<< Old Testament BIBLICAL theologians (whether conservative or liberal) ALL
acknowledge that Gen 1 is not supportive of creatio ex nihilo.>>
That is absolutely incorrect, as I will show below with Gleason Archer. It is
also incorrect historically. Prior to the 20th Century, every church historian
and theologian I'm aware of, and the OT text itsel, point to only one
conclusion: Creation ex nihilo.
Here is Aquinas on creation, answering the question "Whether to Create is to
Make Something from Nothing":
"We must consider not only the emanation of a particular being from a
particular agent, but also the emanation of all being from the universal
cause, which is God; and this emanation we designate by the name of creation.
Now what proceeds by particular emanation is not presupposed to that
emanation; as when a man is generated, he was not before, but man is made from
non-man...Hence if the emanation of the whole universal being from the first
principle be considered, it is impossible that any being should be presupposed
to this emanation. For nothing is the same as no being. Therefore as the
generation of a man is from the not-being which is not-man, so creation, which
is the emanation of all being, is from the not-being which is nothing."
[Treatise on Creation, Question XLV, Article 1]
Aquinas goes on: "Now it has been shown above that nothing can be among
beings, unless it is from God, Who is the universal cause of all being. Hence
it is necessary to say that GOD BRINGS THINGS INTO BEING FROM NOTHING."
<< It is not OT theologians (like myself) do not believe in creatio
ex nihilo--because WE DO. But it is to say, that the idea had yet to
develop by the time Gen 1 was composed. >>
On the contrary, the idea was fully developed. The ancient Heberews understood
the difference between crafting with pre-existent materials, which they did
all the time, and creating something from nothing. That is exactly what
Genesis 1 is all about.
Here I will quote well respected OT Theologian, Gleason Archer: "The verb bara
is used for creation ex nihilo in Genesis 1:1 and in most other passages where
it appears....It is God who is the subject of bara, never man; and when it
takes an object of the ting created, it never indicates any preexistent
material out of which it is made." [A Survey of Old Testament, Introduction,
pg. 194]
Denis, I've given several theological quotations, old and modern, as proof
that Genesis 1 speaks of creation ex nihilo. If there are contrary quotes and
names you can provide, please do. Then we can truly compare notes! Otherwise,
I'll just be responding to your opinion, and we can't get very far from there.
Thanks!
Jim