Critical Paper on Creation Regained

Introduction

Albert M. Walters in his text 'Creation Regained' presents his ideas on a reformational worldview that seeks to lead Christians to a world of reformed followers of Christ with a better perspective of God's purpose for them in the world. The main focus of the text is the redemption of man in the world after sin. Wolter holds that though man has sinned and fallen, God is purposed to redeem humanity

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Worldview, Philosophy, and Theology

Worldview according to Wolter means a person's primary beliefs about things in the world. The worldview takes into consideration everything in the world such as economics, religion, family and even social welfare (Wolters, 2005). Beliefs back worldview, and therefore it is not an opinion or hypothesis that one holds, it is a notion that is firmly held and defended. Theology and philosophy, on the other hand, are academic fields of study which require scholarly interpretation and analysis. Philosophy and theology need academic expertise while worldview only works with faith.

God's Creation

On God's creation, Wolter argues that God has complete control over His creation and takes everything into account. He has full control of everything that happens and has set everything in motion (Wolters, 2005). It may seem that some things happen without God's power, but that is only a fallacy. God has a purpose for everything and has elaborately and rules over all creation. To illustrate the concept of God's control, Wolter says that natural phenomena like photosynthesis and gravity may seem to obey world norms but still work according to God's will and have been put there purposely by God to serve humanity and the world as a whole. God controls the laws of nature and norms. Above all, Wolter says that the Bible is all the wisdom the world needs to live in harmony and that God has not given up on humanity and therefore humanity should give up on redeeming themselves.

The Relationship Between Creation and Fall

Creation and fall are the primary concerns of Wolter. He advances the general understanding that God's creation was all excellent, but sin led to the fall of man (Wolters, 2005). The fall has made man belabor on the world seeking a better life for him. Fall was never God's plan for God had good intentions for humankind. Nevertheless, humanity still has a chance of restoring itself through God's redemptive plan. Wolter views the redemption as recreation.

Structure and Direction

On structure and direction, Wolter elucidates that creation was structured wholesomely and was to provide for everything that was good for man. It was meant to be fulfilling to man, and that was the direction that it was intended to take (Wolters, 2005). The structure, therefore, relates to the elaborate plan of creation and all the factors God put in place for humanity. However Mankind took another direction, that of sin thus deviating from God's plan. Wolter uses sexuality as an illustration. God planned for sex to be purposeful and satisfying, but people have taken another direction of turning into a sinful venture.

The Relation Between Fall, Creation, and Redemption

Fall, in the perspective of structure and direction, is the deviation from the plan that God had created and thus redemption is the effort taken to put man back in the right direction of doing God's will. Creation and redemption relate on the basis that God's plan of creation continues in his plan redeeming humans and putting them in the right direction (Wolters, 2005). The figures A, B, and C, represent creation, fall, and redemption respectively. The three aspects relate on the basis that creation was all-sufficient but man fell due to sin. Redemption comes in with God's plan of saving humankind which is recreation in a way.

Conclusion

Wolter lucidly presents his worldview of reform and advises that despite man having fallen due to sin, God still has the purpose of saving humanity. Consequently, people should abide by God's plan of salvation by actively engaging in the salvation process. In summary, God's work of creation still goes on.

Reference

Wolters, A. M. (2005). Creation Regained: Biblical basics for a Reformational worldview. Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Pub.