The Cosmos and the Creator

The need to position Christianity in relation to other religions notably Judaism and Islam, has brought about renewed interest in the theme of creation, which has been off the theological agenda for much of this century. Environmentalists, biologists feminists and process theologians have all registered concerns from their particular standpoints, about the way the traditional doctrine of creation characterises the relationship between the cosmos and its creator. The holism of the New Age and its resonance with eastern patterns of thought seems to offer something radically different from the Judaeo-Christian understanding of creation. In the light of these concerns the author argues for the doctrine of creation as a distinctively Christian article of faith. In recognising at the the same time that criticisms made of its traditional formulations must be properly acknowledged and accommodated, the author is able to use the best insights from secular disclipines to construct a theology of creation which is truly responsible.