Genesis Creation Story: What does it say about gender equality?

Genesis one and two problematises gender equality, the creation of human gendered bodies.

If in Genesis one, male and female were created simultaneously then, what do we make of Gensis two’s version of man, popularly considered as the male gendered body was created first?

Which bible version do we believe?

And how did this perpetuate gender inequality between human’s as male and female in the bible, in connection to gender-based violence?

Beginning with Genesis one which states:

1:25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

The word ‘rule’ in ecofeminist theological thought actually means that our human consciousness evolves so much more than those of fish, birds, livestock, or wild animals and all other living creatures, that we have the ‘divine job’ of taking care of their habitats, ensure their homes are safe, clean and they have access to food and shelter in a safe and healthy environment, so we can co-flourish.

Humankind's ‘domination’ over creation is not meant as subjugation or exploitation. Rather, the fruits of the earth should feed humankind, the earth should be inhabited by humankind as a place of growth, fertility and life. On earth men and women have been made by God in his own image. Yet, we deny ourselves this superhuman purpose.

So, in Genesis one God created man and woman equal in his own image and likeness to care for the earth and its creatures.

Genesis two states:

Verse 7: the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Verse 22: Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Verse 23: The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called `woman, ' for she was taken out of man."

While immediately you may consider man as male, it is not.

When God created man in Genesis two it is meant as a human.

When the second human (woman) is created this is when duality exists for the first time.

To be able to be distinguished between the two, one is defined as male and female.

Woman was not made second, but both once again were created at the same time, as man and woman only came into existence when the second human was created. This also allows them to be fruitful and multiply on equal terms.

God’s plan at creation was to have humanity in two equal genders of male and female, both in his image and likeness.

Men need women as much as women need men according to God’s creation in Genesis one and Genesis two.

How can this reinterpretation support the end of gender-based violence?

When the Genesis two verse is interpreted as woman being created second and therefore inferior to man, this immediately becomes the foundation of gender inequality.

When this is interconnected with the verse of Genesis one, which says:

Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it,

According to feminist theologian Rosemary Ruether Radford:

‘Women in many traditional societies were subjugated and confined to the roles of reproduction, childbearing and childcare and productive work of turning raw materials of nature into consumer goods while being denied access to formal education, ownership and control of property and political powers of the ruling group (obviously men), whose roles were identified with human transcendence over nature.’

Yet, when we engage with gender transformation programmes, such as that of the Centre of Excellence of Women’s Health, which not only focus on eliminating violence against women and girls, but on ending gender inequalities at the same time, thus they engage men as well in this process.

Therefore, from a faith-based perspective going to the root cause of gender-based violence requires the reinterpretation of biblical scripture as a means of gender transformation, and involves deliberately challenging harmful gender roles, stereotypes, practices, and norms. The goal is to shift the unequal distribution of power and resources between women and men.

When addressing violence, gender-transformative approaches, like feminist theology, not only seek to eliminate violence against women and girls but also aim to dismantle the broader structures of gender inequality that enable such violence. Achieving this requires a comprehensive, society-wide approach that involves individuals, families, communities, institutions, and policy frameworks in the promotion of gender equality.

Implementing gender-transformative approaches calls for creativity, critical analysis, and innovative thinking.

Reinterpreting Holy Scriptures

Many gender-transformative initiatives include structured sessions where religious leaders and community members critically engage with sacred texts - particularly the Bible and the Quran. These efforts focus on addressing misinterpretations that have historically been used to justify and perpetuate violence against women and girls, working towards a more just and equitable understanding of faith.

If you’re interested in studying ecofeminist theological interpretations of scripture you can join me in my membership page.

References:

Kebaneilwe, M. D. (2015). The good creation: An ecowomanist reading of Genesis 1-2. Old Testament Essays, 28(3), 694-703.