Marilynne Robinson discusses biblical beauty, human evil, and the idea of Israel. Topics include divine force in mundane images, theological questions in her novels, countercultural reading of Genesis, virtues in Genesis, and cultivating good attention. The conversation also covers beauty in religious context, ordinary characters in Genesis, forgiveness themes, justice and mercy balance, interpreting the Old Testament text, hospitality in Genesis, and Israel's birth and challenges.
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Quick takeaways
Robinson offers a countercultural reading of Genesis, portraying God as merciful and humans capable of grace.
Beauty in the biblical text is seen as God's signature, leading to a deeper connection to the divine.
Hospitality is highlighted as a moral virtue in Genesis, guiding towards inclusive and compassionate societies.
Deep dives
Marilyn Robinson's Deep Reading of Genesis and God's Forgiveness
Marilyn Robinson, a renowned novelist, delves into the biblical book of Genesis in her latest work, 'Reading Genesis.' Despite the challenging and dark themes in Genesis, Robinson uncovers a strange and intriguing forgiveness and scrutable grace in the text. She challenges traditional views of vengeance in Genesis, highlighting a nuanced interpretation of God as a forgiving and merciful figure. Through her analysis, Robinson reveals a deep exploration of forgiveness and mercy within the biblical text.
The Role of Beauty in Marilyn Robinson's Interpretation of Scripture
In Marilyn Robinson's discussion of beauty in the biblical text, she emphasizes the significance of seeing beauty as God's signature. She encourages a reevaluation of beauty as a harmonizing element in our understanding and interpretation of the world. Robinson highlights the presence of beauty in God's creations, suggesting that embracing beauty can lead to a deeper appreciation and connection to the divine.
Hospitality and Compassion in Genesis and Its Relevance Today
Through her exploration of Genesis, Marilyn Robinson underscores the importance of hospitality as a moral virtue. The biblical narratives emphasize the care for strangers and the vulnerable, portraying hospitality as a central aspect of godliness and worthiness. Robinson reflects on how the notion of hospitality can serve as a guiding principle for building inclusive and compassionate societies today, drawing parallels between the values depicted in Genesis and contemporary ethical considerations.
Tension Between Justice and Mercy in the Exodus Story
Reflecting on the Exodus story, Marilyn Robinson contemplates the complex interplay between justice and mercy. She grapples with the intriguing dilemma of divine intervention that hardens Pharaoh's heart, questioning the implications of such actions in the narrative. Robinson delves into the challenges posed by the portrayal of justice and mercy in the Exodus story, highlighting the moral ambiguities and ethical considerations that arise from the text.
The Human Hands Behind the Bible's Insurmountable Complexity
Delving into the intricate layers of the biblical text, Marilyn Robinson discusses the profound complexities and contradictions found within the scriptures. She reflects on the diverse perspectives and human decisions that have shaped the narratives, emphasizing the inscrutability and depth of the text. Robinson acknowledges the diverse voices and intentions that contribute to the Bible's multi-dimensional nature, inviting contemplation on the intricate interplay of human agency and divine inspiration in biblical literature.
Marilynne Robinson is one of the great living novelists. She has won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Humanities Medal, and Barack Obama took time out of his presidency to interview her at length. Her fiction is suffused with a sense of holiness: Mundane images like laundry drying on a line seem to be illuminated by a divine force. Whether she’s telling the story of a pastor confronting his mortality in “Gilead” or two sisters coming of age in small-town Idaho in “Housekeeping,” her novels wrestle with theological questions of what it means to be human, to see the world more deeply, to seek meaning in life.
In recent years, Robinson has tightened the links between her literary pursuits and her Christianity, writing essays about Calvinism and other theological traditions. Her forthcoming work of nonfiction is “Reading Genesis,” a close reading of the first book of the Old Testament (or the Torah, as I grew up knowing it). It’s a countercultural reading in many respects — one that understands the God in Genesis as merciful rather than vengeful and humans as flawed but capable of astounding acts of grace. No matter one’s faith, Robinson unearths wisdom in this core text that applies to many questions we wrestle with today.
We discuss the virtues evoked in Genesis — beauty, forgiveness and hospitality — and how to cultivate what Robinson calls “a mind that’s schooled toward good attention.” And we end on her reading of the story of Israel, which I found to be challenging, moving and evocative at a time when that nation has been front and center in the news.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing from Efim Shapiro. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero and Alex Engebretson.
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