God's Creation

When I went to Laidlaw College in 2011, I was disappointed that the God and Creation module was unavailable that year. I considered myself a demi-expert on the matter, having given many young earth creationist presentations over my years in Christian education and youth pastoring. If you had a question about radiometric dating, dinosaurs, the flood, natural selection or the Big Bang, I had the answer… and a well-illustrated PowerPoint.

It was a great surprise to discover then, within the Introduction to Theology course, that literal creationism was not a make-or-break requirement of the faith, and that there were Jesus-loving, Bible-believing, better-educated-than-me Christians who favoured Theistic Evolution. Suddenly the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” [Phil 2:12] became my mantra as I wrestled – genuinely and deeply – with a myriad of questions.

I researched. I prayed. I consulted people I respected. Finally, after several weeks I submitted my assignment, stating that God was the Creator of all things, that creation has order, structure and purpose, and that humanity was made in his image for relationship. Beyond that, I admitted that my resolute wall of neatly packaged answers had been demolished, and I sat amongst the rubble, not knowing what to believe around the ‘how’ or ‘when’ of creation. Certainty offers security; the unknown is unsettling. Yet, somehow in letting go of the nitty-gritty specifics that had previously given such surety, I found deeper richness, humility and a heightened wonder at the mystery and power of God.

I began to understand the creation accounts as a reflection of God’s infinite creativity and illustrating his character. The Book of Romans tells us that God’s ‘eternal power and divine nature’ are evident in creation [Rom 1:20], while the Psalmists wax lyrical about God’s glory on display around and above us. As my studies developed, my perspective widened to see creation more acutely within the overarching narrative of Scripture. And yet, as wonderous as it is, creation is broken. Groaning. In pain [Rom 8:22]. Its current state is a shadow, seen ‘through a glass darkly,’ known only in part [1 Cor 3:12]. The corruption of sin taints the universe just as it does our lives, but ultimately, Jesus will return to purge evil and make all things new.

Incredibly, creation starts with a garden, Eden, which is fully the work of God. But New Creation appears as a garden city, New Jerusalem, which suggests it is the combined work of God and humanity. N.T. Wright points out that Christ will ‘make things new, not make new things’, and that even in New Jerusalem, ‘the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations’ [Rev 22:2]. In his words, ‘there is a project of healing in God’s new world,’ not replacement, and we as his (will-be) resurrected stewards seem to be invited to partner in that process of divine restoration.

I have therefore gone from being adamant that creation was made completely perfectly in six days, to ‘moving toward its God-ordained goal’ [Our Faith document p.2] and being comfortable with the intentional ambiguity of that statement. Many of the questions I wrestled with in 2011 remain unsolved, but I know God is the Creator, that we were made in his image, that God upholds and sustains all things, and one day will return to make everything new. As God’s special creation, we are invited to partner with him in restoring creation in the ‘already but not yet,’ and it excites me greatly to imagine what care of creation could look like in the Age to Come.

Simeon Hawkins
Junior Secondary Teacher
Social Studies | Biblical Studies | Religious Studies