Chapter 7
In Chapter 7, Pannenberg will explore his perspective on the doctrine of creation of the world. In terms of a systematic presentation of Christian teaching, creation is the beginning of the historical activity of God. [1] Of course, as we have learned thus far, the Trinitarian God has already been active within divinity in the relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit. Love defines this activity. Creation involves the turning of the loving activity that has occurred within God outward toward things clearly not divine. One of the obstacles for many young people today is that the church seems to fight a battle against science. Many youth accept as a given the big bang and evolution. They assume Adam and Eve are mythic figures. Pannenberg provides a path for the church to embrace such notions while affirming that God created the world that science describes. For many persons, reading a theologian who can converse respectfully with science, and especially with the dominant t...