Genesis - The Musical
Whenever the bible is used as source material for a musical or play there is bound to be controversy. Normally this arises through either a narrow reading of the text or from find one's established theology challenged with a new interpretation. Other concerns arise from additions or poetic license taken by the playwright.
In 'Children of Eden', Stephen Schwartz and John Caird have taken the first 8 chapters of the book of Genesis. Their focus is family, frailty and the importance of freedom for children and parents alike. The aim of this study is to outline some of the areas that raise questions because of their interpretation of the base text or because they are an addition. It isn't a comprehensive analysis of every difference between Bible and Show.
Adam & Eve created together
The bible clearly shows Adam (Man) created first and then woman created for
him. It is Adam who names the animals and is unable to find a suitable partner
and so God creates Eve. Not a popular line of thought in a post-modern society
where equality is of utmost importance. The suggestion that woman's purpose is
to serve man could be seen a degrading to women. COE gives us a more palatable
view with Adam and Eve jointly created, working together, this does develop into
a relationship where, as in the original text, Eve leads Adam into 'sin'.
Christian thought has progressed and changed over the past 20 years, including
the ordination of women in the Anglican Church, reflecting the changing society
in which it exists. God's creation of Adam and then Eve is meant to represent a
relationship hierarchy before Him, the idea of honouring and obeying which has
been part of the marriage service. There is no inference of lesser value,
ability or position, more around responsibility. The Bible is full of women
leaders, Debra was a judge of Israel!
Taking the show as a whole I would suggest that although the order of creation has changed, the relationships between Creator and Created are represented in line with biblical thought.
I'll create a new wife for you
When we ran workshops for elements of the show before rehearsals began
one of the areas which the cast struggled with was the expulsion. The Judeao-Christian
view of a loving, merciful God is challenged by this seemingly harsh rejection
for a single 'mistake'. The reality that the cast all had to come to terms with
was that this is very much the nature of God and the price for disobedience,
there is no scale of 'mistakes', it is not possible to slightly obey! What COE
helps with in understanding this passage is the heartbreak God feels when his
children disobey. This heartbreak turns to wrath and he expels them from the
Garden - "All that I had to give I gave to you, ungrateful children, live
in the wilderness!"
Where the show provides a more difficult challenge is in the dismal of Eve in the line "I'll create a new wife for you.". It would seem that Eve is dispensable and of no value. Our Adam had a real problem with this line, our Father didn't. The differing perspectives were interesting: To Adam this was a careless, almost malicious, thought, to Father this was a promise to restore perfection and save what could be saved. Again, it is only when we view this in the light of Father's heartbreak and desire for perfection, that we can come to terms with the lengths to which he is prepared to go.
In our production, during 'The Wasteland', Father beckons over 2 storytellers and gives them 'garments of skin' to clothe Adam and Eve. This follows the original text and just confirms his provision is still available in their new circumstances.
God said to lie
As children we are told repeatedly not to lie. Why then does God tell his
Grandchildren to keep quiet about his visit? The visit itself is not part of the
Genesis account it is added to provide an opportunity to explore the feelings of
Cain and Abel towards Father. What is Father's motivation in telling the boys
not to speak of the visit to their parents? Was he simply trying to save them
from further pain or disappointment? To me the request fell into line with the
words of Ecclesiastes: 'a time to be silent'. Father's intention is not to
encourage deceit or disrespect for parents, he had already told Abel to honour
his mother and father, his intent is as always to restore relationship with his
children. In his acceptance that it would take a new generation to restore the
relationship, his secrecy only serves to protect Adam and Eve from the pain of
rejection.
Clearly God would not ask us to lie, to testify falsely, but are there times to be silent to protect others?
Ring of Stones
Strangely the concept of other people always raises questions with
Christians. The Genesis account doesn't elaborate on the appearance or even
existence of other people. There are references to the Nephilim, a race of
giants, also the 'sons of God' are mentioned without any obvious translation. It
has long been suggested that there are 2 creation accounts in Genesis. The first
dealing with creation of mankind, and the second specifically with the chosen
ones, ie Adam and Eve. This pre-adamic creation is the race that Cain would have
encountered in the Ring of Stones, or in the Bible - The Land of Nod. There were
members of our audience who, having always struggled with the absence of other
humans, found the Ring of Stones a refreshing and new concept. As a Christian
cast with diverse views on theology we also were happy with the rendering of the
story. Whether or not you read Adam and Eve as a literal or symbolic account the
creation of humankind and an anointed couple does not seem out of place in
reading Genesis.
