Western Civilization Essay Example for Free

Western Civilization Essay Between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, early modern European society began to fear the possibility that witches existed in their midst. The resultant panic led to massive persecution in the form of the trial and torture and subsequent execution of a 40,000 to 50,000 suspected witches, about 75% of which were women, over a period of 100,000 trials between 1450 and 1750. While estimates written in the mid-1970s place the figures at about 9 million women, this is an exaggerated estimate derived from extremist or polemical feminist accounts which seek to create a proto-feminist depiction of this period. Still, it is difficult to cite any other period in which women were persecuted and subject to atrocities of a similar or larger scale. In any case, it was rapid social, economic and religious transformation in Europe during this time that ‘helped’ set the stage for these witch hunts. Gibbons (1998) notes that the spread of Christianity led to a religious homogeneity that gave way to a declining tolerance towards pagan religions and witchcraft. Additionally, Europe in the early 14th century was crippled by rumors of a ‘malign conspiracy’ to bring down Christianized nations. In essence, the decline of religious diversity that comes with the hegemonic presence of Christianity as spiritual way of life of the common European meant that acceptance of other religions was rapidly diminished. The Black Death or bubonic plague which struck Europe during the mid 14th century intensified the rumors of the aforementioned conspiracy under the allegation that the plague was the creation of witches and other pagans who ostensibly sought to destabilize Christian rule. The implicit impact of the Reformation upon European Christendom also supports this view. During this period, the number of witch trials actually dropped, notes Gibbons (1998). As such, the conflict between the entrenched Catholicism and the emerging Protestant movement resulted in the collapse of Christian orthodoxy. Also, it is interesting to note that only the nations in which rapid development was occurring that the witch hunt panic was at its strongest. Spain, Italy and Portugal did not experience as much panic as the nations of Germany and Switzerland. In any case, the prevailing instability of Europe during this time exacerbated the witch panic. Because European civilization depended heavily on a homogenous grain-based agriculture – but without many of the industrial (albeit environmentally unsustainable) advances and insurances that it enjoys today – it was much more susceptible to the dangers of crop failure. Sociologists have noted that such crop failures are correlated with the occurrence of witch hunts, with the explanation being that there is a tendency within humans to blame inexplicable disaster on a much more ‘known’ variable (albeit one that is not well understood). Communities which experienced the crop failure would take their anxieties out on the community members who were considered deviant and therefore concluded to be responsible for such crop failures. Such a sociological explanation is not far removed from the same conditions which gave rise to the anti-Semitic sentiment that gave rise to Nazism, which blamed the Jewish people for economic problems. By the 18th century, the witch hunts began to subside. Perhaps the most significant macro explanation for this decline was the restoration of stability to Europe, which Hannam (2007) describes as creating an absence of the reasons that started them in the first place. For example, the height of the Salem witch trials occurred when theocratic authority was in question. Greater protections were given to impoverished women when England implemented the Poor Law. Also, radical new works in social thought led to greater acceptance of cultural and religious diversity and pluralism. REFERENCES Kagan, D. , Ozment, S. , Turner, F. (2007) The Western Heritage. 9th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall. Gibson, J. (1998) â€Å"Recent Developments In The Study of the Great European Witch Hunt. † Pomegranate, Issue 5 Hannam, J. (2007) â€Å"The Decline of Witch Trials in Europe. † Medieval Science and Philosophy. Retrieved May 23, 2008 from: http://jameshannam. com/witchtrial. htm

