I. Introduction

II. The Hermeneutics of Recuperation: "We were There"

A. Jesus and Women

1. Mary and the Rebirth of Prophecy (Luke 1:46-55)

2. Many Women Followers and Supporters (Luke 8:1-3; cf. Mark 15:40-41)

3. Public and Private Dialogue Partners (Matt 15:21-28 [cf. Mark 7:24-30]; John 4:5-42)

4. Prophets (Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8)

5. Disciples (Luke 10:38-42)

6. Faithful to the End and Beyond (Mark 15:40-41; 16:1-8; John 20:11-18)

 

B. Paul, the Early Church, and Women

1. The Women of Romans 16

a. Phoebe (v. 1-2)

b. Prisca (vv. 3-4)

c. Mary (v. 6)

d. Junia (v. 7)

e. Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis (vv. 12)

f. Rufus' mother, Julia, sister of Nereus (vv. 13-15)

2. Other Important Converts and Prominent Co-workers: Lydia, Euodia and Syntyche (Acts 16:11-15; Phil 4:1-3)

3. Teachers of Men (Acts 18:24-26)

4. Praying and Prophesying Publicly (1 Cor 11:4-5; cf. Acts 2:17-18; 21:8-9)

5. "In Christ there is . . . no longer male and female" (Gal 3:27-28)

 

III. The Hermeneutics of Suspicion: Exposing the "Texts of Terror"

A. The "Forms of this World" (1 Cor 7:29-31) didn't pass away: The Degeneration of Christian Attitudes toward Women

 

B. The Influence of Ancient Gender Ideologies

1. Pagan and Jewish Etiologies of the Sexes and Evil

 

2. Public (=masculine) vs. Private (=feminine) Spheres

 

C. The Orthodox Corruption of Paul

1. The Rewriting of Paul as a Misogynist: 1 Cor 14:33-36 as Interpolation

 

2. The Invention of Paul as a Misogynist: The Pastorals as Pseudonymous Prosopopoeia ("impersonation")

Resources: Pastoral Epistles Lecture; Women in the Early Church Lecture; Dr. Mark's Annotated Chronology of Paul

 

3. Perfect Patriarchy

a. Silent and Subjected Women (1 Tim 2:8-15; cf. 1 Cor 11:1-16)

 

b. Barefoot and Pregnant Women (1 Tim 5:11-14; cf. 1 Cor 7:7-8 and 7:25-28!)

 

c. Male Married Bishops (1 Tim 3:1-13; cf. 1 Cor 7:32-35!)

 

D. Misogynistic Violence and the Apocalypse of John

 

IV. Hermeneutics of Survival: "Saving the Texts"

A. A Liberating Cross between Recuperation and Suspicion?

 

B. Example: The Household Code of Colossians 3:18-24

V. Postmodern Feminist Critique of these Hermeneutical Stategies: The Ideological Struggle for Dominance is Everywhere