Mid-Term Take Home Essay Exam
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Mid-Term Take Home Essay Exam
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Mid-Term Take Home Essay Exam
Prompt One: Texts that deal with themes of creation and destruction also deal with
visions of Utopia and Dystopia. All of those themes are prevalent in the creation
narratives of Genesis 1-3 and the Enuma Elish. Compare and contrast how Genesis 1-3
and the Enuma Elish represent ideas of Utopia and Dystopia in their creation stories
.
Foundational literature that address themes of creation and destruction include the
creation accounts contained in Genesis 1-3 and the Enuma Elish. These books offer
significant insights into the ideas of utopia and dystopia. The Judeo-Christian tradition gives
a monotheistic creation story in Genesis 1-3, in which God painstakingly creates the world in
six days, stressing order and divine purpose
(Ogunlana, 2016). The story opens with an
idealistic picture of a formless, empty space that is converted into a harmonious universe,
with God praising every phase of creation. As a representation of the perfection of God's
design, humanity is made in God's image and lives in the idyllic Garden of Eden.
Conversely, the cosmic conflict between primordial forces unfolds in the Enuma
Elish, a work of Mesopotamian mythology. Triumphant, the god Marduk takes the form of
the defeated goddess Tiamat and creates the universe within her body. Given how creation
emerges from chaos and bloodshed, this story tends to be seen from a dystopian viewpoint.
Marduk creates order, but it comes about as a result of destructive strife; this is not a divine
utopian plan; rather, it is a portrayal of a world born of chaos
(Ogunlana, 2016). The
worldview expressed in the Enuma Elish is one in which reality is inherently unstable and
tense due to the arbitrary activities of the gods.
The disparities in these stories' perspectives on humanity's place is an important area
of comparison. Genesis describes how God created people in his image and gave them
guardianship over the rest of creation, implying an idealistic relationship between the divine
and the human race. On the other hand, the Enuma Elish emphasizes a dystopian connection
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in which human existence is submissive and possibly precarious by depicting people as
designed to serve the gods.
Furthermore, the stories also address the fallout from disobedience. In Genesis 3,
Adam and Eve's transgression results in their banishment from the ideal Garden of Eden,
bringing with it misery, labor, and death—a turn toward dystopia. According to the Enuma
Elish, people were created with a predestined function of subservience to the gods. This
suggests that failure on the part of humans in their devotion to the gods could have dire
consequences.
In essence, despite presenting different perspectives on utopia and dystopia, the
creation stories found in Genesis 1-3 and the Enuma Elish also deal with themes of creation
and destruction. According to Genesis, humanity was created with harmony and purpose, and
they lived in a utopian paradise at first. The Enuma Elish, on the other hand, paints a picture
of a universe arising from chaotic war and presents human existence in a possibly gloomy
light
(Ogunlana, 2016). Despite having different theological and cultural backgrounds, both
stories make significant contributions to the investigation of basic human concerns regarding
the existence, meaning, and character of the divine.
Prompt Two: In this class we’ve discussed how these ancient texts are often engaged in
“social commentary,” in that they are speaking to the social and political realities of
their own time. Through symbolic language, the Book of Daniel and the Book of
Revelation both speak critically about the politics of their historical contexts. Compare
and contrast how Daniel 7-12 and Revelation each address the socio-political realities of
their day
.
The apocalyptic books of Revelation and Daniel both offer profound social
commentary by confronting the socio-political realities of their own historical contexts using
symbolic language. Written during the Babylonian exile, Daniel 7–12 gently criticizes the
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oppressive authority of foreign powers while telling the story through spectacular visions of
creatures and cosmic wars. Daniel's apocalyptic imagery is a form of resistance literature that,
by predicting the downfall of oppressive empires, provides the Jewish people hope
(Prestes
III, 2022). The creatures contained in Daniel's book symbolize a number of despotic
governments, while the triumph of the "Son of Man" signifies the establishment of God's
equitable dominion that will challenge the dominance of other countries.
Similarly, the Book of Revelation challenges the socio-political milieu of its day by
employing symbolic language during the Roman Empire's control. Revelation describes a
cosmic fight between the forces of good and evil using imagery of dragons, demons, and
heavenly wars. The churches in Asia Minor are the target of the first seven letters of
Revelation, which address specific socio-political issues in these communities
(Rowland,
2022). The apocalyptic visions of the Revelation, which depict Christ's ultimate victory over
oppressive political systems, offer hope to persecuted Christians facing the sociopolitical
barriers of the Roman Empire.
Where they differ is in the nature of their visions. Many others interpreted Daniel's
visions as more accurate and comprehensive, tackling the urgent problems of the exile in
Babylon and the ensuing empires. Contrarily, Revelation adopts a more ageless and symbolic
stance, addressing more general themes of cosmic conflict and good's ultimate triumph over
evil
(Prestes III, 2022). Both books criticize oppressive political environments, while since
Revelation's symbolism allows for a more universal interpretation that may be applied to a
range of socio-political circumstances throughout history.
Their perspectives on resistance also differ. Daniel's narrative encourages patience
and nonviolent resistance in the face of injustice, and it looks to divine intervention to rectify
socio-political injustices
(Rowland, 2022). Revelation, on the other hand, takes a more
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aggressive stance, exhorting Christians to resist the seductive features of the oppressive
government and maintain their loyalty to Christ despite hardship.
In conclusion, the books of Daniel and Revelation both engage in social commentary
by addressing the socio-political challenges of their respective historical contexts through
symbolic language. Daniel focuses on the unique challenges the Jewish people faced during
their exile in Babylon, but Revelation takes a more universal and timeless stance, denouncing
the oppressive Roman government. Despite their variations in content and methodology, both
texts offer populations facing political hardship hope and encouragement through the lenses
of divine intervention and ultimate justice.
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References
Ogunlana, B. A. (2016). Inspiration and the Relationship between Genesis 1: 1-2: 4a and
Enuma Elish.
BTSK Insight
,
13
, 87-105.
Prestes III, F. (2022). Daniel’s Reactions to Crises: Theological Lessons from the Life and
Thought of Jesus’s Eschatological Prophet.
Kerygma
,
17
(1), e01591-e01591.
Rowland, C. (2022). By an immediate revelation: studies in apocalypticism, its origins and
effects.
By an immediate revelation
, 1-874.
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