Simmel and Genesis: the Creation,Sociation and Fall of Man

The author applies the theory of sociation among “dyads” and “triads” of the German sociologist, Georg Simmel, to the text of Genesis, Chapters 1-3. He contrasts the static character of the First Creation story with the socially active Second Creation narrative. He argues that the Fall was necessarily implied by the number of interacting figures inserted within the Second Creation narrative. He also suggests that modern social theory has fundamental theological implications, but is not necessarily reductionistic. He argues instead that the formal properties of Simmel's social theory mirror the substance of ancient religious narratives.