Fathers Attitude of Love Towards Sinners. Essay -- Religion Religious

Fathers Attitude of Love Towards Sinners The Parable of the Prodigal Son reveals both Gods love for those who are ready to accept it, which in this case is the prodigal son who returns to his father, and his rejection of the self-centered righteousness. Repentance and forgiveness are essential to everyday life. In the book of Luke, the parable of the prodigal son is told. The father in the parable represents God. The prodigal son is symbolic of one who is living in sin, repents, and returns to fellowship with God. The prodigal son decided he had enough under his father and wanted to be on his own. Not only did he want to leave, but he also wanted to take his share of the inheritance that he was not supposed to get until his fathers death. The father granted his sons request. Though he gives a portion of his money to his son, the father still is wealthy. The father was not really concerned about what he gave his son, but concerned with his sons personal safety and return to the family. God does not lose anything by our decis ion to live in rebellion. Humans are the only ones who lose everything. The son left for a far off country and threw away his inheritance with wild living. The sons careless behavior was simply a symptom of the deep desire to be his own master, to live independently, to do as he pleased. The spiritual meaning behind the parable shows mans rebellion against God. God does not oppose ones choice in choosing how to live. We as humans use all that God has granted us not for serving Him in obedience, but against His will. According to the teachings in the Bible, God allows humans the freedom to make decisions in life. Some choices or decisions will lead either to true peace and freedom or to destruction. Many peo... ...o matter how badly one screws up, God is always there waiting to forgive. We as humans need to make the decision to repent and ask for forgiveness with a meek spirit. We all at one point in our lives are the prodigal son. Works Cited 1. Kennedy, X.J., Gioia, Dana. The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Literature: An Introduction to fiction, poetry, and drama. New York: Longman, 2002. 232-33. 2. Kennedy, X.J., Gioia, Dana. Prodigal Son. Literature: An Introduction to fiction, poetry, and drama. New York: Longman, 2002. 1361-66. 3. Jeremias, Joachim. The parable of the Prodigal Son. The Parables of Jesus. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1963. 4. Hunter, Archibald. Prodigal Son. Interpreting the Parables. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960. 5. Buttrick, George. Luke 15:11-32. The Interpreters Bible. New York: Abingdon=Cokesbury Press, 1952.

Johnny Depp †A Philosopher Among Actors Essay

â€Å"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.† In simple terms, this quote is referring to those who do not conform to the standards placed on them by their culture or subculture. In Hollywood, the way one becomes an A-List actor is by conforming to the Hollywood system: take the roles that provide the largest paychecks. Ben Affleck did not become a superstar celebrity by following his passion; Reindeer Games and Gigli are perfect examples of that. However, there is one actor who has consistently chosen his own roles, much to the dismay of his agent, based solely on his interest in the character he will portray. This actor has never taken a role that he did not feel passionate about, regardless of the flack he received from critics or the general public, and he is now one of Hollywood’s finest. Johnny Depp stands out from the crowd because rather than conforming to the Hollywood standard he has become an A-List actor by following his own muse, or walking â€Å"to the beat of a different drummer.† A perfect example of Johnny Depp’s passion for his work is his starring role in the movie, â€Å"Ed Wood,† about Ed Wood, a filmmaker best known for making bad movies. It sounds ironic, but Johnny was insistent that this was a great movie. Despite, at the height of his career, being told that making this movie would ruin his professional image, he pursued the role. The movie was made, and it went on to win an Academy Award. Another example of Johnny Depp’s dedication is the movie â€Å"Once Upon A Time In Mexico† filmed in the heat of the summer of 2002. Because he wanted this role, Johnny agreed to film for seven consecutive days at 12-16 hours per day! A typical A-List actor will, under no circumstances, work for more than 8 hours per shooting day. Other movies that Depp was warned not to do, which went on to become successful were: â€Å"Edward Scissorhands,† â€Å"Dead Man,† â€Å"What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,† and â€Å"Pirates of the Caribbean,† for which he is nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards this year. Johnny Depp is renowned for his choice of movie roles. He does not simply work for the paycheck; he is truly pursuing his passion, and he has done it  quite successfully. Roger Ebert, a well-known film critic, has called Depp â€Å"a modern Thoreau – a philosopher among actors.† At the 76th Annual Academy Awards, Johnny Depp was recognized specifically for his success in taking part in only films that he truly wanted to be a part of. Considering the standards that the industry places on actors, the fact that Johnny Depp has not sold out and taken a role simply for the money, is an admirable quality. If everyone possessed such commitment in their work, and more so, such conviction, life would be much more enjoyable to live.

