This is an excellent question, being for sure a highly polemic subject. I totally agree about the possibility of a RNA ancestor molecule able not only to replicate itself but also to catalyze enzyme-like reactions such as electron transfer. RNA molecules are extremely versatile, and as proteins they carry sequence and structural information. They are also highly plastic and able to adapt, accomodating mutations and modifications that may contribute to the molecular evolution.
In this context I like the contributions by Nicholas Hud and their team. See some: