Creation

Below are the resources that were used in the third class in the course: “Every Living Creature: God’s Design for Animals.” The class, preserved in its entirety in the video below, emphasizes the fact that the scriptures, mostly in the Book of Genesis, speak of animals in at least three distinct ways. In the first way, God has a relationship with the entire creation. The second motif sees the primary relationship as between God and people, with animals in a secondary and perhaps dispensible role. The third way sees God to be concerned with people primarily. People in turn lead and care for animals whose calling is to depend upon and serve humanity.

This class acknowledges the plurality of viewpoints found in the Bible, but seeks to elevate the first one, namely that God’s caring and saving plan includes all created living things.

Video of Class