Recommended by Beth Boyce. Wonderful.. ( )

In Genesis the recurring sin is grievous harm to one’s brother.
Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson

I have loved Marilynne Robinson’s novels and have read Gilead three times (twice for book clubs). When my husband was in seminary–fifty years ago–I audited a half dozen classes in theology and Biblical studies. I thought I was up to tackling Reading Genesis.

I remember co-teaching a Sunday evening bible study for junior high teens. I remember my husband explaining that the Bible is full of imperfect people who do bad things but are used by God for the good. And I found this message in Robinson’s exploration.

Robinson argues that the Judeo-Christian tradition was remarkably different from the Babylonian and Egyptian. And she shows that the messages of the stories in Genesis shows a providential history of mercy instead of justice, of using the bad for the good, and demonstrating that the humanity is failable and yet God can use them for righteousness. The covenant, she states, “is not contingent upon human virtue,” for God can work through fallible beings. Thank goodness, because the people in Genesis are certainly not virtuous.

Robinson calls it the “economics of grace,” God forgiving our debts. Even when we don’t forgive our debtors, although it is what we are called to do, along with doing justice and loving mercy.

The Book of Genesis is framed by two stories of remarkable forgiveness, of Cain by the Lord, and of his ten brothers by Joseph.
from Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson

This is not an easy book to read. Its message is not for everyone. Robinson prefers the term providential history to predetermination but her Calvinist faith is central to her exploration. It is a book that needs studying and discussion to fully integrate its message.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book. ( )