We begin this wading immediately into things that start to turn over in my mind.
To start, let me say here: I don’t think the Bible is literal. I believe it is divinely inspired and it is truthful, but metaphors and allegory can hold truth without being literal accounts. I don’t think science and religion are at all incompatible — science is simply another way of exploring the world. Religion offers something different.
Stating that up front, I find the first creation account in Genesis interesting. I usually find creation myths fascinating; there are so many different ways of thinking about how the world came into being. It’s especially interesting to me that this particular story — coming up out of nothing, separation — I can see how you could fit with the idea of the Big Bang theory.
I also struggle with the creation of humankind in God’s image. I tend to think of the divine as a force so beyond our understanding, beyond the forms and ways we define ourselves. Though I may use masculine (or feminine) pronouns for ease of writing, I tend to think of God as beyond gender. But yet if we are in God’s image, what does that say?
The second account of creation gives me more trouble. Rather than man and woman both created in God’s image, woman is created as an afterthought, a helpmate. It also feels more scattered than the first account somehow, and I’m not sure how to reconcile them.
The most interesting part, though, to me is the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Let’s start with the most interesting puzzle that leaps into my mind: God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. So, if that holds true, then God already knew that the snake would tempt Eve, that the fruit would be eaten. Yet God created the snake anyway. Why? Why even have the tree of knowledge?
But then, how satisfying is it to have the obedience and worship of those who know nothing else? What does honor and allegiance mean if it isn’t freely chosen? Spiritual knowledge unlocks doors, but it turns your world upside down. You can’t unknow it. What you do with it, that’s what matters.
Even the curse of the fall — the danger and pain of childbirth, the hard work of farming and survival. It’s a curse. But at the same time, what do we hold the most dear to us? Our children and the things we produce. Would we value these so much if they came easy? Would a life of leisure in paradise offer the same satisfaction?
This has been a bit stream of consciousness, and I promise to try for more structure in future posts, so if you’ve stuck it out through the end, you get a gold star! Discussion is welcome in the comments, if any of this struck a chord.
Oaken Grove 
Hey Stephanie, you’re going to get me thinking about the bible again with this thing, aren’t you? My context comes from a Jewish upbringing and I always really respected that we focused very much on bible as stories to give perspective on life. That is not to say the bible is untrue, but the truths may be spiritual truths rather than literal truths and its greatest strength is continual interpretation and study of it.
I’m really impressed by the number of interpretations that have appeared from these first three chapters. For such a short section of text, so much has been drawn, written or performed. Relevantly, I find fascinating the Midrash surrounding Lilith fascinating. The first woman being equal to Adam and being too much for Adam has a wonderfully modern subversive feminist view that I appreciate the reclamation of in modern times. It also seems to solve the problem of the dual creation stories. Sometimes you aren’t able to spend your life with the first person you meet up. I hate the demonization of Lilith, but once you break up often the ex is seen as a demon.
I have less problems than you with being created in God’s image. I subscribe to the belief that there is something divine in us all. However, there being some of God in me does not necessitate that God has the same gender as I. I have many of my mom’s traits and similar appearance, but my mom is certainly not a guy.
In terms of The Fall, my favorite interpretations are those that view the expulsion from the garden as growing up. What better education that actions have consequences than having to change one’s entire lifestyle? I think Stephen Schwartz’s musical “Children of Eden” does an especially good view of the story from the lens of God as a parent helping his children find themselves. Similarly, Mark Twain’s “Diaries of Adam and Eve”, one of my favorite books, I find shows remarkably well the benefits of leaving the garden as well as the associated sadness. Not that you need more to read, but I really do find biblical secondary texts fascinating.
Like I said, you got me going. I’ve read the first two books and the entirety of the new Testament. Love the Oxford edition, and you’ve already got me pulling mine out again. Don’t expect me to respond with any regularity, but I am glad you’re doing this and posting about it. It’s a great discussion spiritually, culturally, historically and I’m sure a few more “lys” I’m not mentioning at the moment.
Thanks for commenting! Lots of interesting things to ponder here.
I also believe we all have a spark of the divine with in us. I think what I stumble over is the wording — image implies a more physical form rather than just the spark of soul. Which leads to the idea of God as at least a somewhat human-like being, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Though I view other Gods and Goddesses as much more human-like in form with no problem, so I’m not quite sure why it should stick with me here.
Yes! Growing up — not just growing older but actual spiritual maturation. I actually look at it as a sort of initiation. You get this knowledge and take this step and it’s amazing and cool and then later you figure out how much work you’ve actually signed up for. It also calls to mind a bit, the sorts of blessing that is a curse, but in the opposite. The “may you always live in interesting times” kind of thing. Yes, it’s a curse, the toil and pain and risk of birth and living. But at the same time, it’s the blessing of children and families and all the great things we’ve produced with human hands through history.
I’m glad you’re enjoying this! We’d both love for anyone who feels moved to read along.