Adam, Eve, and the Serpent
Book description
A National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author deepens and refreshes our view of early Christianity while casting a disturbing light on the evolution of the attitudes passed down to us.
"Confirms her reputation as both a scholar and a popular interpreter.... Continuously rewarding and illuminating." —The…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Adam, Eve, and the Serpent as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
A thorough look at the origins of Christianity and how the once powerful role of serpent (along with the goddess) was undermined and cast as a tempter and deceiver.
Pagels details how a rigidly-patriarchal interpretation of Genesis perpetuates the myth of separation and disconnection from spirit, nature, and ourselves. While snakes as animals are not covered in any depth, this book does explore why negative perceptions of snake still figure so prominently in Western collective consciousness.
From Dawn's list on the history, mystery, and healing power of snakes.
This is another classic book that examines specifically how early Christians read the story of Adam and Eve. If you thought that the message of this story was obvious, think again. Pagels expertly guides us through the intersection of biblical interpretation, sexuality, and power, and shows how there were many different and competing Christian interpretations of this story, each of which had serious ramifications for Christian practice and life. It was not a straight path to Augustine’s theory of original sin.
From Michael's list on how to read the Bible.
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