Born of Adam

The Male Identity Re-examined

What does it truly mean to be a man in a world where masculinity is increasingly associated with violence, control, and fear?

In South Africa, gender-based violence has reached crisis levels. Laws exist, policies are written, and campaigns are launched yet the violence persists. This raises an uncomfortable question: what if the problem is not only legal or social, but deeply cultural and relational?

In Born of Adam, Matthew Molobeng confronts this question head-on. Drawing on biblical narratives, lived South African experiences, and comparative insights from Arabic societies, this book examines how ideas of male authority, leadership, and identity are formed, distorted, and often weaponised. Rather than preaching or condemning, Molobeng invites readers, religious and secular alike, into a difficult but necessary conversation about power, responsibility, and accountability.

This is not a book about blaming men.
It is a book about challenging them.

Moving beyond simplistic interpretations of Scripture and culture, Born of Adam reframes masculinity as stewardship rather than dominance, leadership as service rather than control, and strength as responsibility rather than force. Through accessible language and grounded reflection, the book exposes how silence, entitlement, and unexamined tradition enable violence and how men can choose a different path.

Written for a broad audience, this book speaks to:

·       Men wrestling with identity and expectation

·       Communities seeking to confront gender-based violence meaningfully

·       Faith and non-faith readers interested in ethics, leadership, and social justice

·       Policymakers, educators, and leaders searching for deeper cultural insight

Born of Adam does not offer easy answers. It offers something more valuable: clarity, courage, and a vision of masculinity capable of healing rather than harm.