Woman's Body and the Social Body in Hosea 1-2

(Paperback)

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Description

Keefe's analysis dismantles the androcentric and theological assumptions which have determined the dominant reading of Hosea's metaphor of Israel as the adulterous wife of God. It shows how the projection of symbolic associations of women with nature, sexual temptation and sin have anachronistically determined this metaphor as referring to Israel's apostasy in a lurid "fertility cult". Against this reading, Keefe's study considers Hosea 1-2 in the context of the association of sexual transgression and social violence in biblical literature; in this light, Hosea's symbol of Israel as an adulterous woman is read as a commentary upon the structural violence in Israelite society which accompanied the 8th century boom in "agribusiness" and attendant processes of land consolidation.

Reviews

"Keefe's critique...is fresh and suggestive...promises to deepen and further encourage the current debate in biblical feminist criticism."- Esther Fuchs, The Bible and Critical Theory, Vol. 1, Number 4, 2005
'What distinguishes K.'s treatment of this theme from other feminist readings is her resolute effort to ground Hosea's choice of such imagery in the material realities of the eight century.' ~ Chris Seeman, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, vol 67, 2005 -- Chris Seeman * Catholic Biblical Quarterly *
'offers a challenging critique.' C.J.D, Old Testament Abstracts, vol 29. 2006 * Old Testament Abstracts *

Author Bio

Alice. A. Keefe is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.