Sexual Politics in the Biblical Narrative: Reading the Hebrew Bible as a Woman

(Paperback)

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This book is for anyone interested in religious studies and women's studies, as well as for biblical scholars. It offers a feminist oppositional reading of the biblical text. The main argument is that the Bible constructs a fictional universe in which women are shown to be intent on promoting male interests, and, for the most part, appear as secondary characters whose voice and point of view are often suppressed. In their limited roles as mothers, wives, daughters and sisters, women are constructed as male-dependent pawns intent on securing the status of their male counterparts. The Biblical narrative highlights the contribution of women as reproductive agents and protectors of sons. In this challenging collection of essays, Fuchs focuses on type-scenes as a way of demonstrating the mechanisms by which the texts validates male power and superiority. She also deconstructs the Biblical sexual politics by asking whose interest is being served by the 'good' women of the Bible.Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement series, Volume 310.

Reviews

"Unlike many feminists, Fuchs describes meticulously how 'biblical narrative universalises and legislates its male-centred epistemology'. . .Fuchs"s study is an impressive contribution to biblical scholarship." --Journal of the American Academy of Religion (69/4) Winter 2001
"Fuchs has written a timely publication that will be a valuable, useful contribution in this field, suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students." --Theological Book Review, Feed the Minds
"Fuch's book is most useful to professionals in the field....students might find her discussions of specific texts enlightening and she certainly offers an important counterbalance to some of the more traditional readings in this genre offered by scholars." --Sandie Gravett, NWSA Journal (National Women's Studies Association)
"The strength of the work is to bring to the biblical critic a number of secular studies which may not be readily available elsewhere." Journal for the Study of the New Testament Booklist 2009 -- Bridget Gilfillan Upton * Journal for the Study of the New Testament *

Author Bio

Esther Fuchs is Professor, Program of Judaic Studies and Department of Near East Studies, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.