Their Eyes Were Watching God - 1273 Words

It is a commonly held belief that our childhoods have at least some effect on our adult life. For Zora Neale Hurston, she presents that view in her novel, Their Eyes were Watching God. While Hurston does not give too much insight into Janie’s childhood, one can perceive how her adult life has been affected by what Hurston gives. Janie was raised by her Nanny, used to enduring things that were out of her control in her childhood (specifically started when she was young and married off.) It seems as if Janie is never in full control, despite making decisions that should alter her life. Janie also possesses a sort of innocence, especially when it comes to love, as she grows older. Comparing that to Ernest Hemingway’s The Nick Adams Stories, Nick shows a different aspect of how a childhood can impact adulthood. He is a character that grows up learning to be independent and having an ability to take care of himself. And that stems from the experiences he has a child. In Thei r Eyes were Watching God, the only heritage we learn about is Janie’s mother and grandmother. Nanny came from slavery and tells Janie, â€Å"it wasn’t for me to fulfill my dreams of whut a woman oughta be and to do.† Janie’s mother came from the alluded to raping inflicted on Nanny: the slave owner’s wife questions why Leafy has â€Å"gray eyes and yaller hair† (Hurston 16-17). Janie herself was the product of a rape as well when Leafy was held â€Å"in de woods all night long† by her teacher. (Hurston 19) Both ofShow MoreRelatedTheir Eyes Were Watching God1064 Words   |  5 Pagessignificant than death. In Zora Neale Hurston’s famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the main character Janie Crawford is plagued by the deaths of loved ones. Janie moves from caregiver to caregiver searching for true love and happiness, only to have it stripped away from her once she finds it in her third husband Tea Cake. At the end of the novel, having realized true love and loss, Janie is a whole woman. Their Eyes Were Watching God portrays the growth of the human spirit through both the emotionalRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God1780 Words   |  8 Pagesshort story â€Å"Sweat† and novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, the focus is on women who want better lives but face difficult struggles before gaining them. The difficulties involving men which Janie and Delia incur result from or are exacerbated by the intersection of their class, race, and gender, which restrict each woman for a large part of her life from gaining her independence. Throughout a fair part of Zora Neal Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie’s low class create problemsRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God932 Words   |  4 PagesJanie Crawford: The Woman Whose Clothing Conveys Her Relationships In Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the protagonist, Janie, endures two marriages before finding true love. In each of Janie’s marriages, a particular article of clothing is used to symbolically reflect, not only her attitude at different phases in her life, but how she is treated in each relationship. In Janie’s first marriage with Logan Killicks, an apron is used to symbolize the obligation in her marriage. â€Å"Read More Eyes Were Watching God Essay711 Words   |  3 Pages Their Eyes Were Watching God provides an enlightening look at the journey of a quot;complete, complex, undiminished human beingquot;, Janie Crawford. Her story, based on self-exploration, self-empowerment, and self-liberation, details her loss and attainment of her innocence and freedom as she constantly learns and grows from her experiences with gender issues, racism, and life. The story centers around an important theme; that personal discoveries and life experiences help a person findRead MoreAnalysis Of Their Eyes Were Watching God 1061 Words   |  5 PagesDivision: Janie Crawford in Their Eyes Were Watching God Their Eyes Were Watching God was written in 1937 by Zora Neale Hurston. This story follows a young girl by the name of Janie Crawford. Janie Crawford lived with her grandmother in Eatonville, Florida. Janie was 16 Years old when her grandmother caught her kissing a boy out in the yard. After seeing this her grandmother told her she was old enough to get married, and tells her she has found her a husband by the name of Logan. Logan was a muchRead More Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay1757 Words   |  8 Pages Their Eyes Were Watching God Book Report 1. Title: Their Eyes Were Watching God 2. Author/Date Written: Zora Neale Hurston/1937 3. Country of Author: 4. Characters Janie Mae Crawford- The book’s main character. She is a very strong willed, independent person. She is able to defy a low class, unhappy life because of these factors, even though the environment that she grew up and lived in was never on her side. Pheoby Watson – Janie’s best friend in Eatonville. Pheoby is the only towns person whoRead MoreWhose eyes were watching God?1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhose eyes were watching God? In the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oprah Winfrey manipulates events that happened in the book by Zora Neale Hurston. Oprah morphs many relationships in the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God. She changes the role of gender, and also makes changes in Janie’s character strength. Oprah also changes the symbolism in the movie to where some important symbols in the book change to less important roles. Oprah changes many important events in the book Their Eyes WereRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God Essay724 Words   |  3 PagesTHEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD ESSAY  ¬Ã‚ ¬ Janie Crawford is surrounded by outward influences that contradict her independence and personal development. These outward influences from society, her grandma, and even significant others contribute to her curiosity. Tension builds between outward conformity and inward questioning, allowing Zora Neal Hurston to illustrate the challenge of choice and accountability that Janie faces throughout the novel. Janie’s Grandma plays an important outward influenceRead MoreEssay on Their Eyes Were Watching God921 Words   |  4 PagesTheir Eyes Were Watching God An Analysis So many people in modern society have lost their voices. Laryngitis is not the cause of this sad situation-- they silence themselves, and have been doing so for decades. For many, not having a voice is acceptable socially and internally, because it frees them from the responsibility of having to maintain opinions. For Janie Crawford, it was not: she finds her voice among those lost within the pages of Zora Neale Hurston’s famed novel, Their Eyes Were WatchingRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Hurston Essay1233 Words   |  5 PagesHurston In the novel â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God† by Zora Neal Hurston is about a young woman named Janie Crawford who goes on a journey of self discovery to find her independence. The book touches on many themes like gender roles, relations, independence and racism however racism isn’t mainly focused upon in the book which some writers felt should have been. Some felt that the representation of black characters should have been better role models. Zora Hurston’s novel wasn’t like other black literature

