Editing Christian mythology (section)

===Cosmogonic myths===
{{main|Biblical cosmology}}
The Christian texts use the same [[creation myth]] as [[Jewish mythology]] as written in the Old Testament. According to the Book of Genesis, the world was created out of a darkness and water in seven days. (Unlike a Jew, a Christian might include the miracle of Jesus' birth as a sort of second cosmogonic event)<ref>According to Mircea Eliade, "for the Christian, time begins anew with the birth of Christ, for the Incarnation establishes a new situation of man in the cosmos" (''The Sacred and the Profane'', p. 111).</ref> Canonical Christian scripture incorporates the two Hebrew cosmogonic myths found in Genesis 1:1—2:2 and Genesis 2:4—3:24.

====Genesis 1:1—2:3====
In the first text on the creation (Genesis 1:1—2:3), the Creator is called ''[[Elohim]]'' (commonly translated simply as "God"). He creates the universe over a six-day period, creating a new feature each day: first he creates day and night; then he creates the firmament to separate the "waters above" from the "waters below"; then he separates the dry land from the water; then he creates plants on the land; then he places the Sun, Moon, and stars in the sky; then he creates swimming and flying animals; then he creates land animals; and finally he creates [[Adam and Eve|man and woman]] together, "in his own image". On the seventh day, God rests, providing the rationale for the custom of resting on [[Biblical Sabbath|Sabbath]].<ref>Exodus 20:8–11</ref>

==== Genesis 2:4—3:24 ====
The second creation myth in Genesis differs from the first in a number of important elements. Here the Creator is called ''Yahweh elohim'' (commonly translated "Lord God" or "L<SMALL>ORD</SMALL> God" (with small caps), although [[Yahweh]] is in fact the personal name of the God of Israel and does not literally mean "Lord").

This myth begins with the words, "When the L<SMALL>ORD</SMALL> God made the earth and the heavens, and no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth …" (Genesis 2:4–5 NASB). It then proceeds to describe Yahweh creating a man called Adam out of dust. Yahweh creates the [[Garden of Eden]] as a home for Adam, and tells Adam not to eat the fruit of the [[Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil]] in the center of the Garden (next to the [[Tree of Life (Judeo-Christian)|Tree of Life]]).

Yahweh also creates animals, and shows them to man, who names them. Yahweh sees that there is no suitable companion for the man among the beasts, and he subsequently puts Adam to sleep and takes out one of Adam's ribs, creating from it a woman whom Adam names [[Eve]].

A talking [[Serpent (Bible)|serpent]] tempts Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and she succumbs, offering the fruit to Adam as well. As a punishment, Yahweh banishes the couple from the Garden and "placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden the cherubim with a fiery revolving sword to guard the way to the Tree of Life".<ref>Genesis 3:24</ref> The Lord says he must banish humans from the Garden because they have become like him, knowing good and evil (because of eating the [[forbidden fruit]]), and now only [[immortality]] (which they could get by eating from the Tree of Life) stands between them and godhood:
<blockquote>"The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever" (Genesis 3:22).</blockquote>

Although the text of Genesis does not identify the tempting serpent with [[Satan]], Christian tradition equates the two. This tradition has made its way into non-canonical Christian "myths" such as John Milton's ''[[Paradise Lost]]''.