The Liturgy of Creation - by Michael Lefebvre (Paperback)

About the Book

How were holidays chosen and taught in biblical Israel, and what did they have to do with the creation narrative? Michael LeFebvre considers the calendars of the Pentateuch, arguing that dates were added to Old Testament narratives not as journalistic details but to teach sacred rhythms of labor and worship. LeFebvre then applies this insight to the creation week, finding that the days of creation also serve a liturgical purpose.

Book Synopsis

Biblical Foundations Award Finalist

Holidays today are often established by legislation, and calendars are published on paper and smart phones. But how were holidays chosen and taught in biblical Israel? And what might these holidays have to do with the creation narrative?In this book, Michael LeFebvre considers the calendars of the Pentateuch with their basis in the heavenly lights and the land's agricultural cadences. He argues that dates were added to Old Testament narratives not as journalistic details but to teach sacred rhythms of labor and worship. LeFebvre then applies this insight to the creation week, finding that the days of creation also serve a liturgical purpose and not a scientific one.The Liturgy of Creation restores emphasis on the religious function of the creation week as a guide for Sabbath worship. Scholars, students, and church members alike will appreciate LeFebvre's careful scholarship and pastoral sensibilities.

Review Quotes

"The Liturgy of Creation is an important book for many reasons. LeFebvre helps us understand the Israelite calendar in relationship to the significant annual festivals that were so central to the life and theology of the Old Testament people of God. His work on the calendar itself is worth reading, but he goes further and draws crucial conclusions concerning creation in a way that affects the present debate over the relationship between science and faith. This book is essential reading for all serious students of the Old Testament."

--Tremper Longman III, distinguished scholar and professor emeritus of biblical studies, Westmont College

"Exegetically rigorous, theologically sophisticated, pastorally sensitive, and apologetically relevant, The Liturgy of Creation does three essential things as it delves into Israel's festivals and cultic calendar. First, it illumines the ancient Israelite understanding of time and rhythm, which ties together cultic life with daily (agricultural) life (i.e., worship and work). Second, it makes a compelling argument that the relatively few specific dates in the Pentateuch must be read through the lens of Israel's cultic calendar to evoke liturgical memory and commemoration. Third, the book applies this larger framework to Genesis 1, treating the creation week as a festival calendar narrative to help Israel 'remember God's work and God's rest through their own weekly labors and worship.' The thesis is reasonable and interesting, and it yields fruitful results (or talking points at least) for modern origins discussions--especially since this study comes from a pastor (in a conservative denomination, no less), whose intent is to speak directly to the concerns of the church."

--Kenneth J. Turner, professor of Old Testament and biblical languages, Toccoa Falls College

"Given the amount of ink that's already been spilled dissecting and debating the opening two chapters of Genesis, one would think there would be nothing left to say--or at least nothing fresh to say. Enter Dr. Michael LeFebvre's The Liturgy of Creation: Understanding Calendars in Old Testament Context. Drawing on his expertise in Old Testament law, Dr. LeFebvre offers us a winsome and, in many ways, compelling defense of reading the creation week of Genesis 1:1-2:3 as a calendar narrative. Here is something not only scholarly and substantive but insightful and original. Not everyone will agree with all of his conclusions. But surely everyone will be benefited by a close reading of this important book. I highly recommend it!"

--Todd Wilson, president, The Center for Pastor Theologians

About the Author

Michael LeFebvre (PhD, Aberdeen) is pastor of Christ Church Reformed Presbyterian in Brownsburg, Indiana; adjunct professor of Old Testament at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary; and fellow of the Center for Pastor Theologians. His books include Collections, Codes, and Torah; Singing the Songs of Jesus; and Our Triune God (coauthored with Phil Ryken). He is also a contributor to the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Law.