Russell Piontek’s Reviews > The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One: A Multi-Layered Approach > Status Update

Repeats to self "it's not a race" :D
How are you liking it so far? I noticed you read a non-fallenness of creation book recently - and you're probably right around the covenant with creation chapter now, yeah?

Indeed tis not a race haha….I’m enjoying it so far! It has some strengths (covering a diverse range of topics) and some weaknesses (some sections are weaker than others, thinking of the polemics section). I’m not sure I entirely endorse the view that you can create this sort of hybrid layer, pick what you want and leave behind what you don’t want approach to Genesis. Smashing together certain viewpoints just doesn’t work regardless of what the authors say haha.

I appreciate their wading into some niche areas also. Indeed I’m co-reading the John Garvey book that they mentioned about unfallen creation. I’ve not encountered much, if any, engagement on that topic in most creation books. Im in the creation section and I very much appreciate that one! I do think the covenant with creation is overlooked when covenant theology is covered.

That they’re covering some of the ‘inaugural temple’ view is also interesting because that is kind of making a resurgence due to John Waltons book on Genesis 1 which I read recently. That view is a game changer and I’m still chewing it over! (Walton is making the case that the creation narrative should be primarily viewed as preparing a temple to dwell in and he makes the case that Genesis 1 is not about material creation. He still affirms God as creator just that Genesis 1 isn’t concerned with that.)

What are your thoughts so far?

Interesting that you thought the polemics section was the worst part - I haven't thought of Genesis 1 in that way (nor did I know anything on other ANE creation stories) so to me that was a pretty new/interesting chapter. But I get what you're saying about picking and choosing. I struggled to understand how they could fit together layers 1 and 2.

I didn't know that was an opinion one could hold! Lol. So like Missy said in a previous comment, now I'm having to mull over "what IS my opinion on that?!" (Unfallen Creation)

The number of extra books I've added to my TBR due to their references to them... I could be reading about Genesis 1 for the next couple years XD Although some of those other books sound less readable than this one.