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kaaleppii's review
5.0
Fierce
Be wary of skimming the first chapters of Genesis, for at the least they form the foundation of the worldview of one of the world's largest religions, and at the most, they form the foundation of the world itself.
"Humankind knows itself to be totally deprived of its own self-determination, determination, because it comes from the beginning and is moving toward the end without knowing what that means. This makes it hate the beginning and rise up in price against it."
Bonhoeffer works excellently through ch. 1-3 of Genesis, the creation and fall account; he does not get bogged down as so many do in unprofitable discussion on timespans and "science vs scripture" debates which are nothing more than smoke. Rather he focuses on the wonderful and terrible implications of our creation by God and our rejection of him. His discussions on the limitedness of man first as a blessing (being in the garden and in God's provision-presence) and then as a curse as man tried to reach beyond it and found himself outside of it (blocked from re-entering the garden) was particularly good food for thought.
Probably the highlight of the book for me was the breakdown of the concept of sicut-deus, "like God", the state to which Adam aspires and despairingly achieves. I sat under Raphael Anzenberger several years ago who used this concept as a basis for his class on Biblical Theology of Missions and it was intriguing to revisit an idea which was so eye-opening for me at the time.
Be wary of skimming the first chapters of Genesis, for at the least they form the foundation of the worldview of one of the world's largest religions, and at the most, they form the foundation of the world itself.
"Humankind knows itself to be totally deprived of its own self-determination, determination, because it comes from the beginning and is moving toward the end without knowing what that means. This makes it hate the beginning and rise up in price against it."
Bonhoeffer works excellently through ch. 1-3 of Genesis, the creation and fall account; he does not get bogged down as so many do in unprofitable discussion on timespans and "science vs scripture" debates which are nothing more than smoke. Rather he focuses on the wonderful and terrible implications of our creation by God and our rejection of him. His discussions on the limitedness of man first as a blessing (being in the garden and in God's provision-presence) and then as a curse as man tried to reach beyond it and found himself outside of it (blocked from re-entering the garden) was particularly good food for thought.
Probably the highlight of the book for me was the breakdown of the concept of sicut-deus, "like God", the state to which Adam aspires and despairingly achieves. I sat under Raphael Anzenberger several years ago who used this concept as a basis for his class on Biblical Theology of Missions and it was intriguing to revisit an idea which was so eye-opening for me at the time.
tdwightdavis's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great, Christocentric treatment of Genesis 1-3. Impossible to fully understand without having read at least Sanctorum Communio and Christ the Center by Bonhoeffer. I'm beginning to see a definite theological architecture within Bonhoeffer's works.
jdparker9's review against another edition
3.0
There are definitely some gems in here. However, overall the book feels a little bloated. That may be due to my unfamiliarity with theological exegesis. It's worth consulting. A more traditional review forthcoming.
alexdpar's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
I read this as part of my theological training for a course in systematics, and it certainly provides a unique view for a lack of better description.
Most provocatively is the rather daunting take on creation by pitting creation (humanity) in a juxtaposition - how can we be made in Gods image and be so quick to dismiss Gods command? Moreover, is it to be made in Gods image or to be made like God? The theological distinction has more implications on a rereading of the Genesis chapters, and certainly considering the fall.
But, my main questions come from Bonhoeffer’s final conclusions (and expounded upon by the German edition afterward) on the role of humanity in creation, God as the sustainer of life, and the meaning of humanity. As his work appears earlier on in the 1930’s, it feels as though his actions and theological interpretations of these very topics might be subjected to change as Nazi Germany so drastically changes as well. Bonhoeffer’s quick conclusion or assumption of sustainer is challenged by the Final Solution and even Bonhoeffer’s very actions later in the war.
Regardless, I think this text is fundamental for any Christian systematic reader, especially if you are looking to compare Christian ethics and theological interpretation in light of natural theology or whatnot. It is magnificent as a companion to other German/European Protestants such as Barth and Moltmann, but also significant when comparing concepts of humanity to different traditions such as twentieth and twenty-first century African American theology.
Most provocatively is the rather daunting take on creation by pitting creation (humanity) in a juxtaposition - how can we be made in Gods image and be so quick to dismiss Gods command? Moreover, is it to be made in Gods image or to be made like God? The theological distinction has more implications on a rereading of the Genesis chapters, and certainly considering the fall.
But, my main questions come from Bonhoeffer’s final conclusions (and expounded upon by the German edition afterward) on the role of humanity in creation, God as the sustainer of life, and the meaning of humanity. As his work appears earlier on in the 1930’s, it feels as though his actions and theological interpretations of these very topics might be subjected to change as Nazi Germany so drastically changes as well. Bonhoeffer’s quick conclusion or assumption of sustainer is challenged by the Final Solution and even Bonhoeffer’s very actions later in the war.
Regardless, I think this text is fundamental for any Christian systematic reader, especially if you are looking to compare Christian ethics and theological interpretation in light of natural theology or whatnot. It is magnificent as a companion to other German/European Protestants such as Barth and Moltmann, but also significant when comparing concepts of humanity to different traditions such as twentieth and twenty-first century African American theology.
nate_s's review
5.0
A strange book and somewhat hard to grasp at times. But there are some really interesting ideas about the limits humanity is given in the garden, and what it means to transgress those limits. In dialog with many historical figures in the history of western thought: Hegel, Nietzsche, the nineteenth century German theologians and critics. Importantly (and not necessarily obvious), Creation And Fall maintains the Old Testament as canonical and preserves the "ur-judaism" of Genesis 1-3 despite the trends to de-Judaize Jesus and the Bible - even execrating the OT entirely - among both scholars and "das Volk" around the time of Hitler's ascendancy. So like all of Bonhoeffer, it must be read with an awareness of socio-political life in Germany at the time of writing.
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