I was excited to join over 40 people at Old Bishopsbourne on 19 July for the public lecture by John Walton, an Old Testament scholar from the USA. John spoke so eloquently and engagingly about The Lost World of Genesis, focusing on the creation story. One of the many points that will stay with me are that the intent of the narrative in Genesis one is not to explain the material circumstances of creation, but God’s role in creation: to create a world of order from chaos through the WORD. This is not about evolution or creationism, but that the nature of God’s operation in the universe is to create order. To go one step further, John spoke about God creating humanity from dust – taking one thing and making it something greater: each of us, created in God’s image. Christ Jesus then takes us and makes us something greater. What Good News!
Many thanks to the Mathew Hale Public Library and St Francis College for this fantastic opportunity to hear a world class academic speaker, and for fine fellowship in magnificent surroundings. I am looking forward to the next event in October.
Thanks to Melissa Conway for writing this report.