The Two Creation Stories in Genesis
Differences
Genesis 1:1-2:4
1. The structure of this passage
takes the form of a poem with
stanzas.
2. The ruah or Spirit hovers
over the waters of darkness
and formless void.
3. Gods act of creation comes
through word: God said: Let
there be ..
4. The is a 7 day creation plan,
ending with the creation of
male and female that are
made in Gods image and
likeness.
5. With each stanza affirms that
created things are good.
Similarities
1. God is Creator
2. God the Spirit is involved in
creating life.
3. The earth is formed and ready
for humans to inhabit and
cultivate.
4. The man and woman are to
cultivate the earth and have
dominion over living
creatures.
Genesis 2:4-25
1. The structure of this account
takes a more prose like form.
2. The earth is already present
yet not inhabited by living
things.
3. Waters flow, and plants grow.
A man is formed to till and
cultivate the earth.
4. Man is made from the dust
and clay of the earth.
5. Gods breath, ruah is
breathed into the man
bringing him to life.
6. A central symbol of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil,
located in the Garden of Eden.
7. Creation of the woman comes
later; made from the body of
the man.
8. There is a reference to the
man leaving mother and
father to be with his wife.
1. God is Creator.
2. The breath of God enters the
man.
3. The earth is formed with
plants and vegetation and
Eden is prepared for human to
live and cultivate.
4. The man called to cultivate
the earth, with the help from
his helper and partner.
 A Reflection to Two Important Points
Two important ideas that emerge, for me, from the creation stories are: humans are
created in the image and likeness of God (Gen1:27) and therefore creation by its
nature is fundamentally good. Also, God gives dominion of the land and all created
things into the care of humans. Why is that important? Creation reflects something
of the glory of God and to understand that is to give an act of thanks and worship to
the Creator. The stories also relate how God desires that we share not only in God's
power to create - "God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply'(Gen 1:28) -
but God also shares the responsibility of forming, cultivating and caring for the
earth and its living creatures, with human beings. Creation is designed to be
interdependent to the extent that its survival depends upon healthy relationships
between God, humans and all creation.

Original Sin
My reading of Cooper (2017) on this topic is one of the best I have read in terms of
its theological accessibility; I can resonate with his understanding of Original Sin.
The figurative story of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen.1:17; 3:1-24,)
profound in its simplicity, captures so many layers of humanitys struggle to
exercise freedom, power and responsibility in a loving and wise way. Without a
wholesome and close relationship with God, humans lose sight of their
creatureliness and, inevitably, what follows is ingratitude, insecurity and elevation
of self as first place: pride. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way:
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolically evokes the
insurmountable limits that man, being a creature, must freely recognize and respect
with trust (CCC 396). When I read this story from Genesis, I did not ever get the
impression that God did not want to reveal all knowledge to us. The underlying
pattern of benevolence in Gods creative act affirms that all that comes into
existence is good; so, if we are made in the image and likeness of God, then it
would seem to be contradictory for God not to lead us into a growth of knowledge.
Being made in the image and likeness of God, humans are called into a friendship
with God. The notion of freedom is implicit in this relationship. The Catechism of
the Catholic Church states: A spiritual creature, man can live this friendship only in
free submission to God (CCC 396). To be authentically human includes having the
capacity to respond in love freely. For me, that is the call of the spiritual life, to
continually submit and cooperate with Gods work of restoring, perfecting the
divine image of Christ within. Through the gifts of the Church, Sacred Scripture,
Sacrament and Tradition, all imbued with the life of the Spirit, we have everything
we need to overcome our propensity and inclination to sin (concupiscence). I
conclude with this quote from Lavin (2009): "To live as image of God is to be fully
human; it is "the achievement in our turn of that assumption of human nature which
the eternal Logos himself achieved" (p.62).