We launched a teaching series called DISMANTLING THE PATRIARCHY that has inspired some to respond with writings and reflections, and we wanted to share them (with the authors’ permission). If you’d like to share your own, email us at communications@sanctuaryic.org. Enjoy!
Kevo Rivera via Twitter
my lineage is in neither Eve nor Adam.
i'm a descendent of Eden: the collision of heaven and earth;
a container for everlasting joy; fed by rivers, planted
with life and knowledge.
breathe in: my gender is a garden.
breathe out: let it grow. let it be a sanctuary.
Genesis 3 Reimagined by Kim Leman
Now the serpent was more shrewd than any of the wild animals the Lord God made. That is why, recognizing she was the person in charge, the serpent approached the woman. He said to her “Did God really say ‘You must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?’”
The woman replied, “Of course not, that would be silly. How would we live? It’s only ONE tree we can’t eat from. If we do, or even touch it, God said we would die.”
“You won’t die,” the serpent replied to the woman, “God just knows that as soon as you eat it you will be more like God, knowing both good and evil. Since this is your creator, father figure, close friend and mentor, does that seem like such a bad thing?”
The woman had thought of this many times before. And the fruit did look very delicious. And because she was curious, awake, and thinking with her brain, she naturally sought to become more wise. So she ate the fruit. She considered keeping it for herself but because of her generous nature she gave some to her husband too. Suddenly, their eyes were opened to their nakedness. They were ashamed, but fully capable of solving the problem, which they did by sewing some fig leaves together to make clothes. Problem solved.
In the evening they heard God walking in the garden. The woman was nervous because, truthfully, the quality of the man’s sewing was not great. So they hid. The Lord God called to the man “Where are you?” (He called to the man because the man was gullible and had never played hide-and-seek well, usually giving away their location.)
The man answered, “Here I am Lord!” (to which the woman rolled her eyes) “I heard you in the garden and hid because I didn’t want you to see me naked. I measured twice but my loincloth still does not cover all my bits and pieces.”
The Lord said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree I told you not to?”
The man replied, “Well you sound upset. So in that case, this woman you gave me made me eat the fruit. But if you’re not upset then it was my idea.”
The woman said, “It was the serpent who told me to eat it. But an interesting thing - he was right! I didn’t die, and knowing the difference between good and evil might be of some use to me down the road. So I think we’re all good -- ”
(the man interrupts)
“ACTUALLY, what I think the woman is trying to say is that the serpent was correct and we are still alive. And it may be helpful for us to know the difference between good and evil in the future.”
God then told the serpent, “You gave away my best secret. You are cursed beyond all animals. You will forever be at war with the woman and her offspring. She will strike at you with her heel which at times will be dressed in fancy pointy shoes. You will make a resurgence in popularity in National Geographic magazine, but other than that, nobody will like you.”
He told the woman, “Now that you understand the way things work, I will tell you that childbirth is not going to be a piece of cake. I am still entrusting you with gestating and birthing the human species. You are most fit for the job. But it’s hard. Also, you will naturally excel at positions of leadership but the man will make more money than you.”
The woman began to object when the man interrupted her again, saying “Woman, calm down, don’t get hysterical.”
God then said to the man “It’s not going to be a picnic for you either. You’re going to have to do some farming. You will grow food from the ground. It’s also hard work, but you’ll be able to monetize it and it’s gratifying.”
The man replied, “That doesn’t seem as bad as what the woman has to do.”
God smiled. “It’s not, but you can help fix that.”