The Message of Creation (The Bible Speaks Today) by David Wilkinson (19-Jul-2002) Paperback

The Bible Speaks Today: Bible Themes Series

by David Wilkinson

"Creation by God is perhaps the most fundamental message of the Bible. Human beings have always been faced with the question of why anything exists at all. This theme of creation is found not only in the early chapters of Genesis, but runs throughout the Bible." David Wilkinson captures something of the rich tapestry of creation as disclosed in the pages of Scripture. With the eyes of a theologian and a cosmologist he looks at the message of creation in representative biblical passages. He brings the texts into lively conversation with contemporary concerns. In particular, he explores the beginning, the songs, the fulfilment, the lessons and the Lord of creation.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Theology

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

David Adam Wilkinson is a British Methodist minister, theologian, astrophysicist and academic. He was the Principal of St John's College, Durham (2006-2023), and is a professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University. He remains at St John's College, having been appointed, in September 2023, Director of Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS), an international project based at St John’s College. He is the author of several books on the relationship between science and religion, and a regular contributor to Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4. He has a PhD in astrophysics and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Reviews

[Jimmy Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Wilkinson, a writer of commentaries that I have enjoyed in the past, contributes this volume on the message of creation in the Bible Speaks Today (BST). Some of the same theological skill that I saw in those other volumes is present here. Still, his approach seems unusual, or at least not what I expected, and doesn’t address some of the more debated aspects in the discussion of creation. This is not the place to sift all the arguments, pro or con, for a literal creation. You will find that he always lands in the egalitarian position when male/female issues present themselves in the early chapters of Genesis as well. Beyond these caveats, he does bring in several angles that you might not have thought of.

The 20 chapters of this book, that cover 20 distinct passages, are divided into five sections. These sections include the beginning of creation (all passages are in early Genesis), the songs of creation (Proverbs and Psalms), the Lord of creation (all New Testament texts), the lessons of creation (from unexpected texts), and the fulfillment of creation (includes Revelation 21). There’s an appendix that covers briefly some of the more expected issues. Throughout the volume, Mr. Wilkinson is not ugly to those who believe in seven-day creation but finds the viewpoint untenable.

Mr. Wilkinson is handy with a pen and a good communicator. Whether you agree with all his conclusions or not, you will receive some good food for thought. I could not recommend this book as the go-to volume on creation, but it’s a fine addition for a well-rounded library on the subject.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Michael Hillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author approaches creation, from Genesis to Revelation, as both a scientist and a theologian.

[Daniel Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Wilkinson, the scientist turned theologian extraordinaire, here covers a wide range of biblical texts concerning the doctrine of creation in an accessible if somewhat dry manner.

(Disclaimer: I do actually know the author personally as he is the principal of the college I attended in Durham. He is lovely as well as bogglingly intelligent).

[Stephen Dufton]

A verse by verse examination of all references in scripture to creation. Science v genesis at the back with a serious of questions. Crusty, but might be useful for bible study group