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| Before Punishment |
When I was born, women could vote in some countries but they definitely were in second place when it came to having the same rights as men. After significant progress in many nations, she remains a solid number two when it comes to sacred places.
When I was writing Eve, a Serpent, and a Woman's Place, I was struck by the power of men's narratives and interpretations of the Bible to remain in control of women's lives. Following is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the book illustrating where inequality began for women in nations where Christian denominations and groups had strong influence over laws and customs.
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Five days have gone by. God has been busy creating the heavens and planet earth then filling the fertile empty spaces with heavenly bodies, plants, and animals. Then, on the sixth day, God speaks to his heavenly council and says (Genesis 1, verse 26): “Let us make man in Our image…” The rest is history—a story pregnant with a plethora of meanings that have governed women and their relationships with men for thousands of years.
In verse 27, the narrator tells us God created male and female and blessed them. They are to fill the earth, subdue it, and rule over all of life. It’s all good. But in chapter 2, we get a different perspective on the creation of the first two human beings. An ancient writer, privy to the ethereal scene, offers more details about the world’s first ER love story.
The Moral Tree
The Lord God Creator, presented to us as a male deity, has human like characteristics. He formed the first man from the earth’s dust and breathed life into him. He plants a luxurious garden and puts his man in it. We learn there is a fateful moral tree that has some mysterious property that will be hidden in the mists of time. And we learn that God warns the man about this moral botanical sample known to us as “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
The Eternal Helper
The man appears lonely and God decides it is not a good idea for his man to be alone so He will try to find a suitable mate. First, there’s a parade of creatures. One after another come to the man, Adam, who demonstrates his authority as he names each one of them, but none of these amazing creatures are fit to be man’s helper. Perhaps as an afterthought, God decides to make a special mate but this time he does not speak her into existence or fashion her from the dust. Instead, God performs an intricate operation after inducing sleep. God removes one of Adam’s ribs, and as a divine sculptor, the Creator forms a woman for the first man. The writer explains (verse 24) “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Then, for some reason, the author informs us in verse 26, “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”
We know that normally, men come from women but not here. And we get our first glimpse of life before we were doused in shame.
Ending Equality
Our first impression of the woman and man in Chapter 1 could be a view that they are equal. Both are formed by God. Both are blessed by God. And God instructs both of them to subdue and rule over all of creation. But Chapter 2 introduces Adam’s woman as his helper. And her status is soon to worsen. In fact, for most of human history, women will not be regarded as equal to men when it comes to who is in charge. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are more biblical details to consider as we attempt to understand how ancient people and modern Christians learn about God and how women and men relate to each other.
Women Rise
Throughout the book, I examine Christian narratives that enhance women's lives as well as those that limit what they can or cannot do--not just in the church but in society as well. There's a spark in Christendom.
Today, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally is being installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. Making history as the first woman to lead the Church of England, she also becomes the spiritual leader and convener of the global Anglican Communion. Having previously served as the Chief Nursing Officer for England, Mullally is the first Archbishop of Canterbury to have led a major public agency in the United Kingdom.
Learn More
You can find a lot more about the narrative controlling women in Eve, a Serpent, and a Woman's Place, available on AMAZON and Google.
Disclosure, I earn income from books purchased.
Post Author: Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD
Geoffrey W. Sutton, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Evangel University, holds a master’s degree in counseling and a PhD in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His postdoctoral work encompassed education and supervision in forensic and neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. As a licensed psychologist, he conducted clinical and neuropsychological evaluations and provided psychotherapy for patients in various settings, including schools, hospitals, and private offices. During his tenure as a professor, Dr. Sutton taught courses on psychotherapy, assessment, and research. He has authored over one hundred publications, including books, book chapters, and articles in peer-reviewed psychology journals.
His website is https://suttong.com
Many publications are free to download at ResearchGate and Academia
Find chapters and essays on Substack. [ @GeoffreyWSutton ]
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