In the Beginning: A New Interpretation of Genesis

by Karen Armstrong

Book Overview

The foundation stone of Jewish and Christian scriptures, the power of the Book of Genesis lies in its stories - Creation, the Fall, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Joseph. These ancient tales... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679450890
• ISBN13: 9780679450894
• Release Date: September 1996
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Genesis would never look the same

A unique view of the book of Genesis, as seen through the eyes of a very intelligent woman. An insightful analysis of the texts done by an expert. Best thing is my beliefs were the same after reading this book, I was expecting either a praise to religion or the tale of a rebel, but this is a serious, well thought and complete approach, the perspective and the book though, are unforgettable.

A standout...

Karen Armstrong's "In the Beginning" came to me at the tail end of a two year study of Christianity. I looked at its dustjacket (a reproduction of Adam from the Sistine Chapel) with indifference, and decided to read it only because it was brief. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. For one thing, Armstrong is a lyrical writer -- as a copyeditor, I truly marveled at her sentences for both their clarity and poetry. For another, in this book she does something many clerics and scholars have failed to do: successfully apply meaning to the garbled message of Genesis. She states her case pretty early on: there is no way to get a coherant understanding of God from reading Genesis. He is utterly contradictory -- creative and all-powerful in one story; vengeful and capricious in the next. This paradox has befuddled many of reader. I, for one, had come to think of Genesis as typical of the flawed meaninglessness of the Bible. But Armstrong has me reconsidering my conclusion. It seems clear, she says, that all the characters in Genesis have to endure afflictions and unfairness. Whether they are favored in God's eyes or not, their lives are difficult. A relationship with God doesn't spare them difficulties -- instead the meaning in their lives is derived in part by making it through their difficulties with their faith intact.I really enjoyed this book. Just when I had grown tired of a subject, a new author has revived familiar terrain with a fresh perspective. I look forward to reading Armstrong's other books.

Illuminating and insightful

As a biblical scholar and as an author who has also taken a long look at the book of Genesis (Eric Westra, "A New Beginning", 2000), I am well aware of the complexities and subtle nuances found within the text of Genesis. I was very impressed with Armstrong's firm grasp of the biblical text with all of its complexities, while at the same time never coming across as being pedantic, obtuse, or closed-minded. Armstrong opened my mind to things I had not previously considered. To anyone interested in probing the layers of meaning that can be found beyond a simple reading of Genesis, I highly recommend this book.

A brilliant interpretation of Genesis

In The Beginning is written by the author of The History of God, Karen Armstrong. In The History of God, the author has left us with the indefatigable impression on the depth and width of the her intellectual and rendition power. She has without missing a single bit continued with her immense capabilities in writing In The Beginning. Her objectivity is simple breathtaking, which is almost a novelty in religious authorship.In The Beginning deals with the first and perhaps most fascination for many, book of the Bible, Genesis. She provides a thorough and a well thought out description of the patriarch's character and personalities and most significantly, of God Himself as presented in Genesis. Any individual with a christianity background, would undoubtedly have a semblance of knowledge of the stories and individuals of the Book of Genesis. Christianity teachings are often absorbed at an early age where trust and naivety are at the forefront of personality traits. And here often lies the spiritual block and impediment of many. Certain interpretations or teachings (based on the convenient of the church or individuals) have been so deeply ingrated that a necessary reinterpretation and different facet of understanding is often impossible. Karen Armstrong however has managed to transcend these and provided us with almost scientific objectivity in her interpretation and conclusion. Each and every point is based on the written verses in Genesis itself. No religious compunction is felt. The reader is invited to make their own personal interpretation and spiritual discovery. A revaluation of childhood christianity teaching and belief is often necessary in the adult's spiritual progress in order to obtain a deeper faith in christianity. Such a revaluation is provided in this book and no doubt will be valued by many.

If You Have Tried to Read Genesis and Failed...Buy this Book

Once again, Karen Armstrong makes a complex topic more understandable and readable. If you have ever tried to read Genesis and never got past the chapter, "so-and-so begot so-and-so, who begot so-and-so", then this book is for you. I have never understood what was going on in Genesis until now. It is like having the "Cliff" Notes. Armstrong provides the economic, social and political context in which the text was written. Without this, it is very difficult to understand the meaning of Genesis in a vacuum. The stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, etc., as written in Genesis, are full of sensational stuff like murder, deception, rape, incest, deceit, slavery and other topics more familiar to viewers of Jerry Springer.