mr. sweeney southwest high school. creation stories -- narratives describing how the world came...
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CREATION STORIES
Mr. SweeneySouthwest High School
The Creation by James Tissot
Creation Stories
Creation stories -- narratives describing how the world came into being and how people came into it Often called “myths,” but their cultures
believe them to be true Usually considered sacred; every religious
tradition has one Components of the story reveal a lot about a
culture’s values
Types of Creation Stories
Creation ex nihilo – Story in which a divine being creates the universe out of nothing
Earth diver – Story in which some animal dives to the bottom of a sea and brings up the soil from which the land is created
Emergence myth – Story in which beings pass through a series of states or worlds before arriving in this one
Types of Creation Stories
Creation by dismemberment – Story in which the universe is created from the body parts of a cosmic being
Creation by separation – Story in which a single thing (such as an egg) is broken, releasing the material that makes up the universe
Why Tell Creation Stories?
Many people in many cultures believe their stories are true
Our creation stories allow us to explain the world
Our creation stories establish the values we hold sacred
Our creation stories define us How are we defined by where we come from?
