was creation a one off event?
At a glance, most people probably believe, if they believe at all, that the creation of the world took place over a period of 7 days a very long time ago.We won't debate that fact here but to say that most contemplative Christians and scholars, quite rightly in my view, believe that the Bible should not be taken literally. After all, if God created light on the 3rd day, then how were there days before as there would have been no light so how would they know? That aside though, was creation a one off event, or could it be ongoing, even now?
"God is creating the entire universe fully and totally in this present now. Everything God created six thousand years ago... God is creating now all at once." — Mechtild of Magdeburg
This is a big topic and one that I'm not qualified to discus in any detail at all. It certainly makes sense though,if, as Paul says, “For in him we live and move and have our being.” then it makes sense that the world and universe is still being created. We never simply 'are' but we are 'becoming'. We don't stay exactly as we are but develop over time. Flowers, trees and plants grow and die to be replaced by new ones, Tectonic plates shift and oceans rise and fall. If God had created the universe in 7 days, it would be exactly as it was then. Instead, it is God within us that gives us life, or, as some put it, breathes life into us.
I thought when i started this that there would be a way to explain this but it appears that if this is so, it is not going to be by me. One thing I like about the Orthodox faith is that it doesn't feel the need to explain absolutely everything and rests comfortably in the mystery of life.
and on that note, I think my brain needs a rest!