Introduction

Fall narratives are not one, but legion; for they are many. The theme of the Fall appears already in the earliest documents available to us, and has maintained its significance in human culture ever since. The reason for this enduring relevance lies with the continuous presence of the phenomenon of the Fall in human experience. In Western cultural discourse, largely due to the inf luence of the Christian tradition, the Fall has come to be closely linked with the text of Gen 3. It is thus perceived primarily as a religious, moral and theological term. However, the Fall exists on a variety of levels, including the physical, psychological, spiritual, financial or emotional, to name but a few. It is by no means restricted to the Christian, or biblical, or even monotheistic tradition. It should therefore be explored using a broad perspective, and an interdisciplinary approach.