Blessed Among Women?: Mothers and Motherhood in the New Testament

Description

Mothers appear throughout the New Testament. Called "blessed among women" by Elizabeth in the Gospel of Luke, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the most obvious example. But she is far from the only mother in this canon. She is joined by Elizabeth, a chorus of unnamed mothers seeking healing or promotions for their children, as well as male mothers, including Paul (Gal 4:19-20) and Jesus. Although interpreters of the New Testament have explored these maternal characters and metaphors, many have only recently begun to take seriously their theological aspects. This book builds on previous studies by arguing maternal language is not only theological, but also indebted to ancient gender constructions and their reshaping by early Christians. Especially significant are the physiological, anatomical, and social constructions of female bodies that permeate the ancient world where ancient Christianity was birthed. This book examines ancient generative theories, physiological understandings of breast milk and breastfeeding, and presentations of prominent mothers in literature and art to analyze the use of these themes in the New Testament and several, additional early Christian writings. In a context that aligned perfection with "masculinity," motherhood was the ideal goal for women-a justification for deficient, female existence. Proclaiming a new age ushered in by God's Christ, however, ancient Christians debated the place of women, mothers, and motherhood as a part of their reframing of gender expectations. Rather than a homogenous approval of literal motherhood, ancient Christian writings depict a spectrum of ideals for women disciples even as they retain the assumption of masculine superiority. Identifying themselves as members of God's household, ancient Christians utilized motherhood as a theological category and a contested ideal for women disciples.

Get the book

Amazon.com

Search the book

eBay.com

Search the book

Other editions

• 

  Blessed Among Women?: Mothers and Motherhood in the New Testament

  • 2017-10-02
  • 256 pages
  • Ebook
  • Oxford University Press
• 

  Blessed Among Women?: Mothers and Motherhood in the New Testament

  • 2017-10-02
  • 256 pages
  • Ebook
  • Oxford University Press

Similar books

• 

  The End of the Law: Mosaic Covenant in Pauline Theology

  By Jason C. Meyer

  to understand the concept of covenant in Paul by adopting a methodology that examines the eight occurrences of the term “covenant” (diatheke).2 Second, Stanley E. Porter argues against this restrictive ap- proach lest we commit the ...

• 

  Inventing Hebrews: Design and Purpose in Ancient Rhetoric

  By Michael Wade Martin, Jason A. Whitlark

  Stanley E. Porter; Leiden: Brill, 1997), 51–87; Malcolm Heath, “Invention,” in Handbook of Classical Rhetoric in the Hellenistic Period (330 B.C.–A.D. 400) (ed. Stanley E. Porter; Leiden: Brill, 1997), 89–119, esp. 103–18.

• 

  NIrV, The Story for Children Bible, eBook

  By Max Lucado, Randy Frazee, Karen Davis Hill

  He said, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. It said, 'Give your daughter to be married to my son.' Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It walked all over the thorn bush. 10It's true that you have won ...

• 

  El llamado de la sabiduría: Reflexiones sobre proverbios

  By Karen Mason, Alice Matthews

  "La sabiduría, tal como se describe en el libro de Proverbios, se refiere a tomar decisiones en todo tipo de situaciones de la vida", escribe la autora Alice Mathews.

• 

  The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible

  By Michael D. Coogan

  In The Canon Debate, edited by Lee Martin McDonald and James A. Sanders, pp. 252–263. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2002. ... “The Biblical Canon According to Lee McDonald: An Evaluation. ... Abraham, and David J. Wasserstein.

• 

  NKJV, American Woman's Bible, eBook: Holy Bible, New King James Version

  By Thomas Nelson

  Never Underestimate a Girl 1 Samuel 20:13 LOYALTY Laodicea Langston—nicknamed “Dicey”—was the daughter of Solomon Langston, aSouth Carolina planter during the Revolutionary War. Among the widely scattered plantations, political opinions ...

• 

  NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Ebook: One faith. Handed down. For all the saints.

  By Thomas Nelson

  On Lazarus and the Rich Man. --------. On Repentance and Almsgiving. --------. On Temperance and the Gospel of St. Matthew. --------. Tractate on the Acts of the Apostles. Chytraeus, David. Commentary on Genesis. Clarkson, David.

• 

  Ezekiel 38-48

  By Stephen L. Cook

  ... 192, 288 Smith, Jonathan K., 139, 205, 218, 278 Smith, Mark S., 230, 269 Smith, W. Robertson, 176 Sommer, Benjamin D., xii, 25, 183, 184, 187, 188, 189, 258 Stager, Lawrence, 262,271 Staubli, Thomas, 205 Stevenson, Kalinda Rose, 6, ...

• 

  Holy Bible

  By William J. Bennett, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Thomas Nelson Publishing Staff

  Features include: Read-Along References® and Read-Along Translations® Self-pronouncing text Words of Jesus in red Presentation page Giant print concordance Full-color maps Ribbon marker and gift box 6-page Full-color Family Record ...

• 

  Ceb Wesley Study Bible: Clover Honey Bonded Leather

  By William H. Willimon, Joel B. Green, Bishop

  Lead an abundant life, grow as a faithful disciple, and find new avenues to serve.