Pdf amid the varieties of feminist interpretive methods in biblical scholarship. What do feminist approaches to interpreting scripture have to contribute to the church as a whole. Feminist biblical hermeneutics has produced many fissures. It is a story about interpretations of womens sto ries in the hebrew bible.
In 1971 vorster proposed this new approach in a paper read at the annual meeting of the new testament society of south africa cf. Feminist interpretation of the bible and the hermeneutics. Though i consciously view the bible through the lenses of race, class, and gender, a postcolonial perspective has pushed me to think about these issues in greater depth. In the same volume heather eaton draws on feminist biblical criticism to suggest directions for an ecofeminist approach to biblical interpretation. Ua professor explores feminist interpretation of bible. An introduction to feminist biblical interpretation methods the following is a study of what feminists bible critics believe, not what the present writer endorses. Postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible by musa.
Hermeneutical alternatives article pdf available in hts teologiese studies theological studies 534 january 1997 with 738 reads how we measure reads. But using comedy as an interpretive lens to expound jacksons particular implementation of a feminist hermeneutics is somewhat problematic. Though there are many different ways to interpret the bible as a feminist, the most helpful is in examining. This book originated from a symposium of feminist biblical experts from over twenty countries from five continents. Feminist interpretation of the bible and the hermeneutics of liberation 9780567083722 by silvia schroered. Whereas this is not the place to discuss the merits and demerits of this new hermeneutic, 7 we must, however, be aware that there is a new hermeneutic at work in the feminist interpretation of the bible. Margaret aymer, cochair, feminist hermeneutics of the bible section, society of biblical.
Postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible book. Feminist theory and the bible conceptualizes, contextualizes, and maps a new kind of burgeoning scholarship that has emerged in recent decades. Expanding the discourse is a longawaited collection of original essays that features bold new womanist approaches to biblical hermeneutics. Congratulations on work so sorely needed in the field of biblical studies. However, in the last two hundred years there has been an ever increasing call from women for the situation to be changed. Postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible musa w. Download pdf feminist theory and the bible free online. Using alternative modes for feminist interpretation to shift the parameters of patriarchy as well as challenge us to think differently about the possibilities of feminist expression is a worthy task. Feminist scholarship on women in the bible 93 women.
The bible and interpretation reading the bible in a. Pdf the value of a feminist interpretation of the bible. A feminist bible cannot be a translation of the original. Feminist interpretation of the hebrew bible in retrospect is congratulations. Expanding the discourseis a longawaited collection of original essays that features bold new womanist approaches to biblical hermeneutics. Feminist bible exegetes are generally reticent to engage them and to orient their scholarship accordingly. Feminist criticism feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings. I was expecting an analysis of the bible from a feminist point of view, and was disappointed. The cambridge companion to biblical interpretation edited. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget. This collection of essays by a dozen feminist scholars illustrates the range and scope of feminist concerns with traditional biblical interpretation. You and all of your contributors have pulled together decades of inquiry into the hebrew bible from feminist. Feminist biblical studies in the twentieth century society of biblical. While biblical interpretation is the cause of these problems, feminist biblical interpretation is part of the solution to end biblically justified abuse of women.
Kindle edition, 20 musa dube, who offers an african postcolonial perspective of scriptural analysis. Postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible and. Useful as both an introduction to current feminist interpretation and as an important resource for its future development. Feminist bible interpretation biblical archaeology society. The secular feminist says, i am entitled to compete on an equal basis with men. It argues that womanist biblical interpretation is not simply a byproduct of feminist biblical interpretation but part of a distinctive tradition of african american womens engagement with biblical texts. As thistlewaite states above, we begin to develop a feminist interpretation because the bible is a part of the fabric of the oppression of women thistlewaite 97. A newly published article by fuchs, a ua near eastern studies professor, suggests that biblical feminism is emerging as an autonomous field, and at this. In a provocative and insightful reading of the book of matthew, she shows us how to read the bible as decolonizing rather. Interpretation is all we have ote 221 2009, 88101 the historical approach used by feminist biblical historians, aims at af firming biblical women by reaching beyond the text to discover the actual conditions of womens lives in the biblical period.
Usnews online 81098 the role of women in the bible is undoubtedly an important one, but whether they are painted as heroines or as deceivers depends on the source. Esther fuchs has spent decades challenging traditional scholarship on the hebrew bible and also trying to get biblical studies scholars to reconsider their frame of reference when it comes to gender interpretations. The spirit of biblical feminism an analysis of biblical. Click download or read online button to get comedy and feminist interpretation of the hebrew bible book now. Comedy and feminist interpretation of the hebrew bible. Important conceptual proposals come from fuchs 2008 and milne 1997, and jost. Their interpretations became the basis for actively opposing slavery and gender. Introduction over the history of the church the bible has been used to legitimise patriarchy in society and in the church. Chart the development of feminist approaches and theories of interpretation during the period when women first joined the ranks of biblical scholars. The feminist and the bible socialist or marxist feminism according to ruether follows upon the marxist assumption that full equality can be achieved only by the full integration of labor and ownership. Rather than simply interpreting new testament passages, the authors rely on the research. A discussion of feminist alternatives in biblical interpretation cannot be undertaken in isolation from either recent currents in feminism or in biblical interpretation. Feminist interpretation of the bible in retrospect lectio difficilior.