Noah - Protazoa
Oh Noah, you go-ah, all the way back to the Protozoa.
It's amazing but that single line prompted a lively debate in the Stephen
Schwartz online forum. Was he suggesting that we all evolved from Protozoa was
the issue raised. The evolution/creation argument is one that has sparked and
fuelled many a book, tv programme, film etc. People often try and prove one over
the other when in fact the argument is not that simple. Evolution can occur as
Macro or Micro Evolution. Micro evolution is inevitable, it is simply the
adaptation of a species to it's surroundings, which over numerous years and
generations becomes genetically encoded. Macro evolution is a different matter,
evolving from one species to another clearly is something that is difficult to
reconcile with the idea of a creator, or is it? Does it simply explain the way
the creator did it?
When I commented on the debate on this line I simply added the thought that I read the line as suggesting that Noah's lineage goes right back to the dawn of time and not that he descended from a single cell creature.
Yonah
Yonah in Hebrew means Dove, a lovely allusion to the dove which delivers the
message of hope to those floating on the ark. There is no Hebrew fable or
reference in scripture to Yonah, her inclusion is a beautiful addition
full of rich symbolism which provides insight into characters which are briefly
sketched in Genesis. Ask many Christians what the difference between COE and
Genesis is and they almost always say 'Yonah' first. Stephen Schwartz and John
Caird added Yonah to provide Japheth with a reason to disobey his father and to
develop the idea of Parental control/freedom. Genesis gives us little idea about
the character, or names, of the 3 wives who accompany the brothers on the ark.
The name, as well as meaning Dove, sounds like Jonah, alluding that she is the
cause of the problems on the ark as Jonah was when he disobeyed God.
The only real challenge that she presents is the effect she has on Noah. He has to choose between following what he believed God had said, that the race of Cain must be destroyed, and saving her life. He decides, in the absence of Father's direction, to save her life. Surely this is a position we all find ourselves in, we often have to make decisions in the face of a seemingly silent heaven. One of the dangers anyone can face in adapting the Bible or playing a biblical character is losing sight of the person's humanity. Noah was not perfect, he found favour in God's eyes, but he was not perfect. If he was his sons would not have found him naked and drunk in his tent later in Genesis! We can be frightened to portray biblical characters making choices or mistakes unless they are explicitly in the original text. The difficulty is that the text is rather like a soap opera: all the action crammed into a single story. What about the years we don't hear about? What about the everyday things that are not mentioned? COE provides an excellent opportunity to examine the personality of characters by making us think about how they would respond in the situations not recorded in the bible. The recent Hallmark Entertainment tele-film of Noah's Ark had a wonderful scene where all the humans on the ark experience 'cabin-fever'. The endless water and drifting finally takes it's toll and tempers flare and rationale fades into thin air. How would we survive trapped on a rudderless boat drifting with hundreds of animals for more than 5 months?
Yonah acts as catalyst for change on the Ark and as 'The Dove' could be seen as representing the Holy Spirit who acts as catalyst for change in our lives today.
Gift of Knowledge
In COE when Noah bids farewell to his children outside the ark he presents
Japheth and Yonah with the Staff of Adam, carved in the beginning from the tree
of knowledge. He tells them to plant it in Eden and when it fruits to eat of the
fruit. It was to be a gift to them and their children and all generations to
follow: the gift of knowledge. When God forbade Adam and Eve to eat the fruit
did his command continue to apply to all generations that follow? The answer to
this question makes Noah's speech to Japheth contentious. Several of our cast
felt that is was wrong for Noah to ask his children to break God's original
commandment, the tree of knowledge was forbidden! Did God's command apply only
to those in Eden? Once fallen from grace did the restriction still apply? Is the
pursuit of knowledge a good or bad thing? One reading of the lines would suggest
that Noah is keen to pass on wisdom to the following generations, to ensure that
they learn from those who have gone before. This reading fits closely with the
themes of the show and illustrates the need to learn from mistakes. However you
read the show the fact that you are reading a study guide means that you are
keen to pursue knowledge and understanding, so maybe you have answered the
question fro yourself.
Other differences that raise questions and issues are listed below, why not post your comments below and we will feature them on the site soon.
Does God Sleep?
Eve's defiance of Father
Death of Abel
God's silence to Noah
God learning from his creation