Basic 4 · Religious and Moral Education · God the Creator
Accounts of Creation
In this topic you will learn how the three main religions in Ghana explain the creation of the world.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Retell the Bible account of creation
- State what the Qur'an teaches about creation
- Retell a Traditional account of God and creation
What you already know
- God the Creator (Basic 1–3)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- God’s creation and attributes
- Sub-strand
- God the Creator
- Indicator
- B1.1.1.1.2 – Mention the names of some of the things god created
Introduction
Every religion has teachings about how the world began. Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion all teach that God is the Creator.
1. The Bible Account (Genesis 1–2)
| Day | What God created |
|---|---|
| 1 | light; day and night |
| 2 | the sky |
| 3 | land, seas and plants |
| 4 | the sun, moon and stars |
| 5 | birds and sea creatures |
| 6 | land animals and human beings |
| 7 | God rested and blessed the day |
2. What the Qur'an Teaches
- Allah created the heavens and the earth in six periods (Qur'an 7:54).
- Allah created Adam, the first human, from clay.
- Allah created everything with a purpose.
3. A Traditional Account
An Akan story says that long ago the sky (God's home) was very close to the earth. An old woman pounding fufu kept hitting the sky with her pestle. So God moved the sky far away. People still worship God, who is now far above.
New words
- creation
- Everything God made.
- account
- A story or description of events.
- Genesis
- The first book of the Bible.
- Adam
- The first human being in the Bible and Qur'an.
- pestle
- A long stick used for pounding.
- purpose
- The reason something exists.
Summary
- The Bible says God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
- The Qur'an says Allah created the heavens and earth in six periods.
- Traditional accounts teach that God made the world and lives above.
- All three religions teach that God is the Creator.
Class activity: Creation Story Circle
- Look at the Bible, Qur'an and landscape photographs.
- Retell one account of creation.
- Draw what was created on one day.
You need: Bible, Qur’an, Local leaves, Flowers, Printed photographs of Ghanaian landscapes
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. On which day did God create human beings, according to Genesis?
- A. Day 6
- B. Day 1
- C. Day 3
- D. Day 7
Show answer
Answer: Day 6Land animals and humans on day 6.2. What did God create on day 4?
- A. The sun, moon and stars
- B. Plants
- C. Birds
- D. People
Show answer
Answer: The sun, moon and starsDay 4 in Genesis 1.3. According to the Qur'an, Adam was created from…
- A. Clay
- B. Wood
- C. Water only
- D. Fire
Show answer
Answer: ClayThe Qur'an teaches this.4. All three religions teach that God is the Creator.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueThey agree on this.5. In the Akan story, God moved the sky away because of noise from drumming.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt was because of a woman pounding fufu.6. The first book of the Bible is ______.
Show answer
Answer: GenesisGenesis tells of creation.7. List what God created on days 1, 2 and 3 in Genesis.
Show answer
Answer: Light; sky; land, seas and plants.From Genesis 1.8. What do the three accounts of creation have in common?
Show answer
Answer: They all teach that God created the world and everything in it.God is the Creator in all three.
Homework
- Retell the Genesis creation account to someone at home.