Discuss the Caretaker as A Comedy of Menace. - 6631 Words

The initial review of Harold Pinters The Caretaker generally followed a pattern: the brilliance of the actors was celebrated and the questions of influence, primarily Becketts, were linked to discussions of the relationship between the comic and serious elements in the play. Interpretations of the meaning varied from the literal to the fully allegorical, by way of generalized abstract tags. Subsequent academic criticism, deriving from textual study rather than stage performance, has early always followed the serio-tragical-symbolical-abstract line- what we might call Modern Man in Search of His Insurance Cards, or, I stink. Therefore I am. The comedy of The Caretaker is not a dispensable palliative. To discuss meaning without taking†¦show more content†¦Rather than follow the tendency to generalise from paraphrase and thereby lose the essential drama, one must examine certain passages in order to bring out the deeply sensitive psychological insight that lies behind Pinters p lain statement. Deeply Sensitive Psychological Insight When the curtain rises, Mick shares the activity of the audience. He slowly looks about The Room looking at each object in turn. He looks up at the ceiling, and stares at the bucket. Then he brazenly separates himself from the audience. Ceasing, he sits quite still, expressionless, looking out front. Silence for thirty seconds. Mick then leaves upon hearing muffled voices. This silent enigma is in dramatic contrast to the end of the play. At the outset Mick, in effect, rejects the audience by walking offstage after a protracted silence, while at the close it is Davies who is left onstage rejected by the audience insofar as we recognize that he must go. But this formal, inverted symmetry is recognised retrospectively. Micks silence and departure stays as a qualm, leaving a question behind the laughter that is immediate. Astons opening invitation to Davies to sit down is manifestly frustrated by the evident disorder of the attic. As Aston sorts out

