I have memories of my childhood walking home from Catholic school, always needing to stay alert for the Protestant bullies who would wait to attack us on our way home in the afternoons. Being the oldest in the family, I was the apparent target. As a good kid, I didn’t understand the behavior directed at me. Was it because I looked odd in my school uniform, or was it due to being a Catholic kid in the minority facing racist behavior? I didn’t know why they wanted to be so cruel to me!

Before I conclude this “cosmological” problem, I want to express my belief that the historical aspect will present challenges for several reasons. Generally, we do not have access to many ancient manuscripts. The primary issue is that institutions like the Catholic Church hold the materials necessary to understand the history of the Western world specifically.

What is the problem with the giant narrative during the antediluvian period, before the flood? For one thing, contemporary theologians have been able to circumvent the story by explaining that it was descendants of Seth mating with human women, giving birth to men of renown. They don't want to have to tackle the Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels, for one thing. Why, you may ask, do they not want to go there?

The Pietist movement is still alive and well. It's particularly evident in our Evangelical and Pentecostal denominations. Why is this important to us today? They have created religions that put their emphasis on performance. For example, they equate being saved with speaking in tongues; better yet, you must believe in the rapture.