Final Exam Study Sheet for Hebrew Scriptures
Freshman Theology
Mr. Bart Geger, SJ
January, 1997
"How to Read the First Chapters of Genesis"
Consult the Bible and your "Link" textbook for answers to these questions.
*What kind of Bible reader takes everything in the Bible at word-for-word face value? He understands the text to be literally true exactly as it is written. (know both terms in Link)
*What kind of Bible reader believes that a person needs to consider when, where, how, why, and by whom a story was written in order to understand it its meaning better?
*Which kind of reader are Catholics supposed to be?
*When a person reads the Bible literally, he or she runs into a lot of problems with science, history, or common sense. Identify three passages in Genesis 1-3 that are problematical for someone who reads the Bible literally. Do it like this:
The first creation story says the world was created in six days, but scientists say it took a long period of time.
The first creation story says. . . but the second creation story says. . . .
*Since Catholics do not believe Genesis is word-for-word true, does this mean we do not believe Genesis is really the Word of God? What does the word "inspired" mean?
*The Hebrews' creation stories were different from everybody else's stories, because God was teaching the Hebrews about himself. Below are certain beliefs the Babylonians had. (The Babylonians were another ancient people who lived near the Hebrews. Their creation story is called the Enuma Elish.) Your assignment is to explain in two or three sentences how the Genesis stories teach something different from the Babylonians' beliefs. List the specific place in Genesis (chapter and verse) where you find your answer.
1. Babylonians believed that there were many gods.
2. Babylonians believed that the world was formed by accident.
3. Babylonians believed that the human body was evil.
4. Babylonians did not believe that some days were more special than others.
5. Babylonians believed that men were superior to women.
6. Babylonians believed that the gods didn't care about people very much.
7. Babylonians believed that people were controlled by the gods. Humans have no power or responsibility.
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