Overview

Creation Myths (Cosmogonies) are the most important myths in any culture. They explain the origin of the universe, the earth, and humanity. They establish our place in the cosmos.

Core Idea

The core idea is order from chaos. Almost all creation myths start with a formless void, water, or chaos, from which a god or force brings structure and life.

Formal Definition

A symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it. They develop in oral traditions and are considered to convey profound truths (not necessarily scientific ones).

Intuition

They answer the toddler’s question: “Where did I come from?” but for the whole species. They define the relationship between gods, humans, and nature.

Examples

  • Ex Nihilo (Out of Nothing): Genesis (God speaks the world into existence).
  • Earth Diver: Native American myths where an animal (like a muskrat) dives into the primal ocean to bring up mud to form the earth.
  • Dismemberment: Norse myth (Odin kills the giant Ymir and makes the world from his body parts).
  • Cosmic Egg: Hindu and Chinese myths where the universe hatches from an egg.

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: They are just bad science.
    • Correction: They function as social charters (Malinowski), justifying cultural customs and hierarchies, rather than scientific theories.
  • Misconception: “Primitive” myths are simple.
    • Correction: Many (like the Dogon or Hindu) involve incredibly complex metaphysics and astronomy.
  • Big Bang Theory: The modern scientific “creation myth” (though based on evidence).
  • Etiology: Myths explaining the origin of specific things (why the zebra has stripes).
  • Anthropogony: Myths specifically about the creation of humans.

Applications

  • Cultural Identity: Creation myths define “us” vs. “them.”
  • Religion: The foundation of theological doctrine.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Conflict: Different creation myths are often mutually exclusive, leading to religious conflict when taken literally.

Further Reading

  • Primal Myths: Creation Myths Around the World by Barbara C. Sproul
  • Cosmogony and Ethical Order by Robin W. Lovin