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Women in the bible essay
Womens status in the bible
Essays on women of the bible
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When interpreting the Hebrew Bible from a feminist perspective, many are quick to decry the subjugation of women at the hands of men and the lack of female representation in dominant roles in biblical literature. However, although some women are objectified or possibly marginalized, this claim of inequality does not always hold true. Especially in the book of Judges, women are not discarded as characters and are not wholly unappreciated. In fact, the book of Judges features many strong female characters who serve in significant roles, and who are effectively portrayed as leaders, heroes, and capable, resourceful individuals.
An excellent example of an influential woman in Judges is Deborah. From the beginning, Deborah is identified as being an integral part of daily Israelite life. She functions religiously as a prophetess and nationally as a judge and military leader over Israel (Judges 4:4). Judges in ancient Israel were raised up by the Lord to deliver the people from oppression. However, Deborah is not solely accepted due to a belief that she is appointed by God to save them from their enemies. The community actually seems to respect her as a leadership figure, and regularly “[comes] up to her for judgment” (Judges 4:5). Thus, they allow her to act as a national governing figure in times of both war and peace. Deborah “leads because the people being led see something persuasive and powerful in [her] self-presentation” (Hackett 356), which is certainly significant. Even though she exists in a patriarchal society, Deborah has attained a real position of power based upon communal respect for her wisdom.
Deborah demonstrates her power as a military leader when she successfully summons Barak son of Abinoam, and orders h...
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...ry Journal of Jewish Studies 20.3 (2002): 66-90. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.
Kuan, K. Jeffery. "Configurations of Rape: Some Issues for Conversation Configurations of Rape in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary Analysis of Three Rape Narratives." Reviews in Religion and Theology 17.3 (2010): 256-60. Web. 8 Apr. 2012. .
Shapira, Amnon. "On Woman's Equal Standing in the Bible--a Sketch: A Feminist Re-reading of the Hebrew Bible: A Typological View." Hebrew Studies Journal 51 (2010): 564-643. Web. 8 Apr. 2012. .
The New Oxford Annotated Bible: With the Apocrypha, New Revised Standard Version. Michael D. Coogan, editor. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.
In her book Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them, Liz Curtis Higgs delivers fictionalized, modern stories based on the lives of biblical women. She writes her book in a self-help format so that her readers can relate and compare their lives to the lives of several different biblical women. Higgs hopes that by pointing out flaws and corruption of women in the Bible, it will show modern woman that no one, not even biblical women lead perfect lives. She hopes that by pointing this out, woman will take their lives into personal consideration and strive for a well rounded existence.
Womanist biblical hermeneutics centers Black women’s experience and identity, social location, historical memory, a hermeneutics of suspicion, and a hermeneutics of affirmation. In addition, womanist biblical hermeneutics are radical and subversive forms of biblical interpretation that provide multi-dimensional systemic analysis and critique, acknowledge and affirm a multiplicity of voices and identities. Womanist biblical hermeneutics provide a means for Black women to critique unjust forms of oppression, discourse, and practices, especially in relation to the use of scripture in order to facilitate social transformation. This bibliographic essay will map the various conceptual frameworks and methods of religious scholars engaging in womanist’s
Although the purpose of the Bible is to teach us the right way to live with its numerous rules, the book “The Year of Living Biblically” by A.J. Jacobs, exposes the less publicized rules and how contradictory some of them can be. The main propose of the author of this book is not to criticize or make fun of religion in his quest to “follow the Bible as literally as possible”, but to demonstrate that he enjoys the learning experience. A.J. Jacobs suggests that people claim to be religious when in fact, they only take the rules and ideas they want, this is the reason why I think gender inequality continues to penetrate society today.
Meyers, Carol. "The Genesis Paradigms for Female Roles, Part I: Genesis 2-3 and Part II: Genesis 3:16" in Discovering Eve: Ancient Israelite Women in Context. Oxford University Press, 1988, pp. 72-121.
