Chapter 2: The Creation of God’s People I. The Book of Genesis 1. The first 5 Books of the Old Testament are called The Pentateuch (“Five Scrolls”).

2. Authorship of the Pentateuch is uncertain, but tradition ascribes it mostly to Moses.

3. The Pentateuch gives the religious history of Mankind from the Creation of the world until the death of Moses.

II.The Four Traditions 1. The Human Authors who wrote the Pentateuch (and the whole Bible) were Inspired by God to write what He wanted them to write and only what He wanted them to write.

2. The Bible is Inerrant (without error) because it is the Word of God. It teaches us Truths about God, Man, and the World.

3. The Bible was written by many different authors over long periods of time. Its human authorship is often uncertain.

4.Historians believe there were four separate Traditions in the writing of the Pentateuch. Different views are presented, but the Theology remains constant in all.

5. The Four Traditions are: a. Yahwist: Uses the name “Yahweh” when referring to God.

b. Elohist: Uses the name “Elohim when referring to God. This writer emphasizes human Responsibility,Faithfulness, and Obedience to God.

c. Deuteronomic: This tradition urges us to obey God out of Love, not fear.

d. Priestly: The Priestly writers wrote the final version of the Pentateuch after the Israelites’ return from the Babylonian Exile (ca. 587BC).

III. The Creation 1. The Creation accounts in the Book of Genesis are not meant to be a literal “history” of events as we understand the term “history” today.

They are stories intended to convey Truths about God, Man, and the World.

2. The Primary Truth to be accepted as “The Word of God” (Verbum Dei) is that God created the universe and everything in it.

God created the Angels, the planets and stars, the Earth, all the animals on Earth, Mankind, etc.

3. God created the world and saw that “it was good”.

God gave to Adam and Eve a Test: He commanded them NOT to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. [simple command / “integrity” / could fulfill easily].

4. Adam and Eve disobey God and commit Original Sin.

The Four Principal Consequences of Original Sin: 1. ‘Gates’ of Heaven are closed 2. Preternatural gift of Bodily Immortality is removed [therefore DEATH enters the world].

3. Darkening of the Intellect 4. Weakening of the Will.

5. Original Sin is the cause of all suffering in this present life.

Before it: Earth was a Paradise: no suffering or pain, no death. Happy life, then taken to Heaven to be with God forever. We ruined it.

6. After the Fall of Man (Original Sin) Personal Sin enters the world as well. Story of Cain and Abel [know it]. This personal sin: Murder.

7. Original Sin: the first sin, committed by Adam and Eve. Personal Sin: the free choice to disobey God.

8. With sin, comes Unhappiness (suffering). The only way to be Happy is to be good. It is our Nature: made to “be good”.

If we are not good, our Conscience makes us feel Guilty…then Sad. Simple formula: if we want to be happy, we have to be good.

If we are sinful, evil, we will NOT be happy. Cannot be. Get to Confession.

9. Original Sin is passed on by human generation.