TAMING TEXTS OF TERROR: READING (AGAINST) THE GENDER GRAIN OF 1 TIMOTHY
Abstract
Do texts have ideological grain, and if so, can we read against this grain? This question lies at the heart of this article. Even those biblical scholars from interpretative traditions that have emphasized the liberatory character of the Bible have had to admit that there are some biblical texts that are oppressive. 1 Timothy 2:8-15 is one such text. Using a case study from the field of oral history, the article examines the effects of 1 Timothy 2:8-15 on the leadership of women in a particular local church in Malawi. The article then goes on to examine how this text sustains its patriarchal ideological grain so many centuries after it was written. The article concludes by analyzing a number of attempts to tame this text of terror, and reflecting on the public role of the socially engaged biblical scholar.Downloads
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