Scripture and Cosmology: Reading the Bible between the Ancient World and Modern Science

by Kyle R. Greenwood

Publisher:

IVP Academic

, 2015

Overview

Christians often claim to hold a biblical worldview. But what about a biblical cosmos view?

From the beginning of Genesis we encounter a vaulted dome above the earth, a “firmament,” like the ceiling of a planetarium. Elsewhere we read of the earth sitting on pillars. What does the dome of heaven have to do with deep space? Even when the biblical language is clearly poetic, it seems to be funded by a very different understanding of how the cosmos is put together.

As Kyle Greenwood shows, the language of the Bible is also that of the ancient Near Eastern palace, temple and hearth. There was no other way of thinking or speaking of earth and sky or the sun, moon and stars. But when the psalmist looked at the heavens, the delicate fingerwork of God, it evoked wonder. Even today it is astronomy and cosmology that invoke our awe and point toward the depths of divine mystery.

Greenwood helps us see how the best Christian thinkers have viewed the cosmos in light of Scripture—and grappled with new understandings as science has advanced from Aristotle to Copernicus to Galileo and the galaxies of deep space. It’s a compelling story that both illuminates the text of Scripture and helps us find our own place in the tradition of faithful Christian thinking and interpretation.

Key Features

• Examines the ancient Near Eastern view of our universe
• Helps us see how the best Christian thinkers have viewed the cosmos in light of Scripture

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• 1 Scripture in Context

Part One: Scripture and Cosmos in Cultural Context

• 2 Ancient Near Eastern Cosmologies
• 3 Cosmology in Scripture
• 4 Cosmology and Cosmogony in Scripture

Part Two: Cosmology and Scripture in Historical Context

• 5 Scripture and Aristotelian Cosmology
• 6 Scripture and Copernican Cosmology

Part Three: Scripture and Science

• 7 Cosmology and the Authority of Scripture
• 8 The Authority of Scripture and the Issue of Science
• Bibliography
• Author and Work Index
• Subject Index
• Scripture Index

Praise for the Print Edition

Kyle Greenwood provides us with fascinating details of the ancient Near Eastern view of our universe. His thorough biblical analysis shows how this view permeates the Bible, giving us a better understanding of the message that God has for us in his Word. Scripture and Cosmology will be a vital resource for everyone seeking to understand the Scriptures.

—Randy Isaac, executive director, American Scientific Affiliation

A very thorough survey, from the ancient Near East as the setting of the Bible through the Christian West’s use of the Bible in cosmological theories. And a very sensible closing chapter on the authority of Scripture and the issue of science, respecting the Bible for what it is and for what it is not. Even when we disagree on particular judgments along the way, we owe our thanks to Dr. Greenwood for this indispensable resource and for the friendly, learned and reverent tone throughout.

—C. John Collins, professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

In the modern conversation about science and Scripture we can easily get the impression that throughout history Christian interpreters spoke with a clear and unanimous voice, upholding Scripture against science. This book not only gives us a clear understanding of the view of the cosmos found in the ancient world and in Scripture, it helps us see the many issues that biblical interpreters have struggled with throughout the centuries. It thus provides important information to help us sort through the issues that face us today.

—John H. Walton, Wheaton College

Product Details

• Title: Scripture and Cosmology: Reading the Bible Between the Ancient World and Modern Science
• Author: Kyle R. Greenwood
• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Print Publication Date: 2015
• Logos Release Date: 2016
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• ISBNs: 9780830898701, 9780830840786, 0830898700, 0830840788
• Resource ID: LLS:9780830898701
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-06T20:48:43Z

About Kyle R. Greenwood

Kyle R. Greenwood (PhD, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) has taught at Colorado Christian University and Denver Seminary. He is the author of Scripture and Cosmology: Reading the Bible between the Ancient World and Modern Science.