"The Language of Creation", by Matthieu Pageau: Book Review
I am excited by brotherly duos, such as Bret & Eric Weinstein, Alex & Eddie Van Halen, and now Matthieu & Jonathan Pageau. The Pageau brothers delve into the symbolic world. This book, "The Language of Creation" gives a very clear, very simple starting point for pondering some of the symbolic meanings in the book of Genesis.
I assume that ancient works of art have several levels of meanings. This can be difficult for we moderns, as we have been schooled to think that statements have only one meaning, and our job is to clarify that one meaning. But the stories in Genesis have multiple meanings, which were all intentionally put there. If you want to read the stories literally, and think there might be a stone temple built for Solomon, chances are there actually was such a temple. But the story was also intended to be read in a psychological sense. (I realize the writers of Genesis probably did not mean what we mean by such terms as "psychology", but I will not get hung up on that here.) Each of the characters should be studied as different aspects of the human psyche. The story was also intended to be read as describing how different forces interact, like what happens when a creative force plunges into the world of unformed matter. The story was also intended to be read as describing what are the purpose and possibilities of human beings. Et cetera.
Mr. Pageau clearly lays out some basic ideas, such as how does matter become spiritualized and made meaningful. Ideas must be given forms. The abstract must become concrete. This represents a downward motion, with an immaterial idea coming down to Earth and taking on a physical manifestation. It also represents an upward motion, as base matter is raised up, given higher meaning. This is the "without form and void" of creation, which through stages is given the imprint of a higher intelligence & design.
I love reading Swedenborg, but I also feel constrained by his expositions, as he tends to say that a passage in the Bible means just one thing, usually having to do with Truth and Good, or with the various manifestations of the church of which our historical church of practioners is just one level.
I found Matthieu Pageau's version of describing the symbolism of Genesis to allow much more exploration. The mind is not so constrained, but is still given clear guidelines in which to ponder. This will be one of the few books I read a second time. I would like to exercise and become stronger at this way of pondering.
I’m definitely going to get this book! St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, talks of the four senses of scripture, which are: literal, allegorical, analogical, moral. Personally, exploring these aspects of the various passages and stories I read makes it all so profound. I’m not good at explaining it...