The Crossway Podcast A Metaphor That Helps Us Understand the Creation Account (Tyler Wittman)
Nov 24, 2025
Tyler Wittman, an associate professor of theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and author of 'Creation: An Introduction', brings fresh insights on the creation account. He introduces the metaphor of creation as a song, exploring its theological imagery. Wittman emphasizes that Genesis 1 is rich in symbolic language rather than a scientific textbook. He also discusses the importance of the creator-creature distinction and celebrates the inherent goodness of creation, highlighting its purpose as doxological, where all of nature praises God.
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Creation As The Creator's Song
- Tyler Wittman frames creation as the Creator's song rather than a dry catalogue of facts.
- The musical metaphor recurs across church fathers and imaginative writers and reshapes how we picture creation.
Recurring 'Song' Theme Across Tradition
- Wittman recounts noticing a recurring 'song' theme across church fathers, medieval writers, Tolkien, and Lewis.
- That pattern inspired him to present creation as musical in his book to capture imagination and affections.
Theology Before Apologetics
- People commonly equate the doctrine of creation with science debates like evolution and earth age.
- Wittman argues theology should come first, providing catechesis before apologetic engagements.
