Judaism and the Doctrine of Creation

The topic of this book is creation. It breaks down into discussions of two distinct, but interrelated, questions: what does the universe look like, and what is its origin? The opinions about creation considered by Norbert Samuelson come from the Hebrew scriptures, Greek philosophy, Jewish philosophy and contemporary physics. His perspective is Jewish, liberal and philosophical. It is Jewish because the foundation of the discussion is biblical texts interpreted in the light of traditional rabbinic texts. It is philosophical because the subject matter is important in both past and present philosophical texts, and to Jewish philosophy in particular. Finally, it is liberal because the authorities consulted include heterodox as well as orthodox Jewish sources. The ensuing discussion leads to original conclusions about a diversity of topics, including the limits of human reason and religious faith, and the relevance of scientific models to religious doctrine.