Humanities Homework Help
University of the Incarnate Word Hebrew & Christian Creation Myth Discussion
Myths and the Sacred
Myths – as they are known to most of the world – give insight into the pasts of various countries and religions as the people saw them. In the study of religions, myths are important components. They (Links to an external site.) are specific accounts of gods or superhuman beings involved in extraordinary events or circumstances in a time that is unspecified but which is understood as existing apart from ordinary human experience. These narratives concerning sacred reality and its relationship to humanity; are designed to disclose ultimate truth about crucial human questions. Myths of origin, in particular, define how the Earth itself was created, along with the universe, heavens, hell, people, and creatures that exist today. Using two creation stories from the list below, you answer the following questions:
- Who tells these stories? Is it from a sacred book, oral legend, or religious leaders?
- How did early people in the the stories you chose explain their origins?
- Do these stories provide enough evidence for the existence of creation and great flood from a legal/historical point of view? Or Are these stories to be taken literally or allegorically (metaphorically)? Why or why not
- In your opinion, what purpose do these stories serve in society? (What contribution do they make toward the improvement of society?)
As always, reference the stories in your answers.
Reading: Hebrew/Christian Creation Myth
https://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_15.html (Links to an external site.)
Reading: Greek Creation Myth
https://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_16.html (Links to an external site.)
Reading: Creation Stories from the Philippines (Read the second story by Igorot)
https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/creation-phil.html (Links to an external site.)
Read: The Mayan Creation Myth
http://www.laits.utexas.edu/doherty/plan2/wren.html (Links to an external site.)
Reading: Australian Aborigine Creation Myth
https://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_13.html (Links to an external site.)
Reading: Cherokee Creation Stories
http://tennesseeoverhill.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Cherokee-Creation-Story.pdf (Links to an external site.)
Reading: Iroquois Creation Myth
https://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_12.html (Links to an external site.)
Reading: African Bushmen Creation Myth
https://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_14.html (Links to an external site.)
Reading: Modern Scientific Origin Myth
Reading: The epic of Gilgamesh: The story of the flood