Wgu Jdt2 Task 2 - 4523 Words

JFT2 Organizational Management Task 2 Western Governors University JFT2 Organizational Management Task 2 A1. Utah Symphony Strengths and Weaknesses The Utah Symphony has been a leading arts organization in the western part of the United States for decades. They have a rich, long history. Many strengths have contributed to this success and continue to do today. Financially, the organization is able to raise money through various means. For the fiscal year 00-01, the symphony was able to raise $3.8 million through performance revenues, $3.1 million through government grants, and $4.5 million through fundraising. With another $1 million coming from investments other minor sources, they had an operating budget of $12.4 million†¦show more content†¦With his position assured, Ewers and Lockhart needs to go over the financials of both organizations and what they will look like for the new organization. It should become clear to Lockhart that the musicians’ collective bargaining agreement will need to be renegotiated. Because of his relationship with the musicians, Lockhart should be able to convince them that there is no alternative to negotiating a new contract if the new organizations is to get off its feet. Anne also needs to convince the musicians of her commitment to the arts and her ability to lead such a prestigious organization and to do so, she will need to highlight her past accomplishments. Anne has had enormous success in directing operas, including serving as stage director for over 60 opera productions world wide, including the adored San Francisco Opera. In addition, she had stints as assistant director at the San Francisco Opera and the Canadian Opera. She also sought to increase the amount of productions during her time at the Boston Lyrics Opera instead of decreasing them to help retire the debt there. This should convince the musicians not only of Anne’s ability to lead them but also of her desire to build an elite artsShow MoreRelatedWGU JDT2 Financial Analysis Task 22645 Words   |  11 Pagesï » ¿Competition Bikes Inc. Storyline Operational Analysis 03/10/2014 WGU JET2 Financial Analysis Task 2 Introduction In this task, the budget schedule and proformas as well as the flexible budget were reviewed. Below you will find my analysis and recommended corrective actions as well as how management by exception applies. Budget Planning Concerns Competition Bikes has a good starting point for a budget but is overall weak and has several budgetary concerns. A few of those items are

