Stitt
Genesis Lecture
Fall 2007

Goals:
(1) introduce some of the issues involved in determining "the" text
(2) establish the concepts of continuity and variation in tradition
(3) introduce the profound philosophical impact of monotheism

I. "The" Bible does not exist: Tell, Write, Print

II. The Tradition of the Paradaisical Garden
     A. Thematic continuity: unity among nature, humans, and god(s) before the introduction of culture.
     B. Narrative continuity: the Hebraic patriarchs came from Mesopotamia: Dilmun and Eden
     C. Variation: the introduction of monotheism

III. The Impact of Monotheism (Remember: three monotheistic religions)
     A. Review
          1. The Gilgamesh poem
               a. Separation of animals, humans, and gods has already occurred
               b. The extant Babylonian text is historicized (Damrosch): the gods have withdrawn from direct
               influence (dreams), and if they do intrude the intrusion is disastrous (Ishtar)
          2. Genesis
               a. The narrative describes the process of separation of animals, humans, and God
               b. After separation, elements of civilization arrive: clothing (shame), agriculture (work)
     B. Monotheism: (1) If God is Good, why does evil exist?
          1. The universe of the humans was created by evil beings
              a. Concept developed in early Christianity in Asia Minor
              b. Caught hold in Bulgaria
              c. The Cathars and Albigensians of southern France (and the Albigensian Crusade)
          2. The Heresy of Manicheeism
              a. God and the Devil are equal and opposite forces
              b. Not truly monotheistic
          3. Therefore:
               a. An inherently good God allows evil to exist
                    i. By implication, evil must have some potentially good quality
                    ii. By implication, it is not inevitable that bad (evil) things will happen
               b. Therefore:
                    i. God does not cause bad things, but tolerates their existence
                    ii. If neither God nor the Devil are causative, then the causative force must be human
      C. Monotheism: (2) Humans have free will
            1. Bad things happen because humans are free to make bad choices (Milton: "sufficient to
                stand, but free to fall"
            2. Humans have a proclivity to error (codified in Christianity into the doctrine of Original Sin)
            3. Therefore: since God is good and humans are inclined to error, humans must strive to
                 understand what God wants them to do.
       D. Monotheism: (3) God is the sole source, exemplar, and judge of morality. (Foreign to
             polytheism)
            1. Learn Good by studying sacred texts
            2. Learn Good by establishing a personal relationship with God (ancient Greeks derisively
                refered to Jews as "God-fearing men"
            3. Learn Good by listening to those individuals provided by God to help others -- the clergy
                a. Are clergy inherently "better" people? (some sects "yes," some sects "no")
                b. in a backlash to Roman Catholicism, this tenet would be rejected by some Protestant sects
        E. Monotheism: (4) The Good God provides the means for humans to return to a virtually God-like
             existence
             1. Judism and Islam: a future savior
             2. Christianity: Jesus Christ

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