(Fwd) [jwl] Women in Scripture

[J. Halász Judit]

From:                   jwlegroups at aol.com
Women in Scripture
    The publication of this important reference must be hailed as another
critical landmark in the American feminist movement.  Organized efforts to
achieve political, legal, economic and social equality for women
led to the 1848 Seneca Falls, New York, Declaration that "all
men and women are created equal" and to the establishment of a United
States woman's rights movement.
    In 1920, women were enfranchised when the 19th amendment to the
constitution was ratified.  In 1963, the publication of Betty Friedan's
"The Feminine Mystique" led to the modern women's endeavor and to
founding of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1966.
    Women in Scripture   contributes to these impressive attempts to
secure equal rights for women by its scholarly demonstration that many
traditional perceptions about women in the Bible need radical
re-examination.  The sexist nature of much Biblical material is helpfully
placed in the context of an ancient social system that is not necessarily
valid for today's world.  Also, a valiant effort is made to rescue from
obscurity all the women in the Bible who are nameless.
    The foundation for this vital analysis is provided in six significant
introductory essays by leading Biblical scholars, followed by three
sections on "Named Women," "Unnamed Women," and "Female Deities
and Personifications."
    The initial essays provide the basis for more than 850 entries
written by more than 70 experts.  The sources for these crucial
offerings are found in the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, the 18 books
of the Apocrypha and the 27 books of the New Testament.  Each of
these three origins is carefully reviewed and excellent articles are
provided on "Feminist Biblical Scholarship" and "Names and Naming in
the Biblical World."
    This well-grounded backdrop paves the way for reports of varying
length on 205 named women: more than 800 unnamed women and
49 non-human females.  These thoughtful and weighty statements
represent a novel approach to understanding the women of the Bible,
drawing on the most up-to-date scholarship.  The resulting portrayal
revises conventional wisdom and requires new interpretations.  A
supplementary finding is that parts of the Bible were written by
women.
    While this is not the kind of book one reads from beginning to
end, it is an indispensable reference for all readers of the Bible.
The authoritative basis of the book is guaranteed by the impeccable
qualifications of its editors.

Carol Meyers is a distinguished professor of Biblical studies and
Biblical archeology at Duke University.
Her associate editor, Toni Craven, is a professor of the Hebrew
Bible at Texas Christian University.
The associate editor is Ross S. Kraemer, who formerly taught religious
studies at the University of Pennsylvania and is now on the faculty of
Brown University.
Dr. Morton I. Teicher, the reviewer, is founding dean of the Wurzweiler
School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, and Dean Emeritus of the
School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.