Whispering the Word: Hearing Women's Stories in the Old Testament
Average Rating: out of 3 Reviews
Price: $24.95
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Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Press
EAN (European Article Number): 9780664224356
Number of Items: 1
Binding: Paperback
Author: Jacqueline E. Lapsley
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Dewey Decimal Number: 221.6082
Publication Date: 2005-11-03
Reading Level: 176
Description: In the past twenty-five years there has been an explosion of work focusing on women in the Old Testament. However, because much of this work has reflected a perspective that is either uninterested in or hostile to theological implications of the text, many Christian feminists wonder if they can simultaneously maintain their commitment to principles of gender equality and their faith in the Scriptures, particularly the Old Testament. Writing in response to feminist biblical scholars who approach the Old Testament with a hermeneutic of suspicion, Princeton theologian Jacqueline Lapsley offers Christian feminists strategies to hear the subtle ideas and voices of the less powerful within the Old Testament texts. Reading and interpreting a number of Old Testament narratives in which women are prominent, Lapsley considers how these stories may reflect God’s word for us. In doing so, she demonstrates how the narrative often attempts to shape the moral response of the reader by revealing the intricacy and complexity of the moral world evoked. In this gentle shaping of the reader’s ethical sensibilities, she argues, is where God may be whispering a word for us.
Customer Reviews
Review Summary: Fair and balanced perspective on difficult Old Testament stories
Date: 2007-10-27
Details: Jacqueline Lapsley does a great job of giving a balanced perspective on some difficult stories involving women in the Old Testament. While coming at the text from an academically critical perspective, she also incorporates her faith into the material setting her work apart from other scholars. The book also serves as a good introduction to feminist exegesis, exploring different approaches to reading the text and, in my opinion, finding a good and fair approach to reading the text faithfully. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Old Testament studies as well as those interested in getting started at looking at the bible from a feminist perspective.
Review Summary: Good analyses of half a dozen women of the Hebrew Bible
Date: 2007-03-14
Details: I bought this book for a project I am doing on the Pilegesh (concubine) in Judges 19-21. Lapsley is scholarly giving the nuances of the original Hebrew language and proposing some alternative theories, but is not difficult to read. One thing that stands out about this book is that Lapsley writes from a Christian viewpoint, thus "Old Testament" as opposed to "Hebrew Bible". Also unlike the majority of Bible scholars Lapsley actually incorporates G-d into her analyses.
Review Summary: Great for Discussion Groups / Study Groups
Date: 2006-01-26
Details: Thoughtful and interesting, this book provides new insights into familiar stories. Plenty of material for discussion and reflection!
out of 3 Reviews
