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The Theology of Human Work As Found in the Genesis Narrative Compared with the Co-Creationist Theology of Human Work

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The Theology of Human Work As Found in the Genesis Narrative Compared with the Co-Creationist Theology of Human Work Avondale College ResearchOnline@Avondale Theses PhD Theses 12-2014 The Theology of Human Work as Found in the Genesis Narrative Compared with the Co-Creationist Theology of Human Work Elizabeth E. Ostring Avondale College of Higher Education, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_phd Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Ostring, E. (2014). The theology of human work as found in the Genesis Narrative compared to co- creationist theology of human work (Doctoral dissertation, Avondale College of Higher Education, Cooranbong, Australia). Retrieved from https://research.avondale.edu.au/theses_phd/3 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at ResearchOnline@Avondale. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses PhD by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@Avondale. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1 The Theology of Human Work As Found in the Genesis Narrative Compared with the Co-creationist Theology of Human Work By Elizabeth Ostring A Doctoral Thesis Presented in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy For The Faculty of Theology of Avondale College of Higher Education 2015 Supervisor: Steven Thompson, PhD Associate Supervisor: Laurence Turner, PhD 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 11 INTRODUCTION 12 Statement of Thesis 12 Scope of the Study 13 Genesis Interest in Work 14 Work and Blessing 15 Work and Worship 16 The Chiastic Structure of Genesis 16 The Genesis Theology of Work Compared with Other Theologies 17 Summary of Current Theologies of Work 18 The penitential theology of work 18 The [co] -creationist theology of work 18 The eschatological theology of work 19 Significance of the Thesis 19 RESEARCH METHODS 21 Social History Background of Theologies of Work 22 The Genesis Narrative 23 Robert Alter’s Contribution to a Literary Approach to Genesis Narrative 24 Biblical Narrative as Theology 26 Reception History 30 The Theology of Work in Genesis 32 Difficulties of the Study 32 The sheer volume of Genesis material 32 Theories of the Sources and Composition of Genesis 33 Apparent Limits to the Contribution of Scripture to a Theology of Work 34 Opportunity of the Study 36 SOCIAL HISTORY BACKGROUND OF THEOLOGIES OF WORK 38 Early Influence of the Jewish Philosophy of Work 38 Influence of Greek and Roman Philosophies of Work 40 The Penitential Theology of Work and Monasticism 42 Laity Versus Clergy 43 Influence of Renaissance Philosophy on Reformation Theology 45 Luther: A New Look at Work 47 Calvin: Sympathetic to Commerce 49 Calvinism, The Puritans, and the Protestant Work Ethic 50 Calvinists and the Transformation of Society 51 Vocation: A Focus on Work 52 Influence of Work Ideologies: Capitalism and Communism 53 Capitalism: Economics of Self-Interest 53 3 Adam Smith 54 Alienation of Work 55 Social Misery and Early Capitalism 55 Marxism: Antecedents and Precepts 56 Marxism and Christianity Contrasted 57 Christian Responses to Marxist Thinking 58 Post World War II Social Developments 58 Post World War II Economic Boom 59 Perceived Need for Updated Theology of Work After World War II 59 J. H. Oldham and the World Council of Churches 60 M.D. Chenu, E. Kaiser, and Vatican II 60 Pope John Paul II and Co-creationism 61 Positive Protestant Responses to Laborens Exercens 62 Negative Protestant Responses to Co-creationism and New Creation 62 Other Post World War II Theologies of Work 64 R. Paul Stevens and Gordon Preece 64 Jacques Ellul 65 21st Century: Secularism & Leisure-focused Society 66 Leisure, Rest and Worship 66 Biblical Basis for Theologies of Work 67 Summary of History of Christian Theologies of Work 69 BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGIES OF WORK 70 Hollenbach Considers Co-creationism Has Inadequate Genesis Base 70 The Doctrine of Co-creationism 70 Definition 71 History of Co-creationism 71 Essential Concepts of Co-creationism 73 Biblical Basis for Co-creationism 74 Work is for Man: the Gospel of work 75 Work and Worship 76 Work as Part of Redemption 77 Contemporary Evaluations of Co-creationism 78 Roman Catholic Responses 78 Edwin Kaiser 78 David Hollenbach 79 Michael Novak 79 Protestant Responses 79 Alan Richardson 79 Karl Barth 80 Claus Westermann 80 Terence Fretheim 81 John Stott 81 Stanley Hauerwas 82 Corollaries and Concerns Regarding Co-creationism 82 Can God’s Appraisal be Trusted? 82 Does Human Toil Help Achieve Redemption? 83 Is Work the Fundamental Dimension of Human Existence? 83 Has All Human Work Been Beneficial? 84 4 Has the Original Gift of Dominion Remained Unchanged? 