What is the real message of the Adam and Eve and the creation story?
Scripture may be interpreted on many levels. To me, I interpret the story of Adam and Eve on a cultural level. It is an existential explanation of the human condition. Existential meaning, why do women suffer during childbirth? And the ancient writers answered that by giving us this story. We must realize it is a story. And it’s the birth of civilization. For the Hebrew people, this is their particular take on the beginnings of civilization. The serpent, and them putting on clothing, with the fig leaves, and that wasn’t sufficient. And so God made them clothes. It says he made them, meaning he sewed them some clothes, so there would be more decency and to protect them from the weather. This means that anytime you have anything about clothing and nudity, this is introducing the idea of civilization. So the story of Adam and Eve was introducing the idea of civilization, not original sin. Augustin introduced the concept of original sin. But it’s done in these metaphorical terms. It’s done
