Comparing the Genesis Creation Account with their Neighbors

The Jews were not the only religious people in the ancient world. There were others, such as the Akkadians, Egyptians, and Phoenicians, and they had their own creation stories.

When one compares the biblical creation story with these other creation stories, a number of critical differences rise to the surface.

For example, the biblical creation story is the only one that contends that matter — creation, people, the world, everything — is intrinsically good. In other creation stories, the world is essentially bad. Another difference is the role of women in creation.

In an…