The Message of Creation: Encountering the Lord of the Universe

The Bible Speaks Today: Bible Themes Series

by David Wilkinson

Human beings have always faced the question of why anything exists at all. The Bible answers, declaring that God is the creator of all that is--and the re-creator of all that has been bent or broken. Not only is the theme of creation found in the first chapters of Genesis, it runs throughout the Bible. Creation is a master theme of Scripture, a sightline that brings much of biblical revelation into perspective. David Wilkinson traces the theme of creation through the rich tapestry of Scripture, taking soundings of key texts. With the mind of a theologian and a cosmologist, he listens to the message of creation and brings it into lively conversation with contemporary concerns. From the story of beginnings to the fulfillment of creation, we explore the hymns, the lessons and the splendor of the Lord of creation.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Theology

296 pages, Paperback

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