RELIFEM MID1 Flashcards
- In her discussion of “When Women Interpret the Bible,” Sharon Ringe makes this statement: “The different ways women have experienced the power of the Bible individually and as members of different religious, social, and ethnic communities have led to a variety of approaches to the task of interpretation (3).” Summarize her discussion of these “different ways” utilizing examples from the texts we have studied thus far in class.
-People interperite the bible depending on their perspective.
No right or wrong way to read the bible.
Someone could find whatever they want in a reading. Support within for opposing beliefs.
Example. For example, a woman reading the Bible who believes it has been a positive force for woman could interpret the Genesis storys as positive portrayals of woman. They could realize their importance to the story. Similarly however, the opposite could be said as someone who thinks women are oppressed could pick out the negative moments in the story such as Adam and eve.
- Although Gen 1-3 contains accounts of the creation of woman, it is usually the Eve of Gen 2-3 that most people think of when they think of the “first” woman. How did subsequent interpreters utilize this story to define gender roles? How do popular culture appropriations today continue those interpretations? How might a study of the account of creation in Gen 1:1-2:4a be utilized to provide an alternate scriptural basis for gender roles?
Man came first so people say that is more important.
Woman viewed as a child bearer, created from man rather than with man.
Woman broke rules. Men didn’t think about the choice.
Advertisments using the stereotyping found in gen- woman as temptress. They create a sense of lust from the story that wasn’t there. Eve is often portrayed as a temptress.
Other genesis doesnt create boundries between man and woman created at the same time
1st creation story could be used instead. Rather than men being created at different times than women, they are bothcreated at the same time. Senese of equality.
- In her treatment of Genesis, Susan Niditch remarks that: Genesis portrays a people whose women do not appear to exercise power in the public realm but who hold considerable power in the private realm of household and children (27). Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific examples from Genesis to substantiate your position. According to Carol Meyers, is this accurate?
I agree.
Women don’t have any public power in the genesis stories, however they raise and feed the next generation. People seem to discredit the importance of this. The women fundamentally shape who the next generation is. They make decisions in raising their kids and mold their life.
Having kids is very important a sense of legacy. If the kids aren’t raised well than the legacy will be poor.
Examples of power.
Planning festivals.
Rachel and Leah have power over slaves. Women can own slaves and govern them.
Sara - has power over slaves and does what she wants
Rebekah over Isaac
Carol Meyers would agree cause woman during this time were responsible for food,festivals,off spring for labor
- What is a trickster story? What types of trickster stories involve women in Genesis? What does Niditch say is the sociological function of literary characters in Genesis who employ trickery?
A trickster story: a tale of a cunning individual that uses intelligence to trick others in the story into doing what the person desires.
Abram’s Wife/ Sisters
Rebekah, planned to have Isaac recieve esau’s blessing.
Made meal, dressed him in clothes
Rachel, takes the house hold Gods from Laban (dads) house. Sat on them while menstruating to hide them.
Lot’s Daughters (Rebekah,
Rachel, Tamar), their men were left behind, so they got father drunk and had sex- these used to be anscestors of less than great people.
Tamar, Onan was supposed to get her pregnant, but pulled out and got killed so she had to find someone else. Dressed up as prostitute
Niditch says the women are critical ancestors for the continuation of the Israelites. They use their cunning to further the greater story. In all these cases they would not have progressed without a trickster.,
Lot’s daughters are ascestors of ??
- What are the dominant theological themes of Genesis 12-50? Of the stories preserved in 12-50, which did you find most personally powerful? Why? Which were the most problematic? Why?
Themes: god being able to give life.
Relationship between man and god
Covenant, God is always there to help, people are often faithless
Relationships between man and man…
God fulfilling promises, The promised land. God creates life.
-Covenant between Abraham
-promised land that they always are kicked off of
-circumcision
-Manipulative, beautiful, barren women
-Rebekah, Sarai, etc.
-telling people that wives are sisters
-Women giving husband slaves to have babies
-God being able to give barren women babies
i do not remember the other two
Anscestry stories and tribes being described as the descendants of a person
- What is the significance of Moses and Aaron in the books of Exodus-Deuteronomy? How would you compare their role to that of their sister, Miriam?
Moses is very important. God makes promise to moses that he will secure their land if they follow the covenant.
Moses as the lawmaker
Aron is chosen by god to be moses’ helper, Moses and Aaron were quite the team – Moses was like a god to Pharaoh (speaking with authority); Aaron was like a prophet (addressing the people with the words he was told to speak)
They stood shoulder to shoulder for the plagues. Aaron cracks when moses takes a long time and makes the golden calf.
Miriam, moses sister. 1st roll is as the protective sister(involved in saving brothers life.)
She was a prophet. This was incredibly important. Back then no woment prophets. The gift of prophecy today is the ability to proclaim God’s Word with authority and power, and the gift is given to women, as well as men.
They all fail eventually.
They each had their roll to play.
- How is the story of Deborah and Jael different from the stories of other powerful women in the text thus far? How is the story of Deborah the same/different from that of other judges in the book?
Deborah has recognized public position of power. And people praise Jael in songs - they are more recognized than others. Also these women are more heroic, while the women in genesis tended to be tricksters with shady morals. The powerful women in Genesis were generally powerful because they are pretty and they have power over thier husbands and their slaves. They achieve power through childbirth rather than actions.
- Discuss the six female “unlikely heroes” of Ex 1-6. How are they the same/different from the women found the ancestral stories of Genesis?
Midwives: shiphra and puah
give birth to moses. decide not to kill a hebrew boy. a controversial idea.
Not necessarily hebrew
Moses’s mom
nurses moses, made a raft and sent moses down the river
Miriam- moses’s sister
becomes moses’ helper and a prophet
Pharoah’s daughter
adopts moses. this changes his life. breaking the rules in the process
Zipporah- moses’s wife
a gift from a midian priest. she saves moses’ life from an ‘angel’.
These women stand up to pharaoh and they do more than just trick men. They also do more than just have children. They have more power, especially Miriam.
