I was nervous, but there was no need. Marilynne Robinson is an award-winning author, with the profoundly religious Gilead and Home numbering among her published works. I was worried that, having some expertise in biblical studies, Robinson’s take on the book of Genesis would come off as naïve or uninformed. I should have known better.

Robinson’s mastery of literature is evident in a couple ways. On the one hand, her literary reading of Genesis is rich and deeply nuanced. On the other hand, her own writing on this ancient text is a work of literature in its own right. You can see this clearly in her discussion of love and grief in the reunion of Esau and Isaac:

The narrative of Scripture has moved with astonishing speed from “Let there be light” to this intimate scene of shared grief and haplessness. There is no incongruity in this. Human beings are at the center of it all. Love and grief are, in this infinite Creation, things of the kind we share with God. The fact that they have their being in the deepest reaches of our extensionless and undiscoverable souls only makes them more astonishing, over against the roaring cosmos. That they exist at all can only be proof of a tender solicitude. (139)

This book contains no chapters, the same way that Genesis (originally) existed. This frees Robinson to move through the narrative fluidly, as themes demand. Her wide-angle vision brings a variety of truths to the surface. Most striking was her note that Genesis is framed by two stories of brothers. In the first story, Cain slays his brother yet God grants mercy. In the last story, the sons of Jacob seek to murder but then sell their brother into slavery, but Joseph extends the forgiveness of God. These themes—vengeance and reconciliation—permeate Genesis and drive the narrative. This is important for we humans to grasp:

If one wishes to align oneself with the will of God, granting every difficulty, grace, and kindness is clearly the safer choice. (227–8)

Reading Genesis is a rich literary reading of one of the most important creation narratives in the world. Robinson’s meditation is a gift to any thoughtful and careful reader of scripture.

Robinson, Marilynne. Reading Genesis. McClelland & Stewart, 2024.