In Women, Church, God: A Socio-Biblical Study, Caleb Rosado uses a socio-biblical approach to discuss the role of women in the church today and how they were treated in the Bible, during the patriarchal times. Rosado looks at the connection between what people believe now, their culture, and how they treat women in regards to how one perceives God. This book contains ten chapters in which several topics are discussed, including the nature of God, the treatment of women in the Bible, patrimonialism, servitude, and servanthood.
Since the biblical days, society was very structural with the role of the “Man” and the “Woman.” This concept came to be known as the term gender roles, referring to the significant differences between men and women due to an established role and expectation created by society itself. Society’s expectations of the man’s character were assertiveness, analytical, and unemotional. These characteristics, collectively, coin the term masculine for men. And society’s expectations of the woman’s character were sensitivity, nurturing, and emotional, which together coined the term feminine. Along with the standards of feminine and masculine came responsibilities both the man and the woman. The male had economic responsibilities and the female had domestic
In her article, “Feminist Hermeneutics and Biblical Studies”, Phyllis Trible discusses the issues centered toward women in the bible (Trible). She addresses issues not just concerning equality, but also how men viewed women in biblical times. Trible examines the role of women in the bible, and the misconception they carry, that leads many into harms way.
Main Events in the history of Jerusalem. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2011, from Century One Educational Bookstore: http://www.centuryone.com/hstjrslm.html
Schungel-Straumann, H. (1993) ‘On the Creation of Man and Woman in Genesis 1-3: The History and Reception of the Texts Reconsidered’. In: Brenner, A. (ed.). A Feminist Companion to Genesis. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press. pp.53-76.
Gross, Rita. "Female God language in a Jewish context." Womanspirit rising: a feminist reader in religion. Ed. Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow. New York: HarperOne, 1992. 167-73. 1976.
In modern day society, female gender roles are defined in several of forms; ranging from the stereotypical concept of women being the primary caretakers to women being the dominant sex. After analyzing two sources of past literature, two iconic women represent personas of both social standings. In the literary works “Genesis” of The Hebrew Bible; along with, “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes, impactful phenomena take place in the era of these women.
Despite the patriarchal society from the biblical days, God is taught as being just as much a Mother as God is a Father (102). The willful ignorance of religious scholars of the time just show that they were making a conscious effort of trying to keep women from retaining any power that they had. This relegation of religious roles in an effort to keep Men in power is a poor example of how Christianity is a religion which promotes for the love and care of all people, no matter their status. The interpretation of God from these times clash severely with my notions of what is now considered to be an all-loving entity. Women of these times were obviously not equal to their male counterparts. In modern days however, women are thought of as equals in society. The problem is that they are still not being treated as equals in a religious aspect as well as many other aspects.
The stories about women in the bible illustrate the importance of their role and contribution to society. Women were slaves, concubines, and child bearers; they were also wives, matriarchs, and prophets. Although, some women had less important titles than others each served a purpose. Even if the Bible does not explain God’s relationship with women as with Moses and other prophets, it illustrates the love and dedication women had for Him. The scriptures describe brave, nurturing, and God fearing women whose decisions impacted the existence of the Israelites.
Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1995. Print. (BS195 .C66 1995)
Women were often subjects of intense focus in ancient literary works. In Sarah Pomeroy’s introduction of her text Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves, she writes, “Women pervade nearly every genre of classical literature, yet often the bias of the author distorts the information” (x). It is evident in literature that the social roles of women were more restricted than the roles of men. And since the majority of early literature was written by men, misogyny tends to taint much of it. The female characters are usually given negative traits of deception, temptation, selfishness, and seduction. Women were controlled, contained, and exploited. In early literature, women are seen as objects of possession, forces deadly to men, cunning, passive, shameful, and often less honorable than men. Literature reflects the societal beliefs and attitudes of an era and the consistency of these beliefs and attitudes toward women and the roles women play has endured through the centuries in literature. Women begin at a disadvantage according to these societal definitions. In a world run by competing men, women were viewed as property—prizes of contests, booty of battle and the more power men had over these possessions the more prestigious the man. When reading ancient literature one finds that women are often not only prizes, but they were responsible for luring or seducing men into damnation by using their feminine traits.