Genesis 1:1-2 — "In the Beginning"

The Community of Christ affirms that God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1-2 expresses the theological conviction that all creation is from God and that God is sovereign over creation. The Community reads this passage as expressing divine creative power and purpose.

The Community's progressive stance allows for engagement with modern science and biblical scholarship while maintaining the theological affirmation of divine creation. The Community does not require a particular literalism in reading Genesis 1 (e.g., six literal days) but affirms the fundamental theological truth: that God created the universe with purpose, and that humanity is created in God's image. The passage is theologically authoritative even if science offers further insights into natural history.