In the past 5,000 years, the Book of Genesis has become the founding myth of our culture. Its 50 chapters have inspired musical monuments (Haydn's "Creation"), epic poems (Milton's "Paradise Lost"), and innumerable great paintings. In politics, these writings provide the charter for those who believe Palestine's West Bank is divinely granted turf. In religion, its central character, Abraham, is accounted a founding father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike. This past week, millions of people of all, or no, faiths took up the same text in a new 10-part PBS series: "Genesis: A Living Conversation," with Bill Moyers moderating group discussions of the Bible's first book. In this special report, TIME Online presents a brief synopsis of Genesis, interpretations from Bible scholars and a bulletin board for people to discuss their own opinions with TIME writers and editors.

The creation of man, 1930 Adam and Eve and the forbidden fruit Abraham and Isaac on the way to the place of sacrifice, 1931