

The term creation refers to the beginning of things, whether by the will and act of a transcendent being, by emanation from some ultimate source, or in any other way." The term myth here refers to the imaginative expression in narrative form of what is experienced or apprehended as basic reality. A "philosophical and theological elaboration of the primal myth of creation within a religious community.Our images of creation say a great deal about who we are."

Creation myths explain in metaphorical terms our sense of who we are in the context of the world, and in so doing they reveal our real priorities, as well as our real prejudices. As cultures, we identify ourselves through the collective dreams we call creation myths, or cosmogonies. All cultures have creation myths they are our primary myths, the first stage in what might be called the psychic life of the species.

They are all stories with a plot and characters who are either deities, human-like figures, or animals, who often speak and transform easily. They often are considered sacred accounts and can be found in nearly all known religious traditions. Ĭreation myths often share several features.

They are commonly, although not always, considered cosmogonical myths – that is, they describe the ordering of the cosmos from a state of chaos or amorphousness. In the society in which it is told, a creation myth is usually regarded as conveying profound truths – metaphorically, symbolically, historically, or literally. While in popular usage the term myth often refers to false or fanciful stories, members of cultures often ascribe varying degrees of truth to their creation myths. 1896–1902), painting by James Tissot Ī creation myth or cosmogonic myth is a type of cosmogony, a symbolic narrative of how the world began and how people first came to inhabit it. For the 2021 biopic of Alan McGee, see Creation Stories (film).
