I detta examensarbete undersöker jag hur de två första skapelseberättelserna i Bibeln samt skapelseberättelserna i den babyloniska och kanaáneiska mytologin skildras i läromedel på 1960-, 1990- och 2000-talet. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur skapelseskildringarna i första Mosebok skildras i läromedlen samt om de jämförs med tidigare skapelseberättelser i Främre Orienten. Studien syftade även till att se huruvida det skett förändringar i skildringen under årtiondena. I min bakgrund kommer jag först att presentera en överblick över den samhälleliga och religiösa kontexten som de människor i den dåtida främre orienten verkade i. Då detta är tillkomstområde för skapelseberättelserna i Enuma Elish, den kanaáneiska mytologin och Genesis syftar min presentation till att lättare kunna förstå hur de kan ha påverkat varandra. Metoden jag valde att använda är en komparativ kvalitativ analys av tre läromedel från 1960-talet, tre från 1990-talet och tre från 2000-talet. Resultatet har därefter presenterats i enlighet med den systematiserande undersökningsmetod jag har använt mig av. Syftet med den systematiserande undersökningen var att få en tydlig översikt över möjliga förändringar men även för att på ett enkelt sätt kunna behandla resultatet. Studiens resultat visade att läromedel på 1960-talet hade tydligare skildring och mer historiskt innehåll, medan på 1990-talet skildras den bibliska skapelsen mer som en saga med få texter om den historiska bakgrunden. Fokus i läromedel på 2000-talet låg på att skildra syftet med skapelseberättelserna mer än dess innehåll. / In this essay, I examine how the first two creation stories in the Bible and creation stories of the Babylonian and Canaanean mythology are portrayed in the teaching materials in the 1960s, 1990s and 2000s. The purpose of the study was to investigate if the creation stories in Genesis are mentioned in the school textbooks and if they are compared with earlier creation stories in the Near East. The study also aimed to see whether there have been changes in the portrayal over the decades. In my background, I will first present an overview of the social and religious context in which the people of the contemporary Near East lived in. As this is the geographical area of origin for the creation stories in the Enuma Elish, the Canaanean mythology and Genesis, the purpose of my background presentation is to make it easier to understand how they may have influenced each other. The method I chose is a comparative qualitative analysis of three teaching materials from the 1960s, three from the 1990s and three from the 2000s. The result is then presented in accordance with the systematizing research method I have used. The purpose of systematizing the survey was to get a clear overview of possible changes, but also as an easy way to process the results. The study results showed that the study materials in the 1960s had clearer depiction and more historical content, while in the 1990s the biblical creation are more described like a fairy tale, with few texts about the historical content. The focus of the study materials in the 2000s was on portraying the purpose of the creation stories over the content.

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The story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11: 1-9) has been interpreted in various ways down through the centuries. However, most commentators have ignored the genre of the text, and have not sought to interpret it within its mythological framework - therefore most interpretations are nothing short of babble. A working text is ascertained, and the complexity of the text investigated. The text is then identified as 'myth': within its mythological framework the tower is seen as a temple linking heaven and earth, ensuring the continuation of the royal dynasty (i e 'making a name'). When used by the Yahwist Levites during the Babylonian Exile, our story was inserted in the great Pre-History as polemic against the Babylonian concept of creation, temple, and dynasty; and served as both a warning and an encouragement to the Exiles. The post-exilic Priestly Writer re-interpreted our story as a warning to the returning exiles that their society, and their temple, should be reconstructed as YHWH determines. Interpreting the story as myth enables it, finally, to speak clearly into our context today, especially that of South Africa. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)

The story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11: 1-9) has been interpreted in various ways down through the centuries. However, most commentators have ignored the genre of the text, and have not sought to interpret it within its mythological framework - therefore most interpretations are nothing short of babble. A working text is ascertained, and the complexity of the text investigated. The text is then identified as 'myth': within its mythological framework the tower is seen as a temple linking heaven and earth, ensuring the continuation of the royal dynasty (i e 'making a name'). When used by the Yahwist Levites during the Babylonian Exile, our story was inserted in the great Pre-History as polemic against the Babylonian concept of creation, temple, and dynasty; and served as both a warning and an encouragement to the Exiles. The post-exilic Priestly Writer re-interpreted our story as a warning to the returning exiles that their society, and their temple, should be reconstructed as YHWH determines. Interpreting the story as myth enables it, finally, to speak clearly into our context today, especially that of South Africa. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / D. Th. (Old Testament)