Critical Analysis of Genesis free essay sample

World Behind the text Historical and Cultural Context Genesis illustrates the way Biblical writers J (Yahwist), E (Elohist) and P (Priestly) drew upon the cultural and religious legacy of the Ancient Near East (ANE) along with its stories and imagery and transformed it to conform to a new vision of a non-mythological God and a monotheistic, superior religion. â€Å"The Pentateuch developed against the background of the Ancient Near Eastern culture first cultivated in and spread by Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian empires†. From this, we can see how Israelite religion was â€Å"shaped by responses to and reactions against this culture due both to contacts with neighboring Canaanites and to conflicts with Assyrian and Babylonian empires†. Genesis 1:1-2:4a can therefore be said to reflect the â€Å"Babylonian account of creation, which we call Enuma Elish†¦known from at least 1700 BCE,† â€Å"predating the earliest text of Genesis by at least a millennium,† as both their structure and content are similar. In both Genesis and the Enuma Elish, the earth is made up of water and is divided into upper and lower waters and the days of creation in Genesis follow almost the exact same order in the Enuma Elish. The Enuma Elish is recorded on seven tablets and the Genesis account is completed in seven days. The Babylonians created humans to serve as slaves yet in Genesis God creates humans in the likeness of the divine. The Priestly source penned the creation story â€Å"with the purpose of portraying both the beginnings of mankind and Israel in the spirit of a monotheistic concept with a didactic aim. This conveys the notion of a superior religion assuming Gods eternity; as Genesis 1:1 states that in the beginning, He created, not that he was created. It is therefore implied that at the beginning of time God was already there, and as nothing is created from thin air, we can conclude that God is omnipotent and his existence has always been, portraying him as infinitely superior to those Gods o f the Ancient Near East who were created by other Gods. â€Å"The scope of Genesis 1:1-2:4 contains an entire portrait of the nature of Yahweh, over against all pagan claims. Implying that God is a being of infinite wisdom, power and absolute intellect, superior to those of the ANE. The passage was written for the Israelites to gain an understanding of their place within Gods creation and to explain the relationship between God and humans. Source Criticism The narrative occurs twice within the first two chapters, Genesis 1 is believed to be by the Priestly author or school of authors who referred to God as ‘Elohim’ because of their observance of and focus on the Sabbath, the establishment of the priesthood and various rituals. Genesis 2-3 is seen as a doublet, or second creation story, tied to a different source, J, who referred to God as Yahweh. Whilst having a doublet of a story and various names for God used in both stories cannot be considered evidence for two separate writers, â€Å"when the doublet of stories line up into two groups where one group consistently uses one name of God and the other uses another, that’s strong evidence. † When Israel went into exile under the Babylonians in 597 to 586, a school of priests seems to have gathered many of the cultic and legal traditions together. This priestly work, called P, thus formed a source which made the earlier historical accounts more complete. † Gowan also believes that P wrote the first creation story to reflect a setting during the Babylonian exile, â€Å"after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587BC between the middle of the 6th century and the middle of the 5th century†. Given that P writes with the purpose of showing Israelites that God has showed continuing care over them from the time of the origins of the universe and â€Å"was very concerned to give Israel a sense of trust in Yahweh’s goodness and fidelity so that they would not lose faith,† it is fair to assume that it was written during the time of exile when Israelites would be questioning their faith as a result of the significant and continuous hardships they had faced. Further evidence that the author of Genesis 1 is P is that â€Å"the account of creation in Genesis 1 has the refrains and solemn tones of a liturgical prayer†¦it maintains an interest in precise genealogy lists, a task of ancient temple scribes,† and pays close attention to structure and the repetition of key expressions, having a powerful effect on the reader, a style of writing that would only have been used by the well educated at the time, pointing directly to priests. World of the text Literary Context Genesis is the first of the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch, written in Hebrew in Israel, interweaving many genres including myth, epic and history. â€Å"Israel’s Bible begins with an extended look at the world prior to Israel instead of assuming that the world began when it came to be. † â€Å"Gen 2-9 is introduced by Gen 1 and carried forward by Gen 10-11. Gen 1-11 then is a single story, an unusually sustained â€Å"philosophical† and â€Å"theological† explanation,† explaining our relationship with God, our flaws and destiny and religious institutions. Whilst P is the author of Genesis 1, Genesis 2 has been tied to J and differs significantly in its tone and focus. J writes almost as if it is a fairytale and where the P account focuses on the origin of the world with the creation of mankind as its climax, J â€Å"begins with Gods creation of the man, and describes how subsequently God builds up a world for his new creature,† creating the animals for the purpose of human companionship and giving humans care over the Garden of Eden. This contrasts to P who writes that humans are to ‘subdue’ and hold ‘dominion’ over the other living beings. Furthermore, whilst P writes in a chronological and symmetrical structure, J has poorer structure and does not discuss the creation of the universe in as much depth and instead focuses on