
Modern readers of the New Testament often notice its varying ideas about women. Some passages encouraged women to be submissive and remain silent. Yet in others, women characters owned property, headed households, or spoke with approval. Women in the New Testament World helps readers understand this conflicting evidence. It argues that social norms of the time encouraged traditional feminine virtues. However, as Susan Hylen argues, women in the culture enacted these virtues in a variety of ways, including active leadership in households, associations, and cities. In contrast to earlier approaches that divided the evidence into groups that either allowed or forbade women's leadership, this book points to a tension that was pervasive across different groups and regions of the Roman world. Society widely viewed women as inferior to men yet applauded their active pursuit of familial and civic interests. Thus, it was not the case that some women led while others were silent; instead, women were praised for modesty at the same time as they exerted influence in their communities. Elaborating on this rich historical background, Hylen illuminates new possibilities in New Testament texts.
This book investigates the apparent contradictions regarding the status and roles of women in the New Testament by examining the social norms of the Roman world. Susan E. Hylen, a scholar of New Testament studies, utilizes historical evidence and cultural analysis to argue that the perceived conflict between submissiveness and leadership was a pervasive tension in ancient society. She posits that women were expected to embody traditional virtues while simultaneously exercising significant influence in their households and civic communities.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and students of biblical studies frequently cite this text for its nuanced approach to historical context, noting that it avoids simplistic binary interpretations of gender roles. Experts highlight the work as a valuable resource for understanding the complex social landscape that shaped the early Christian community.
Page Count:
230
Publication Date:
2018-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190237570
ISBN-13:
9780190237578
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!