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  4. Duclow (Donald F.) 2014a

Duclow, Donald F., “The sleep of Adam, the making of Eve: sin and creation in Eriugena”, in: Willemien Otten, and Michael I. Allen (eds), Eriugena and Creation: proceedings of the Eleventh International Conference on Eriugenian Studies, held in honor of Edouard Jeauneau, Chicago, 9–12 November 2011, Turnhout: Brepols, 2014. 235–261.

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Article
“The sleep of Adam, the making of Eve: sin and creation in Eriugena”
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235–261
Year
2014
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Abstract (cited)
In Genesis, Adam sleeps, and the Creator removes a rib to form Eve. Commenting on this text, Eriugena links sexual difference, sin and creation in new and striking ways. The sleeping Adam turns his attention from God to “the love of a carnal spouse”. Since in Genesis Eve does not yet exist, his fantasy leads to her creation - and thereby splits human nature into male and female, and adds the sexual, mortal body to humanity’s original status as imago Dei. Sexual division also marks the pivotal point in Periphyseon’s dialectic of procession and return. Following Maximus the Confessor, John identifies sexual division as the final stage of nature’s division. And its overcoming in the resurrected Christ - in whom “there is neither male nor female”(Gal. 3 :28) - begins the return to divine unity. This article analyzes Periphyseon’s dialectic in terms of sexual division. It first examines Eriugena’s commentary on the sleep of Adam and the making of Eve, and how it differs from his sources. It then considers three issues: this commentary’s place within John’s exegetical program; the role of sin and sexual division within Periphyseon’s account of creation ; and the controversies surrounding Eriugena’s views of sexual difference that emerged within Periphyseon and figured in its condemnation.
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Dennis Groenewegen
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May 2015, last updated: January 2019
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