84 Are the Resources of Earth Primarily for Humans? 85 Not All Work Fits the Doctrine 85 Transformational Theology of Work 85 Miroslav Volf and Work in the Spirit 86 Darrell Cosden 89 Brian Brock’s Critique of Cosden 90 John Stott’s Assessment 91 Impact of Eschatology on Theologies of Work 91 Concerns Regarding Co-creation and the Transformational Theology of Work 93 In Summary 94 REVIEW OF GENESIS LITERATURE 96 General Theological Importance of Genesis 96 The tôlēdôt Unifying Framework 97 Interest in Work/Occupation of Characters 97 The Work of God 97 The Work of Humans 98 Work an Unrecognized Theme of Genesis 99 The Theme of Blessing 100 Narrative of Genesis 101 GOD’S LABOUR OF LOVE: CREATION AND THE FALL, GEN 1:1–3:24 102 God Shares the Work Experience 103 Work: A Major Theme of Genesis 103 First Creation Pericope: God Works 104 Sabbath: God’s Blessed and Finished Work 106 Divine-Human Relationship intimated in Institution of the Sabbath 107 Second Creation Pericope: God’s Active Involvement 108 The Relational Nature of Human Work 111 Naming Indicates Relationship 114 Naming Animals Highlights Human Relationship in Work 115 The Divine-Human Work Relationship 116 The Dominion of Man and the Imperium of God 117 Rādâ, the Authority and Service of Kingly Dominion 118 Rādâ explained in Concepts from Legal Practice 119 Dominion and Imperium 120 Kābaš: Subduing to make the best use of 121 The Eden Covenant 122 Co-Creation and Human Work in the Eden Covenant 124 Special Nature of the Covenant 124 The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: The Test of Relationship 125 Division Between Good and Evil 126 God’s Imperium and Human Work Limits 127 5 Restriction Means Freedom of Choice and Relationship 130 Choice Means Life 131 The Challenge to the Good Quality of God’s Work 132 Serpent Suggests God’s Creation Work is Unfinished 132 Does God Need Human Help to Finish the World? 133 The Results of the Tragic Human Choice 134 Human Delusion of Autonomy 135 Human Relationships Changed 136 Human Work Changed 137 Humans Fail to Clothe Themselves 137 God’s Work Clothes the Couple 138 God Declares Human Work Changed 139 God’s Rescue Work for Humans Continues 139 But Human Work Continues 141 Summary 142 DOING IT OUR WAY: THE PRIMORDIAL CURSES, GEN 3:14–11:26 144 Human Work from God’s perspective 144 Human Relationships and Work after Eden 144 Putative Exposition of Primordial Narrative Highlights Sin 145 Curse in The Primordial Narrative 146 Meaning of Curse in Genesis 147 Curses are Pronounced by God and Noah 148 Blessing and Cursing from God Indicates Covenant Relationship 148 The First Primordial Curse, Gen 3:14-19 148 The Woman’s and Man’s Work Cursed 149 Curse Offers Hope 149 The Curse is Not Arbitrary: It Mirrors the Original Promises. 149 Work Has Undergone Significant Change 150 Limited Ability of Humans 151 Schematic Presentation of First Curse 151 The Second Primordial Curse, Gen 4:1-24 151 Work highlighted in Genesis 4 152 Work and Worship 154 Cain Rejects God’s Sovereignty: the basis of his rejection 155 Cain does not respond to God 155 Cain’s god is His Work 156 Cain’s Attitude to Work Causes Broken Relationships 157 Relationship with Brother Broken 158 Relationship with God Broken 158 Relationship with the Ground Broken 159 Schematic Presentation of First and Second Curse 159 The Third Primordial Curse, Gen 8:21 159 Work Style of Antediluvians Implied in Genesis 5 tôlēdôt 160 Human Violence Precipitated the Violence of the Flood 162 Noah’s God-Given Work 164 Noachian Covenant Includes Animals and their Care 165 Changes in Dominion after the Flood 166 6 Schematic Presentation of First Three Curses 168 The Fourth Primordial Curse, Gen 9:25-27 168 Winemaker Pericope Echoes Garden Narrative 168 Ham’s Disrespect 169 Noah’s Curse on Canaan 170 Noah’s Curse a Prophecy that Highlights Work 171 Work in the Tôlēdôt of Noah Verifies the Prophecy 172 Schematic Presentation of First Four Curses 173 The Fifth Primordial Curse, Gen 11:7-8 173 Meticulous Literary Structure of Tower Pericope 173 Tôlēdôt Highlights the Achievements of Ham’s Descendants 174 Nimrod the Mighty Worker 175 The Primary Sin of the Tower Builders 175 Babel: No apparent moral failure 176 Babel: the Appeal of Human Achievement 177 Whose Own Might is Their God! 178 Language Essential for Community Co-operation 179 Hearing, Obeying and Group Co-operation 180 Nehemiah’s Project Illustrates Good Human Work 180 Danger of Idolatry of Community Projects 182 The Contemporary Appeal of a Babel Work Ethic 182 Two Approaches to Work 184 Schematic Presentation of All Primordial Curses Genesis 3-11 185 The Tower of Babel is Essential Backdrop to the Call of Abram 185 No Support that All Work Follows the Divine Plan 185 Summary 187 BLESSING: THE PATRIARCHAL NARRATIVE SIGNATURE TUNE 190 Blessing: Signature Tune of the Patriarchal Narrative 191 Blessing is Connection with God 192 Blessing
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