Navajo creation account and Genesis Account Worldview Order Instructions: Theme topic:
Making use of the Social-Epistemic reading model, how is the worldview presented in the Navajo creation account different from what you understand the Genesis worldview to be? Be sure to explain your understanding of the Navajo worldview before discussing the similarities and differences between the two texts. In part four of your paper, reconsider Genesis as creation via arrangement. That is, if God is a great arranger rather than a creator from nothing (as outlined in the Navajo account), what is the moral lesson for human beings? That is, what is the appropriate model of behavior for human beings? As you read and write, consider the relationship between the created (both human and nonhuman) and the creator? Follow the outline supplied in the weekly theme assignment sheet to structure your reading and analysis.
Navajo creation account and Genesis Account Worldview Sample Answer
Making use of the Social-Epistemic reading model, how is the worldview presented in the Navajo creation account different from what you understand the Genesis worldview to be?
The Navajo creation story holds that the first combination of the world was small and pitches black. The story claims that there existed four seas with an island in the middle. On the island, there was a single pine tree, ants, beetles, locusts, and dragonflies making the Air-Spirit People of this first world (Birchfield, 2014). Each of the four seas that existed then was ruled by a single supernatural being, the Frog, the Blue Heron, the White Thunder, and the Big Water Creature. Above the sea existed a black cloud, a yellow cloud, a white cloud, and a blue cloud. The female spirit resided in the black cloud while the male lived in the white (Scottoline, 2014).
As Scottoline (2014) notes the Navajo creation story involves three underworlds in which very significant events take place to shape the fourth world which is the current world. The Navajo creation story demonstrates trends and patterns of change that have their roots in the historical context through the traditional ceremonies that existed in the past and today. It can also be argued that the story is a representation of a preliterate society concerning religion in their ancient economic, political, and religious settings.
According to the Navajo creation, the first inhabitants in the world were the air-spirit people who traveled the air and would fly swiftly like the wind (Scottoline, 2014). Comparing this to the Genesis, there was nothing that existed before humans were created. However, the air-spirit people can be compared to the angels in the story of the Genesis creation. Before creation, there seems to have been a chaotic situation in both stories with darkness hovering across the waters in Genesis and the inhabitants of the first world in Navajo were just doing their own things (Birchfield, 2014). Again, the air-spirit people seem to have angered someone a result of which caused a giant wave and flood. As it is stated in the Navajo story the insurmountable wall of water surrounded them and they saw that it was closing in rapidly on them. This is very close to the story of Noah and the great flood as told in the Genesis.
A closer analysis of the Navajo creation story and the Genesis provides two differing views of creation. Genesis generally answers more questions than the Navajo creation myth (Scottoline, 2014). The Navajo story does not go into details of how human beings came into existence. It only tries to explain the essence of existence from deep within the same world that exists today. It fails to explain how humans could have gotten to that first world (Birchfield, 2014). Again, the story suggests that humans had the power to create everything without explaining what happened to that power afterward.
The genesis presents a succession of the creation of the earth with life on it and also humankind. Both male and female were created at the same time unlike in the Navajo story. The Genesis story has God depicted as the Supreme Being and the ultimate creator unlike in the Navajo story where humans are presented as the creators (Birchfield, 2014). Indeed, both stories have a supreme being only that their roles in creation differ from each other.
The Navajo creation story implies that God is the great arranger as opposed to the creator as presented in the Genesis. This has certain implications and moral lessons for human beings. First, it implies that human beings have a crucial role in the creation of the universe and everything that is in. As such, they are tasked with the responsibility of overseeing order and peace in the world. Human beings in this arrangement are key players in bringing about harmony among all the creation including humans and animals. Humans should also take the responsibility of protecting the earth and its creation. For instance, it is his duty to safeguard nature and wildlife. Secondly, it brings about the idea that humans are part of the supreme authority that enabled him to take part in creation. These powers are still vested in humans now as the protectors of creation. Thirdly, it also depicts the sacred nature of humans as the sources and part of the creation process. Indeed, it would be justifiable to claim that all creation is the manifestation of the authority and nature of the supreme God.
The supreme God exists as a spirit just like was the case of humans during the creation period as depicted by the Navajo creation story. As such, man represents the highest level of God’s manifestation here on earth. Besides, this aspect of the creation should act to exhibit a close relationship that should exist between man and God. In this view, humans ought to be the representation of God on earth. Humans become the ambassador of the Supreme Being and the link between the world and God. All creation (both human and non-human) are expected to maintain high standards of order by the great arranger and through man as the overseer of creation here on earth.
Navajo creation account and Genesis Account Worldview References
Lisa Scottoline, O. (2014). The Best American Mystery Stories: Volume 17. [N.p.]: Head of Zeus.
Birchfield, D. (2014). Navajos. Gale, Cengage Learning.