Feminist hermeneutics also challenges patriarchal interpretations of the bible and finds ways for the. Then drew near the daughters of zelophehad the son of hepher, son of gilead. Secondwave scholars who excavated the texts for womens history were critiqued by others who said women were purely constructs. Fricke feminist interpretation of the bible has challenged many of the longstanding traditional interpretations. Feminist interpretation of the bible oxford handbooks. It is very dry, and appropriate for those readers who have a deep interest in feminist theory. Bible scholar, and teacher, and i wish that i had been able to read an introduction to womanist biblical interpretation when i was in graduate school.
The chapters in part one cover all the methods and approaches currently practised in the academic study of the bible, while those in part two examine the major categories of books in the bible from the perspective of recent scholarship e. There are several introductory overviews of feminist scholarship on the old testament hebrew bible. Vestal 1 feminism itself dates back to the 18th century, when women in the enlightenment were fighting for their equal rights in society. They neither argue that the bible affirms gender equality in the modern sense, nor do they believe it prescribes a hierarchical model of complementarian malefemale relationships. We first conceived of this volume through a series of conversations, which first began at the 2011 annual. We first conceived of this volume through a series of conversations, which first began at the 2011 annual meeting of the society of biblical literature in san francisco. When asked about what he saw as the possible outcome of feminist study and interpretation of the bible, the theologian david tracy replied, the next intellectual revolution.
Garrett midamerica baptist theological seminary, memphis, tn 38104 the origins of feminist hermeneutics are not difficult to ascertain. Dube is a scholar of immense talent, brilliance and intellectualism. A south african perspective and comments, by mw dube. Apart from the zeitgeist of the late 20th century, that is, the larger social context of secular feminism and the expanding job market for. This book has a lot of information about feminism, and a lot of information about christianity, but no feminist interpretation of the bible. Her weaving of the bible, colonialismand imperialism, with feminist theoretical analysis is a highly note to the growing academic field of postcolonial studies. Feminist scholarship on the old testament biblical. An introduction to feminist biblical interpretation in honor of katharine doob sakenfeld. The roots of modern feminist biblical scholarship stretch back to the. An introduction to womanist biblical interpretation provides a muchneeded introduction to womanist approaches to biblical interpretation. Thomason professor of new testament studies, austin. Making feminist interpretation of scripture understandable, compelling, and usable, wisdoms feast will be valuable to any readers hungry to learn from the rich insights of feminist.
This question is very difficult to answer because of the ambiguity of the feminist movement. This collection of essays on feminist biblical studies in the twentieth century seeks to explore four areas of. A third challenge to feminist biblical interpretation consists in the existence of feminist theories and practices outside of biblical studies. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions for group or personal use. Pdf postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible. Questioning conventional notions of the text as sacred and authoritative, eaton writes. These essays from different geographical, social and cultural contexts around the world raises the current issues in the field of feminist hermeneutics.
An analysis of feminist interpretation of the bible this paper was presented to the mankato pastoral conference at trinity lutheran church, belle plaine, minnesota, on october 1, 1991. Secular feminism centers around competing for equal rights. A feminist interpretation of the bible not only contributes to discourse in feminist theology, but under the umbrella of theology as a whole. The biblical feminist says, i seek the freedom to follow christ as he calls me to use my gifts in gods service. An introduction to womanist biblical interpretation. A feminist interpretation of the bible is one of the interested ap proaches. Comedy and feminist interpretation of the hebrew bible, a. Musa dube, postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible st. Cheris kramerae, a feminist dictionary 1991 feminist biblical criticism, like feminism itself, comes in many types of packaging, each of which when opened reveals different ideas about the bible, its authority, and its relevance. Feminist scholarship on women in the bible baylor university. This book is my bible for a postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible. While i drew on womanist discourse for my dissertation in old testament at princeton theological seminary, i had never taken a course in feminist or womanist biblical interpretation.
Postcolonial feminist interpretation of the bible is one of the more provocative books i have read in the last several years. Womanist and latina interpreters insisted on the authenticity of their traditions. Russell, authority and the challenge of feminist interpretations in russell ed. From an ecofeminist perspective, the bible can be accepted only as contingent and provisional 59.
The minimalist definition of feminism is the establishment and defense of gender equality in the political, social, and economic arenas. Feminist criticism presuppositions, principles, and terms a. Feminist interpretation in the context of reformational theology. What do feminist approaches to interpreting scripture have.
Pdf the value of a feminist interpretation of the bible liz vestal. The roots of modern feminist biblical scholarship stretch back to the nineteenth. The chapters included here consider both the theory and practice of feminist biblical studies. An overview of feminism for the second wave of feminism, the date 1963 was pivotal.
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