What do you think?
Rate this book
Women & the Historical Jesus: Feminist Myths of Christian Origins
For decades scholars have argued that Jesus' teaching fostered inclusive communities and the full participation of women. Now Kathleen Corley challenges the assumption that Jesus himself fought patriarchal limitations on women. Rather the analysis of his authentic teaching suggests that while Jesus critiques class and slave/free distinctions in his culture, his critique did not extend to unequal gender distinctions. The presence of women among his disciples, she says, is explained on the basis of the presence of women among many Greco-Roman religions and philosophical groups, including the Judaism of Jesus' own day.
254 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 24, 2024
A STUDY SUGGESTING THAT CHRISTIAN FEMINISM CAN BE BASED ON JESUS' TEACHINGS
Kathleen Corley is a professor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; she has also written 'Maranatha: Women's Funerary Rituals and Christian Origins' and 'Private Women, Public Meals: Social Conflict in the Synoptic Tradition.'
She wrote in the Acknowledgements section of this 2002 book, "The beginnings of the book came from a discussion with Elizabeth Castelli... she suggested that there was a 'feminist myth of Christian origins,' and her comment led to my article [for a Festschrift for Burton Mack]... My own research on women in early Christian meals suggested that early Christian women, and thus the women of the Jesus movements, were participants in a larger process of innovation which incorporated the inclusion of women in various social and religious contexts." (Pg. vii)
She states in the Introduction, "Soon after the death of Jesus, controversy over the role of women arose in various Christian groups. For decades scholars have argued that Jesus' teaching itself fostered inclusive communities and the full participation of women... [and] in effect repudiated earlier Jewish restrictions on women. Eventually, this egalitarian social arrangement was challenged and overcome by the influence of Hellenistic patriarchalism. This book argues that such a reconstruction of Jesus' preaching and practice can function as a foundational myth for modern Christian feminism." (Pg. 1)
She argues, "Since upper-class wealthier women would be branded who_s for social unconformity, and lower class women could be assumed to have been forced into prostitution, it is less likely that the women around Jesus were actual prostitutes. The accusation that Jesus dined with 'tax collectors and sinners/prostitutes' can therefore be seen as a form of slander against Jesus and his companions, and remains suggestive of a socially mixed group which included slaves, runaway slaves and/or day laborers, as well as the freeborn poor." (Pg. 52)
She concludes, "a careful analysis of Jesus' authentic sayings suggests no interest in women as women or the inequality between the sexes. Although Jesus' teaching contains a critique of class distinctions and slavery in his culture, that critique is not extended to gender distinctions or sex discrimination." (Pg. 141) She admits, however, that "the group around Jesus cannot be characterized as a 'discipleship of equals,' since probably only a few women were members of the predominantly male group. The limited participation of women does not suggest a group focused on equality or equal representation, but rather reflects the growing participation of women ... throughout the Greco-Roman world. However, the slander leveled against the women who did participate suggests that they were among the more socially progressive women of their culture." (Pg. 143)
This is an excellent, thought-provoking book, that will be of interest not just to those studying the historical Jesus and early Christianity, but feminist theology, and related topics.
Kathleen Corley is a professor of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; she has also written 'Maranatha: Women's Funerary Rituals and Christian Origins' and 'Private Women, Public Meals: Social Conflict in the Synoptic Tradition.'
She wrote in the Acknowledgements section of this 2002 book, "The beginnings of the book came from a discussion with Elizabeth Castelli... she suggested that there was a 'feminist myth of Christian origins,' and her comment led to my article [for a Festschrift for Burton Mack]... My own research on women in early Christian meals suggested that early Christian women, and thus the women of the Jesus movements, were participants in a larger process of innovation which incorporated the inclusion of women in various social and religious contexts." (Pg. vii)
She states in the Introduction, "Soon after the death of Jesus, controversy over the role of women arose in various Christian groups. For decades scholars have argued that Jesus' teaching itself fostered inclusive communities and the full participation of women... [and] in effect repudiated earlier Jewish restrictions on women. Eventually, this egalitarian social arrangement was challenged and overcome by the influence of Hellenistic patriarchalism. This book argues that such a reconstruction of Jesus' preaching and practice can function as a foundational myth for modern Christian feminism." (Pg. 1)
She argues, "Since upper-class wealthier women would be branded who_s for social unconformity, and lower class women could be assumed to have been forced into prostitution, it is less likely that the women around Jesus were actual prostitutes. The accusation that Jesus dined with 'tax collectors and sinners/prostitutes' can therefore be seen as a form of slander against Jesus and his companions, and remains suggestive of a socially mixed group which included slaves, runaway slaves and/or day laborers, as well as the freeborn poor." (Pg. 52)
She concludes, "a careful analysis of Jesus' authentic sayings suggests no interest in women as women or the inequality between the sexes. Although Jesus' teaching contains a critique of class distinctions and slavery in his culture, that critique is not extended to gender distinctions or sex discrimination." (Pg. 141) She admits, however, that "the group around Jesus cannot be characterized as a 'discipleship of equals,' since probably only a few women were members of the predominantly male group. The limited participation of women does not suggest a group focused on equality or equal representation, but rather reflects the growing participation of women ... throughout the Greco-Roman world. However, the slander leveled against the women who did participate suggests that they were among the more socially progressive women of their culture." (Pg. 143)
This is an excellent, thought-provoking book, that will be of interest not just to those studying the historical Jesus and early Christianity, but feminist theology, and related topics.
December 2, 2024
The author cross references texts that have no relation to the greater biblical text she is trying to comment on. I thought academic biblical historians were supposed to explain their opinions thoroughly and with proper evidence especially when making bold claims and far reaching connections; I guess not.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews