Gen.1-2:4(a)
- Chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 tell us that God was there before creation.

1. On the first day God created light and separated it from darkness. He named it day and darkness night.
2. On the second day, God created the Firmament (the heavens or sky): the firmament separated the waters that were above the sky and the waters below the sky.
3. On the third day God divided the land and the sea then He created all the plants and trees found on the earth.
4. On the fourth day, God created the three heavenly lights i.e. the sun to give light at daytime while the moon and the star to give light during the night.
5. On the fifth day, God created the sea living creatures such as fish. He also made birds of all kinds.
6. On the sixth day, God created all living creatures on earth. It is also the sixth day that God created man in His own image and likeness. The creation of man is very significant for God says, "Let us make man in our own image" all work of creation therefore was completed on the sixth day.
7. On the seventh day, God rested and blessed it as a special day of worship.

Genesis2:4(b) 25

• The second account is centered on the creation of man and woman.
• It gives a detailed account of how God created Adam out of dust and breathed into him the breath of life. In the same account the creation of woman is brought out more clearly: The woman is made from the ribs of the man.
• In the second account Gods creative activities is seen as work and not utterances.
• For example, man is made out of dust and woman out of the ribs of man.
• In the second story the creation of the Garden of Eden is mentioned. In the center of the garden. God placed the tree of life and the tree of good and evil.
• Man is put in the Garden of Eden to take care of Gods creation. Man is commanded to eat from every tree except one; the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil for in so doing they would die.
• It explains the special position that human kind occupies in Gods creation.

1. In both cases, God is acknowledged as the one creating.
2. Gods creation includes both the living and the non-living.
3. In both man occupies a special position.
4. In both God is powerful/omnipotent.

1. There is a difference in order in which the creation is done. The first account starts with the creation of light while the second starts with the creation of man.
2. In the first account there is the mention of the days, which is omitted, in the second account.
3. The creation of the firmament — light, sun, stars, fishes and creeping things are included in first account and are omitted in the second account.
4. In the first account, creation is out of nothing. God said "let there be" but in the second account, creation is out of substance (dust) and plants are made to grow out of garden.
5. In the first account everything that God made is seen as good while this is omitted in the second account.
6. From the second account woman is made from the ribs of man but omitted in the first account.
7. In the first account, marriage is for procreation while in the second account marriage is for companionship.
8. In the second account there is the mention of the Garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit, which is omitted, in the first account.
9. In the first account God rested on the last day but rest is omitted in the second.

• God is omnipresent (everlasting).
• He was there before creation, which brought space, time and matter into being
• God is the sole creator. He created everything from nothing.
• God is the source of goodness and happiness, And God saw that it was good.
• God created human beings to enjoy the personal and loving relationship with Him.
• God is omnipotent(call powerful).
• God is God of order. All the creative arts of God were done in an orderly manner.
• God is all knowing. All knowledge and wisdom is His.
• God is the provider. He provided man with necessities of life.

• God is the creator of the universe.
• Everything that God made is good.
• God is a God of order. He created the universe and all that is in it in orderly manner.
• Human beings were put in charge of all Gods creation.
• God is a God of power. He calls things into existence by His spoken words.
• Plants and animals were made for the benefits of man.
• God ordained work. He told man to fill the land.
• Marriage is ordained by God. For God said, Be fruitful multiply and fulfil the earth.
• The woman is created to be a happy companion of man for God said, Its not good for man to live alone.
• Human beings should continue with the work of creation.
• Human beings should obey God. Punishment comes as a result of man disobeying God.

African creation myths
Bukusu
They call their God Were Khakaba meaning the provider. Were Khakaba created the world alone.
First he created heaven as His dwelling place which was very bright and which was supported on pillars like a hut to stop it from falling. Then He created His two assistants Mukobe and Murumwa. Later on He made the moon and the sun; the two quarrelled and fought. Moon was defeated and thrown down into the wind to prevent him from shining brightly.
Were ordered the sun to shine during the day on all people while moon was to shine only at night.

Were then made the clouds and the stars. He made a big red rock which crows whenever it thunders warning people of the coming rain.
He created rain and put it in the clouds. He created rainbow, female and male to stop the unwanted rain from falling. Air was created next.
Mysteriously were created the earth with mountains and valleys as a place for His two assistants to work in.

He created man for whom the sun would shine. Since man needed someone to talk to, water to drink, were provided rain, which filled up the valleys to form lakes, rivers and streams.
Were then created plants, animals, birds and other creatures, which live on land, water and in the soil.

The Bukusu further believe that the whole work of creation was completed in six days. On the seventh day, were rested because it was a bad day.
Were Khakaba gave restrictions to the first human beings on some of the things for instance, they were not supposed to eat animals with single hooves, like donkeys and horses, crawling animals like snakes, lizards, chameleons and scavengers such as vultures hawks and eagle.

Agikuyu
They call their God Ngai or Mugai, which means the divider of the universe.
Gikuyu the founder of Agikuyu community was called by God and was given land with forests, rivers, valleys, animals and all other natural things.
The same time Ngai made a big mountain called Kirinyanga also known as Mount Kenya; The Mountain of mystery. He also dwelt on the mountain when He was on inspection tours. It was also a sign of His splendour and mystery. After calling Gikuyu, He took him to the top of this mountain and showed him the land he was to give him.

It was beautiful and full of fig trees (Mugumo) in the centre of the country. God then ordered him to go and establish his homestead at the place he had showed him.
This place was called Mukuruwe wa Nyagathanga that is in Muranga District.
Before Gikuyu parted with God, he was advised to make a sacrifice and raise his hands towards Kirinyaga if he wanted anything or had problems.
When he went to the Promised Land, he found a wife called Mumbi (creator or moulder) that God had provided for him.

