You are cordially invited to a book lecture with
Dr. Juliana Geran Pilon
Professor of Politics and Culture
Director, Center for Culture and Security
for her new book
Thursday, November 10
4:30 PM
The Institute of World Politics
1521 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Please RSVP to kbridges@iwp.edu.
This event is sponsored by IWP’s Center for Culture and Security.
About Soulmates: Resurrecting Eve
In this book, Dr. Pilon argues for a return to an egalitarian view of men and women, found in the original Genesis narrative, as reflected through Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In each of these Abrahamic traditions, it was understood that man and woman were created to be soulmates in God’s image -equal despite their different functions within society. Pilon writes that this original message has gradually been distorted, with disastrous effect. Any hope for an ennobling human community begins by resurrecting Eve as an equal partner to Adam.
The work examines the Biblical creation narrative, comparing it to Greek and other ancient mythologies. Pilon explains how the disturbing association of woman with sin and death led to Eve’s demise as Adam’s equal. The final section of the work deals with the Goddess myth, love and marriage in early religious narratives, and modern man’s search for his soul no less than for a soulmate.
The book, at its core, is a meditation on the relationship between men and women but also among human beings. The resurrection of Eve is indispensable to attaining a true appreciation of love and faith. Pilon uses religious texts, expert commentary, and various works of fiction, poetry, and psychology to make her argument come alive. The work is strengthened by the writing style, alternately poetic and humorous, and a clear and illuminating progression of ideas. Its emphasis on reconciliation and understanding, and its post-feminist outlook will find a receptive audience.
Reviews
“Dr. Juliana Pilon’s new book is truly effervescent! It is bound to inspire countless lively and spirited conversations all across America.”
-Michael Novak
“The Abrahamic faiths – Jews, Christians, and Muslims – constitute about half of the world’s population and share the belief that we are descended from Adam and Eve. Ironically, relations between the three faiths are marked by violence and misunderstanding. That is why we must celebrate Juliana Pilon’s provocative, brilliant, and urgent plea to underline the centrality of love in the story of Adam and Eve.”
-Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University
“Professor Pilon’s book revisits the biblical story of human creation, which illustrates the idea that human beings, male and female, were created in the image of God. The message is not only inspiring but timely. Her contribution is testimony to the wealth of her learning, her conscientious humanity, and her luminous openness to the benevolent aspirations of faith and inquiry.”
-Joseph Cropsey, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Chicago
Juliana Geran Pilon (Author)
Juliana Geran Pilon is the director of the Center for Culture and Security at the Institute of World Politics. Her areas of expertise include international affairs, philosophy, public diplomacy, and foreign culture. She is the author of numerous titles, including Notes from the Other Side of Night; Why America Is Such a Hard Sell: Beyond Pride and Prejudice; and The Bloody Flag: Post-Communist Nationalism in Eastern Europe (available from Transaction).