The Garden, the “fall,” and the wilderness temptation aren’t about inherited guilt or supernatural testing. They’re about the birth of moral agency. These stories trace the evolution of human choice, from awakening, to responsibility, to disciplined character. The real question isn’t whether we fell… it’s whether we’re willing to choose wisely now!
Have you ever noticed how most ancient religious stories aren’t really about heaven or hell—but about what it means to grow up as a species? Beneath the talking serpents and wilderness temptations, there’s a deeper question: What do we do once we realize we can choose? Once we know the difference between instinct and integrity?
Welcome to Mythologizing the Bible, where we’ll be taking a look at three readings from the Christian Bible through the lens of “sacred myth.”
As we reflect on the readings for the 1st Sunday of Lent, we’ll explore the evolution of human agency—from the awakening of moral awareness in the Garden, to the realization that our choices ripple through the entire human family, to the hard discipline required to resist power when it compromises our values.
In this episode, we’re asking an honest question: If we’ve been given the capacity to know good and evil, what excuse do we have for choosing poorly? Because these stories aren’t really about a magical fall, inherited guilt, or supernatural testing—they’re about whether we’re gonna use our freedom wisely… or sell it cheaply.