humans. Genre The genre of Genesis 1:1-2:4a serves as a ‘consciously planned’ historical narrative or genealogy, containing dialogue in the form of God’s commands of creation, climaxing with the creation of man in God’s image. It has an introduction (1:1), a body (1:2-2:3) and a conclusion (2:4a) and together a unit is formed. ’ Structure In this passage, the author is the narrator; God himself is alive. â€Å"We first encounter God in motion – His spirit moving across the face of the deep. The entire creation account can be read as the result of this motion,† with the climax of this motion being the creation of human b eings in God’s image. In this way, humans are set apart from the creation of other beings, which establishes their role on earth and facilitates communication between humans and God. The passage uses imagery throughout along with the repetition of ‘evening’ and ‘morning’ in order to divide the passage into its seven-day structure. Genesis 1:1-2:3 comprises of six paragraphs for the six days of creation with the seventh paragraph emphasizing the importance of the Sabbath, repeating the theme of seven. †The account itself is organized into two parallel groups of three. In the first group, regions are created: night and day, firmament and oceans, and the land. The corresponding inhabitants of these regions form the second group: astronomical bodies, birds and fish, land animals and man. † Upon analysis of the seven days of creation, God created habitations in the first three days for the creatures created in the final three days. The phrase, â€Å"In the beginning God created† conveys the complete authority and ownership God has over creation and is a true introduction, one that condenses the essence of the whole passage. The power that God has over everything he created is the essential message upon which the rest of the bible is built upon. The completion of the passage with the creation of mankind is a climactic end and shows the great importance placed on the creation of humans in Gods image to control and care for his creation. Literary Qualities There are various literary qualities present in the passage. Firstly, days one to three and days four to six are tied together by particular verbs. Days one through three use verbs of formation, â€Å"separate† and â€Å"gather†. While days three through six use verbs of filling; â€Å"teem†, â€Å"fill†, â€Å"be fruitful† and â€Å"increase†. Furthermore, the first three days are concerned with forming while days 4-6 focus on filling. Also, day one and day four can be compared by the use of the key word ‘light’ as can days two and five’s use of ‘upper and lower waters’ in both their creation and inhabitants. These comparisons demonstrate the intentional literary composition of the creation story, â€Å"emphasizing the symmetry and orderliness of God’s creative activity. † P â€Å"presents God’s power, freedom and unchallenged control over the world by the calm and deliberate repetition of the basic formula ‘God said,’ ‘Let there be,’ ‘And it was so. ’† The repetition of these phrases conveys a message of the ultimate strength and powerfulness of God. The overall tone of the passage is joyous with series of solemn announcements and commands. The Priestly source also uses light as a metaphor in this passage as Maier states, â€Å"it is no accident that Jesus is called the light of the world. † Religious Message amp; Purpose The message of the passage is that God is the almighty and powerful creator of the universe and all beings within it, creating humans in his likeness to care for the world. â€Å"It concludes with the sanctification of the seventh day, showing that the Sabbath day is of such importance to the author that he associates it with creation itself; but he does not explicitly draw the law of the Sabbath from creation. † The passage is set in the wilderness at the beginning of time, with the only character present in the passage being God, the creator. He displays human qualities and personalities by resting on the seventh day, allowing humans to better relate to and identify with this Supreme Being who shows human weakness in the form of tiredness. The World in front of the Text Today, just as in ancient times, religion â€Å"helps us to define ourselves, making the world and life comprehensible to us. † Humans find comfort in believing that there is something out there more powerful than themselves that has control over what they do and what happens to them and in this ense I believe that Genesis 1 is still relevant to today’s society. Both versions of the creation story were written with the intention of proclaiming the greatness of God and historically I believe the writers served their purpose, particularly during the time of the Exodus, creating â€Å"more than a story of Israel’s past (instead) creating a theology and purpose that explained the religious faith and spirit of the nation,† becoming t he foundation for Israel’s future focus upon God’s love. In ancient times, particularly during the Exodus, Gods creation and recreation of the world (the flood) and his renewed blessing after humans commit sin would have been important to remember during exile and would have given the Israelites grounds for new and continued hope. â€Å"It is easy to see that P moves the story of salvation along as a single historical lesson for future generations†¦weaving themes of blessing, promise, covenant and human response to god. † Upon such deep analysis of this passage I believe that it can still be interpreted in the same way today as it was originally intended, not in a literal manner but with an understanding of the greatness and power of God and his impact on our lives. Bibliography Achtemeier, Paul J. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary. Rev. ed. NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 1996 Boadt, Lawrence. Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. New York: Paulist Press, 1984 Clifford, Richard. J. and Murphy, Roland. E. â€Å"Genesis. † In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary.