Thanks for the link and the explanation, especially I Cor. 11:11.

It's not my intention to get any huge debates started, but I cannot accept a literal interpretation of the Genesis 2 creation story, and so I am wary of theological references to it. This doesn't mean I don't accept the deeper spiritual truths revealed in Genesis 2, just that I don't interpret the story as though it is history or science.

Theologically, when the Hebrew term "Adama" is correctly interpreted & understood, the revelation of faith becomes evident: men and women are created spiritually from the same source/being in the likeness of God.

I believe that Jesus taught this, and so did Paul, but that subsequent generations of disciples lost this teaching in favor of patriarchal control and dominance--the prevailing cultural and social norm. In my mind, it's basically a case of the church compromising & selling out, very much as it has done on other issues over the centuries. (I include myself in the definition of "church," btw.)

For a very long time, I was hesitant to join in discussions about scripture on this site because I am so strongly committed to a contextual understanding, and I didn't have any idea how far so many people have come since the Family, which twists and contorts the sacred texts so far beyond their intended meaning. I've truly enjoyed many of the recent discussions that reference contextual scholarship and understanding the original languages.