Aetiological Myth

I would define aetiological myth as a culture's explanation for something that has happened in the past, usually in nature. An aetiological myth is usually one that is very supernatural, especially when it comes to phenomenon in nature. One example of this is in Hesiod's Theogany. The Greeks have a story of how the earth and the heavens came into existence which is quite a simple story. The myth says that the "Chasm" came out of nowhere, and out of it came earth where man would live. Then out of earth came the night, and from the night came air and day. Then earth bore the sea, and the heavens. (Hesiod pg 6). The Greeks came up with this creation explanation to fit their ideas, and this would build into more of their aetiological myths.

Ancient Worldviews

1. What is the most significant contrast between ancient worldviews and modern Western worldviews?

I think that one of the most contrasting things about ideas in ancient times versus now is how science was viewed. Science was viewed more as a mystical study. The ancients viewed many more things as supernatural. However, now we can explain most things through physical science. People do not view many things ,if any, as supernatural in current times. Also, many people now believe that they are their own master. Our culture tells us that we can be whatever we want to be, and that we can make our own rules. However, people in ancient times were not as educated generally as we are now, so they were more reliant on authorities (i.e. priests, kings, lords) to tell them how to live their lives, and that created a much different atmosphere than now.

4. How can understanding a culture's basic worldview help us better understand or interpret its
history?

To truly understand the history of another culture, you need to step into their shoes, and see the world through their eyes. This is necessary because if something happened in a culture's history, we can view what happened and probably get most of the facts right, however if we are not thinking like they do, and understanding their worldview, then we can't understand how this occurrence will affect them. Seeing the world as another culture does can help immensely to understand how their history affects them.

How would you define mythology?

I would define mythology as the way a culture believes how something happened that usually entails supernatural elements. mythology can also be a story that is either accepted as a truth, or accepted as a great legend. Elements of these stories include a hero, and often times again supernatural phenomena. Humans have a longing and fascination with the supernatural, and that comes through in mythology

Creation

Reading Genesis 1-3 shows that God is a very generous and providing God. The first example of this is in Genesis 1:26, when God makes man out of his own image. The fact that God gave up his unique appearance so that we could share it with him was something very generous of him. Also, we see God providing for Adam and Eve in many ways. In chapter 1 verse 29, God gives man food from every plant on the planet so that they can survive. Also, even though it is a small detail, when God sends Adam and Eve out of the garden in chapter 3 verse 21, he makes them clothes for them as they go. This shows how even in discipline, God provides.

We can also investigate the nature of God through observing how he creates. In chapter 1, almost every paragraph about each different creation has the phrase, "And it was so." in it. This means that all creation obeys God, and all he has to do is speak, and he can create or destroy. For example, Chapter 1 verse 3 says, "And God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light." This shows that God has absolute power.

Chapter 2 verse 7 says, "Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." We can tell a lot about the Hebrew point of understanding from this verse. This shows a great level of segregation between God and man. Man was literally created out of dust, and God breathed his spirit into us so that we could live. We are not anywhere near God's power or authority. The Hebrews see God as the truly almighty being that he is, and they see humans as well beneath his power.

We can characterize much of the Hebrew worldview through four questions. The first is, "Who am I?" The Hebrews believe that we are the creation of God, made in his image and likeness. The second is, "Why am I here?" The Hebrews believe that Man was created as a steward of God's creation. We were made to keep the land, and have dominion over it (Genesis 2:15-20). The Third question is, "What is God like?" As we discussed before, God is a providing and merciful God. He provided man with food and cloth. Also, when he saw that man needed a companion, he didn't leave him to suffer, but made a companion for him- woman (Genesis 2:22). The final question is, "What is truth?" What we can see about what the Hebrews view as truth is shown in Genesis 1-3. They believe that God spoke the world into existence, and that God's holy word is truth.

The Three Levels of Questioning

Level One: Level one of questioning has to do with the background of the document you are reading, and the author who wrote it. The questions asked on this level are questions such as, "Who wrote this document?", "Who is the intended audience?", and "What is the story line?" The inquiries of this level are to find a solid; basic information about the document itself, and the author.

Level Two: Level two of questioning is centralized around just the document. The goal of these questions is to investigate more into the  information behind the document. some of the questions asked are, "Why was this document written?", "What type of document is this?", and "What are the basic assumptions made in this document?" This level helps you understand your document more deeply.

Level Three: The final level of questioning, level three, are questions made to help you apply the document to yourself, and your own life. It is a more theological level. The questions asked on this level are questions like, "Can I believe this document?", "What can i learn about the society that produced this document?", and "What does this document mean to me?" These questions are an application to your own experiences.