TEXANNE writes:

I have been reflecting on the Book of Genesis, and it strikes me that it seems to be such an apt allegory of the way in which feminist ideology was introduced into Western consciousness and has been received into the culture without resistance.

The woman knows God’s command, but the most cunning of creatures plants in her mind the seed of cynicism and mistrust — the possibility that God’s motive is not really for her own happiness, but to keep her in her place.  Until this consciousness-raising session, it had not occurred to Eve to think in terms of power, and to think of herself as subservient, and naive, a victim of the oppressive patriarchy.

Of particular interest is the fact that the man stands by in silent acquiescence, allowing the woman to take control of their destiny. This is the man who has just been given dominion over all the earth, who has named all the creatures, whose wife has been taken out of him to be his helper, and who has actually given her her name — and now is speechless and passive.  Who is he to judge?

— Comments —

Laura E. writes:

Most Christians would describe the fall as follows: “God makes Adam and then Eve. God tells them not to eat from the tree of knowledge.  Eve does it anyway. Mankind is banished from Eden and original sin is born.” I would have said the same until a few years ago.

My husband and I went through a rather unusual Pre Cana program. Over a third of the program was dedicated to studying Adam and Eve and what their story means for man and woman, husband and wife.  Adam’s passive stance during the fall was a major theme explored in these classes.  Our class emphasized that, contrary to popular belief, Adam was at Eve’s side throughout the serpent’s tempting spiel (Genesis 3:6).  Then God calls on Adam, not Eve, to account for what has happened (Genesis 3:9). Adam is accountable for both of them before God, as the husband is the spiritual head of his family. But Adam does not take responsibility.  He does not own up to what he has done. Instead he blames Eve. He even blames God a little: “the woman whom you put here with me…” (Genesis 3:12)

During the class, I wondered if the instructor was emphasizing Adam’s culpability to make some kind of dreary feminist point: “See, original sin is not all woman’s fault after all!” Gradually I realized that the intent was more subtle and noble than that. The fall is an inversion of the right order between husband and wife. Eve got too big for her britches and Adam let her get away with it. Since he is head of them both he is just as much, if not more so to blame.

[Pre Cana Note: I understand from my peers that their Pre Cana courses asked them to consider shared budgets and those ubiquitous who-will-do-the-dishes? housekeeping discussions. Our Pre Cana course acknowledged that today’s couples do not lack for practical knowledge of independent adult life.  Rather, they lack understanding of Catholic theology, the mystery and sanctity of marriage, and God’s design for marriage for both sexes. Readers interested in learning more about this approach to Catholic marriage preparation can go to CatholicMarriagePrep.com]

John Purdy writes:

There are some complexities to the modern situation that I think are not well accounted for by the story of Genesis. The imposition of feminism in the modern era is, above all, a defeat of men by other men. Women are complicit in this defeat but the prime movers were all men. It is therefore disingenous to view this simply as a moral failing of modern men. Men of good character get defeated all the time. The Nazis defeated Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and France. They almost finished Britain. This despite the fact that they all held the moral high ground against the invaders. Blaming the moral failings of men, while certainly part of the story, is nonetheless not the whole story.

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