They lived happily and were blessed with nine daughters. Gikuyu was so disturbed by the fact that he did not have sons to inherit his property.
He then remembered what Ngai had told him to do. He decided to make sacrifice and told God his needs. God told him to take his family home and come back alone. On the process God revealed to Gikuyu that he would provide young men who would be willing to marry his daughters.

When he came back, he found nine handsome young men and took them with him home. The next day in the morning the issue of marriage was discussed and the young men agreed to marry Gikuyu daughters.
Gikuyu ordered that the young men would go with the daughters if they agreed to live in his homestead. The young men could not resist the beauty and the hospitality offered to them. They all agreed to marry them. All the nine daughters were married and each established their own family set. These were joined together under the name Nyumba ya Mumbi (The House of Mumbi).

- God created the universe and everything in it.
- Originally innocent and God was closer to man.
- The separation of man from God came as a result of disobedience.
- God provided man with all the necessities of life.
- Man was given a wife to keep him company and to be a helper.
- Man is given authority over all other creatures.
- Man is considered as a special creature.

Gen:3-11
- The word sin can be described as an act at rebellion and as a condition of being alienated from God.
- In Genesis 3. The snake asked Adam and Eve if they were told not to eat any tree in the garden.
- Eve replied, we may eat the fruit of any tree in the Garden except the tree in the middle of it.
- The snake replied, that is not true God said that because He knows that when you eat it you will be like him.
- From the statement the serpent claims God is Jealous and does not want to allow man to know what He knows.
- After eating the fruit their eyes were opened, but instead of seeing beautiful things they noted they were naked.
- Man was afraid to meet God because of the guilt. When God asked where they were the man accused God saying The woman you gave me. The woman also blames the snake for misleading her to the fruit.
- The judgment is pronounced on the first parent.

1. The relationship between man and God became strained hence man was alienated from God.
2. Man started feeling guilty because of his behaviour, they were naked and were ashamed.
3. The woman also blamed the snake for misleading her.
4. The serpent was cursed above all animals.
5. Enemity was put between man and the serpent. Gen3:15.
6. The woman was to feel pain during child birth. Gen:3:16.
7. The woman was put to be subordinate to man and to have the desire for the man.
8. Man was to toil and struggle to meet his needs.
9. The earth itself was put under a curse cursed is the ground because of you. Gen3:17
10. Death came upon man Gen:3:19.
11. Man was dismissed from the Garden of Eden and cherubim were put to guard the garden.
12. Murderous feeling began to enter man's heart for example Cain killed Abel. Gen:4:8.
13. The lifespan of man was reduced to not more than 120 years Gen:6:3.
14. God confused man's language after the flood. Gen:11:1-7.

- After Adam and Eve committed sin in the garden of Eden, God drove them out of the garden. However, He initiated a plan to reconcile them back by providing clothes and food Gen3:18, 21:23.

- In Gen 3:13 God created enemity between man and the serpent to deter man from being tempted again, the snake is a symbol of evil.
- Through out the Bible God initiated various measures to reconcile human beings.
For instance;

• Noah's ark of the covenant.
• The choice of Abraham and making a covenant with him.
• The call of Moses and the Ten commandments.
• God sent His prophets and kings to guide and counsel the Israelites.
• The coming of Jesus Christ was meant to bring salvation to mankind.
• Finally, God sent the Holy Spirit to guide Christians to be close to God.
• All these plans were initiated by God to reconcile man after sinning from the garden of Eden.

Most African communities believed that god did not create evil.
Some communities attribute the origin of sin to evil spirit.
Others believe that evil is caused by bad people such as sorcerers, witches and magicians.

Others believe that evil is caused by ancestors being angered. This could bring bad omen to the living e.g. death of children or animals.
Sin could also come as a result of offending members of the community.
Parents or elders could also curse some people.

Evil things could also come as a result of God being angered.
Some myths trace the origin of sin to a time during creation of the rules he was to observe which man disobeyed.
The results of sin in the traditional African society were;

• Sin causes death as the affected sometimes suffered to death.
• Sin causes diseases to the living as some of them is fortunes caused sickness.
• Sin causes drought and famine.
• Causes barrenness and childlessness.
• Evil causes suffering, agony and misery.
• It causes unstable families where there is no peace e.g. rebellion of children.
• It causes birth of physically and mentally handicapped children.
• Evil causes war between clans.

- Sinners and offenders are treated according to the seriousness of the offence.
- Some punishments included: Corporal punishment, capital punishment, banishment, payment of fines, public humiliation, indecent burial ceremonies, failure to be named after children, denied food for sometime, denied leadership roles and isolation.

• Both agree that God did not create evil or sin. God is portrayed as good.
• In both cases sin is related to human disobedience.
• In both cases it results in man suffering or epidemics and other calamities.
• In both it destroys the good relationship between man and God.
• In both Biblical and African belief of evil brings death.
• In both cases it does not only bring suffering to the individual but to the whole community.
• Sometimes it is shown to come to people through Satan or evil spirits.

• In African traditional religion, there is communal responsibility over sin as opposed to biblical teaching, where individual responsibility is emphasized.
• Biblically, sin is intrinsic whereas in traditional African belief, it is extrinsic.
• Sin is wholesomely punishable in African traditional religion, but is redemptive biblically.
• Biblically, the punishment of sin is not everlasting due to the resurrected Christ. However, in African traditional religion, sin claims irreversible doom