The Debate on the Eternity of the World and Creation (hidoush ha-olam)

A major debate in medieval Jewish theology opposes the creation of the world from nothing (creatio ex nihilo) to the Aristotelian thesis of the eternity of the world. Saadia Gaon, Maimonides, and Gersonides, among others, took positions on the implications of each doctrine for providence, miracle, and divine freedom. This debate illustrates the confrontation between revelation and Greek philosophy.