NAME: CALFOS FERDINAND TAIWO

COURSE: EVOLUTIONARY CREATION

In the Beginning is a Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall written
by Pope Benedict XVI. In this work, the holy father gave a collection of four homilies that
briefly explain the Catholic view of Creation, the Fall, and Restoration. he explores the
relationship between faith and science, particularly in regards to the origins of the universe and
humanity. He began each homily with a text selected from the first three chapters of Genesis.
Ratzinger discusses, in turn, God the creator, the meaning of the biblical creation accounts, the
creation of human beings, man fall to sin and salvation and in the appendix, he unpacks the
beneficial consequences of faith in creation. This paper shall thus be presenting a summary of
this aforementioned topic.

GOD THE CREATOR (FIRST HOMILY)

Ratzinger argues that the creation accounts in the Book of Genesis should not be
understood as literal historical or scientific accounts, but rather as theological reflections on the
meaning and significance of creation. He emphasizes that the fundamental purpose of these
accounts is to convey religious truths about God's role as the creator and sustainer of all things.
According to Ratzinger, the act of creation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. He
suggests that God's creative activity is not just limited to the beginning of the universe but
continues to be active in the natural world, guiding and sustaining it in harmony with natural
laws. The Pope dismissed the notion that some sort of Creation is passe, and that biblical
interpretations are allegorical and have much more deeper meaning than is currently accepted.
The Pope made interesting comments about language and thought. For example, "God said..." is
an awesome statement that God said what He did and was going to do. Pope Benedict is clear
that the "how" of Creation is partially explained by mathematics and science and that "Faith and
Science" are not antagonistic concepts.

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THE SECOND HOMILY (THE MEANING OF BIBLICAL CREATION ACCOUNT)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. This simple statement holds
profound implications for our understanding of the world and our place in it. The Pope takes a
special interest in the passage in Genesis 2 (v.4-9) in which God makes man from the dust of the
earth. What does this teach us? It does not explain “how human persons come to be but rather
what they are”. He identifies at least three things we should notice: first, a man is not God, he is
made and does not make himself, he is contingent and not necessary; second, a man is neither a
beast nor a demon (as could be inferred from some other, non-Biblical creation stories), but
good, as being the special creation of a good God; and third, all men are equal in dignity and, in
their common origin, unified. This unity is underlined and augmented by Christianity, for the
Incarnation united our common nature to God himself, thereby further uniting each of us to one
another, and in a most exalted sense. It also tells us that there is a divine source behind all of
creation, a Creator who is the origin and sustainer of everything that exists. This challenges the
notion that the universe is purely a result of random chance or natural processes. Furthermore,
the creation account teaches us that human beings are uniquely created in the image and likeness
of God. This means that we possess inherent dignity and worth, as well as a capacity for reason,
moral choice, and relationship with our Creator. It sets us apart from the rest of creation and
grants us a special responsibility to care for and steward the earth and its resources. The creation
account also speaks to the harmony and order that God intended for the world. Each day of
creation builds upon the previous one, culminating in the creation of human beings as the
pinnacle of God's creative work. This order and harmony can be seen in the natural world around
us, in the intricate ecosystems and interdependence of all living things. It reminds us that
everything in creation has a purpose and is part of God's grand design.

But as we know, this harmony was disrupted by human sin. The fall of Adam and Eve
into disobedience and rebellion against God introduced brokenness and suffering into the world.
This is a reminder that humanity bears a collective responsibility for the state of the world and its
problems, from ecological degradation to social injustice. However, the creation account also
offers hope. It points us to the promise of redemption and restoration that is fulfilled in Christ.
Jesus, the Word made flesh, came to reconcile creation to its Creator, to bring healing and

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wholeness to a broken and fallen world. Through his life, death, and resurrection, he opens the
way for us to be reconciled with God, to have our relationship with our Creator restored.

Ultimately, the meaning of the biblical creation account is not just about the past, but
about the present and the future. It calls us to a deep sense of responsibility, purpose, and hope. It
reminds us that we are loved and valued by a Creator who desires a relationship with us and
invites us to join in his ongoing work of creation and redemption.

THE ADVENT OF HUMAN BEING (THE THIRD HOMILY)

Pope Benedict XVI begins by highlighting the scripture verse from the book of Genesis,
wherein God creates man and woman in his image and likeness. He emphasizes that this image
and likeness encompass both a physical and spiritual aspect. The physical dimension indicates
that human beings have a physical body, just like other living creatures, and are therefore
integrated into the material world. However, it is the spiritual dimension that sets humans apart
from the rest of creation. This spiritual aspect allows humans to have a transcendent relationship
with God, elevating them to a higher level of existence. He goes on to describe how this spiritual
dimension enables humans to possess intellectual and moral capacities that go beyond instinctual
behavior. Humans have the ability to reason, to think abstractly, to reflect upon their actions, and
to make moral choices. These capacities grant them the freedom to choose between good and
evil, and therefore, they are responsible for their actions before God.

Ratzinger acknowledges that the uniqueness of human beings often leads to questions
about their origin and purpose. He explains that the biblical account of creation provides the
answer. It is through God's intentional act of creation that human beings come into existence, and
they are created with a particular purpose – to know, love, and serve God.Furthermore, he
highlights the special relationship between man and woman, the complementarity of their
natures, and the significance of their union in marriage. This union is not simply a physical or
social contract but a profound union of love and self-giving, mirroring the love between Christ
and the Church. In conclusion, Ratzinger affirms that human existence is a wonderful and
mysterious reality. While humans are part of the material world, they are imbued with a spiritual
dimension that differentiates them from all other creatures. This spiritual dimension equips
humans with intellectual and moral capacities, enabling them to have a unique relationship with
God and to fulfill their purpose in knowing, loving, and serving Him.

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THE FOURTH HOMILY (SIN AND SALVATION)

Sin as depicted in Ratzinger work “In the Beginning” is seen as a critical rupture in the
relationship between humanity and God, stemming from the story of the fall in the Book of
Genesis. In the story of the Fall, we see that humanity, made good in its essence and oriented to
God, also lives under limitations imposed by the nature of good and evil. We have freedom but
we must not use that freedom in certain ways. Denial of those limitations, which he argues is “a
fundamental part of what constitutes modernity” i.e., a denial of the reality of things as they
actually are. When we live in that way, rejecting creation and not acknowledging that things
have natures independent of our will, we live in untruth, which the Scriptures call the realm of
death. This same denial called sin destroys our relationships with one another, with the world,
and with its Creator, a destruction that can ultimately be repaired and restored only by the
Creator himself, and this is the meaning of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection: to re-establish
relationships. Christ, once again, is at the center.

CONCLUSION

Pope Benedict XVI's book is a thoughtful collection of homilies that help readers reflect
on the serious questions and problems such as the origin of things and the meaning of existence
that have arisen during Modern History. His homilies provide an allegorical and theological
enduring truth determined in the biblical narrative of creation and fall.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), “in the Beginning…” a Catholic Understanding of the
Story of Creation and the Fall, transl. Boniface Ramsey and Michigan: William B. Publishing
Company Grand Rapids, 1986.