning

They “Orient” us Tell us where our world came from, how it came to be Creation stories They “Orient” us Tell us where our world came from, how it came to be ex: order out of chaos Tell us why the world is the way it is Gives humans a place in the cosmos

What happens if we don’t have a creation story?

Distinguish between sacred space and profane space creation stories Distinguish between sacred space and profane space Profane space: ordinary, one can use in any fashion, no special rules to govern behavior Sacred space: A hierophany or theophany has occurred; the divine reality have broken into the ordinary, mundane world The break changes and alters the space; it is now closer to the divine Communication with divine now possible at location of hierophany Requires special behavior, attitude, dress, etc

Axis Mundi (World center) Creation stories Axis Mundi (World center) Vertical structure that connects the higher divine realm with the lower, ordinary realm Height relates to symbolic power; typically the holiest site in religious tradition Allows for communication between the divine and humans

Consecration of sacred space Creation Stories Consecration of sacred space The creation of sacred space recapitulates the world of the gods and the creation of the cosmos Translation: process of ceremonies and rituals (water, fire, sacrifice) create sacred space, despite the lack of divine appearance or miracles

Religious Man vs. Modern Man Eliade & Creation Stories Religious Man vs. Modern Man Religious Man - In pre-modern societies, humans lived in a “sacralized world”; their worldview was completely enmeshed with each communities’ specific mythology not anxious about “life’s meaning” because mythological systems “oriented” them completely Eliade argues that humans cannot really live in an un-sacralized world Modern Man (secular thinkers) - Modern humans have grown skeptical about the truth of the mythologies handed down to them without creation myths they are “disoriented,” with no sense of identity or meaning

Do Creation stories matter today?

“Three Classical Creation Stories” “Creation stories not only reflect current science, that is, the assumptions about the nature of the world, physical processes, and their relationships; but they are also blueprints for society. They reflect the assumptions about how the divine and the mortal, the mental and the physical, human and other humans, male and female, humans, plants, animals, land, waters, and stars are related to each other. They both reflect the worldview of the culture and mandate that worldview on its ongoing heirs.” Rosemary Ruether “Three Classical Creation Stories”

Creation Stories Rosemary Ruether (1936 - ) American feminist scholar and Catholic theologian Explores relationship of gender, power and religion Relationship between religion and culture; argues that religious stories provide “blueprints for society” ex: What social blueprints concerning gender and power do religious stories, especially creation stories, give us?

Ruether on creation stories Broadens the scope of creation stories: tell of origin of existence, reflect on the broader cultural values of the time, and effectively mandate those values for future generations

Can we apply Ruether’s ideas to other “creation stories”? Applying Ruether