For Christians, it was the Spirit of God that created the universe out of nothing. This is important because it shows that God is omnipotent and the source of all life. It also shows that the concept of the Holy Spirit has been part of the universe since the beginning of time. Christianity teaches that the universe was created through love by an intelligent power, namely, the God of the Bible.
Creation had a purpose, it was not arbitrary, and therefore the universe is not morally neutral, but fundamentally good. In this determined creation, everything and everyone is inherently valuable. God's design or purpose for creation reflects God's intention that all creatures enjoy perfect love and justice. God works in human history to fulfill that purpose.
God created human beings in the divine image, which allowed them to have a certain understanding of God and of God's vast and complex design. The purpose of life is to love and serve God to help carry out God's glorious plan for creation. Like Jews, Christians base their understanding of creation on the Genesis account. A fundamental belief is that God created the universe out of nothing, which is reflected in the classic doctrine of creation ex nihilus.
Islam is unequivocal in that all creation originates from the will, intention and action of Allah, the Almighty. He argued that interpreting the creation story is difficult and that Christians should be willing to change their minds if new information emerges. Augustine, one of the most influential theologians in Christian history, suggested that the six-day structure of creation in Genesis presents a logical framework rather than the exact passage of time.
