Lectures - Eden and the Golden Age Myth

Today most people see history as progress, but in the ancient world the passing of time meant decline from an earlier age when things were better: from the idyllic life of Adam and Eve in Eden, whose descendants in Genesis were said for generations to live nearly a thousand years, to the much older Sumerian king lists, whose rulers were blessed with even longer lives, to Hesiod’s Golden Age, the earliest of all ages in Greek mythology, when the earth flourished and humans were long-lived. Why did so many ancient and medieval cultures share the perspective that the passage of time meant decline? It was only with the advent of modernity, and with developments in science and technology, that many people began to see history instead as a march of progress. What are the implications of this change for how we understand ourselves, the world, and God? John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place will place Eden and the Bible within the framework of ancient Golden Age myths, along with the rise and deconstruction of the idea of progress. Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions of our lecturer during the Q&A. This lecture is part of our series exploring Christianity and the Bible from an academic perspective through history, mythology, archaeology, theology, and biblical studies. In this presentation we focus on the myth of Eden from Genesis and other Gold Age myths from Antiquity. 📚 Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider making a donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada): ❤️ https://www.centreplace.ca/donate ️