Rethinking Original Sin and Blood Covenants

One of my favorites, The Anchoress, has been on a Lenten streak of great insight and humility. Today she writes about Adam and Eve's sin and brings in a completely new-to-me analysis:

Animals do not perceive their nakedness or try to protect their genitalia, but suddenly, Adam & Eve did. Evolution? Fruit? Whatever. What matters is that suddenly they knew more than they had known, and what they knew - what they suddenly understood - was that they were vulnerable.

Their awareness of their vulnerability might have led to their excuse-making, too. Until that point they had enjoyed a blissful relationship with the Creator - there would have been no reason to fear - and yet - suddenly attuned to their vulnerability, they feared enough to hem and haw and blame anyone else around, and aside from the serpent there was only each other.

Was the first sin, then, simple disobedience? That doesn’t really seem likely. Obedience, like anything else, must be learned.

Rather, I think the first sin was humanity not trusting in God but trying to guard themselves by hiding from him; humans covering themselves up both physically and metaphorically - with fig leaves and with the sloughing off of blame onto others - rather than revealing themselves and taking responsibility for their actions.

Then she goes on to compare this willing-ourselves-to-become-vulnerable to the Jewish covenant of circumcision and female virginity.

The entire post ought to be read. See if you don't catch your breath at some new insight, too.