The creation of humanity

The emergence of humanity as the summit of creation

The biblical account of the creation of humanity presents it as constituting the summit of creation. This is true of both the accounts found in Genesis.

In the first account, Genesis 1:26–27, humanity is the last of the creatures to be created. That Adam and Eve are created on same day as the animals underscores their unity with the animal world. Human beings are not gods. They are creatures like the animals. However, unlike the animals they do have something godlike about them, for of them alone is it said that they are an image of God. ‘God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.’

The second creation account, Genesis 2:4bff, is really limited to the creation – and the fall – of human beings. Here humanity's creatureliness is emphasised because it is composed of nothing more than the dust of the earth and God's life-giving breath. Nevertheless, humanity's superiority over the animals – and therefore the fact that human beings constitute the summit of creation – is underscored by a story in which Adam is presented with all the animals of the world but is unable to find a suitable companion there. He could only find a suitable companion in one who was his equal – woman.

Finally I can simply note that this view of humanity's position is repeated elsewhere in the scriptures. For example we read in Psalms 8:5–6: ‘You made him inferior only to yourself; you crowned him with glory and honour. You appointed him ruler over everything you made; you placed him over all creation.’

We will see below what it is that constitutes humanity as a ‘summit’ of creation. But before doing so, it is worth noting that it does not consist in being the only intelligent or even the most intelligent beings in the universe. As our knowledge of the universe has increased, so too has the possibility that intelligent life may have evolved elsewhere.

Some Christians have been somewhat disturbed by such a possibility. However, a belief in created beings far more intelligent than humans and which did not need redeeming by Christ has always been part of Christian belief. These beings are what are known as ‘angels’.