In the Beginning...: A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall (Resourcement)

Rating:
Summary: Great intro 2 theological implications from Creation Account
Review: This book is a collection of four homilies that were given by Cardinal Ratzinger on the creation account in Genesis. It gives a Catholic understanding of the theological implications from the teachings of creation found in Genesis. Cardinal Ratzinger starts with the importance about the necessity of properly understanding this, and the problems with ignoring the creation account. He shows how you cannot answer the question of "What we do" without first addressing the question of "What we are".

From this he proceeds to give a brilliant understanding of what it means to be a human being. What kind of creature we are and our place in creation. His first homily is based on "God the Creator" and its relevance to the differences between our view of God creating the world and other religions views. He then goes to his second homily "The Meaning of the Biblical Account", which gives a more balanced understanding of creation, and its cultural significance at the time. His third homily, "The creation of the Human Being" gives an understanding of what it means to be human and our place and reasons for being. His fourth, and final homily, "Sin and Salvation" gives and understanding of our nature, and our responsibility in our decision-making. Also touches upon the resurrection and the way it addresses our innate struggles. The book ends with an appendix that briefly goes into certain other semi related topics.

It should also be mentioned that Cardinal Ratzinger addresses the scientific implications of the creation account very little in this book. He addresses the problem in proving that the creation account was never meant to be a strict fundamentalist scientific view of how the world was created. But an actual unfolding, with different aspects given all throughout the bible, that directly addresses certain misunderstandings in other religions at the time and, at the same time, giving us a deeper understanding of our place in the world. He also shows how each account, cannot be separated from the others. And only in looking at the bible as a whole can you get the real meaning of the creation account. With that said, there are certain scientific dimensions that are involved in the creation accounts that cannot be denied. Cardinal Ratzinger briefly addresses this. But does not get into too much detail.

Overall, this book is a short, easy to read, explanation of the Christian understanding of what it means to be a human being, our nature, and our limitations. It gives an often misunderstood understanding of the creation account. This book is highly recommended for anybody who is trying to understand the Christian view of man, and the biblical basis for that.