creation

In Judaism and Christianity, God's creation of the universe. It is described in Genesis 1 and 2, the first book of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Genesis was once regarded as literally true, and many Orthodox Jews and fundamentalist Christians (creationists) continue to hold this interpretation. Others see contradictions in the story and regard it as symbolic myth, written to stress belief that the universe was made through God's will, rather than how he actually made it. Genesis 1:28 and 2:15 state the special relationship humans are to have with God, as Adam and Eve, the first humans, are given stewardship over God's creation. There are also many attempts at explaining the creation of the world in the Hindu tradition. Hindu creation myths include narratives telling of the world stemming from a breaking egg, to a creator constructing the world from timber.

The account of the Creation in Genesis describes how God made the universe and everything in it over six days, and then rested on the seventh. On the first day, he created the heavens and the earth, his spirit moved over the waters, and he created light separate from dark, calling them day and night. On the second day, God made the heavens, and on the third he made the land separate from the sea, and created the plants, including their seed and fruit. On the fourth day, he made the sun and moon to mark the days and seasons. On the fifth he created the birds and fish, and on the sixth God made all the land-living animals, and finally people in his own image. At the end of each of the six days, he surveyed his work and saw that it was good. On the seventh day God rested, and blessed that day to make it holy; this became the Sabbath day.

Many Jews and Christians who regard the creation story as symbolic do not believe that the universe happened randomly by chance. They argue that the complexity of the universe and nature points to a creator, and that it makes more sense to believe that the universe was created, rather than happening by accident.