Dancing Girls, Loose Ladies, and Women of the Cloth: The Women in Jesus' Life

Description

The women in Jesus' life are a raucous and rowdy bunch, including 'riotous' foremothers, 'loose women,' and 'distressed daughters of Israel.' Reading these new ways of interpreting women in the Gospels, male New Testament scholars have discovered liberating perspectives. Scott Spencer, a virtuoso young New Testament scholar, provides his own lively forays into reading the Gospels through women's eyes. He shows what it is like for a man to read stories about the women in Jesus' life from a new perspective. Spencer is an able and inventive scholar whose broad-ranging insights and engaging style make his work very accessible.

F. Scott Spencer is Professor of New Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia and is the author of The Portrait of Philip in Acts: A Study of Roles and Relations and Acts. He is the Chair of the New Testament section for the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion.ission for the Study of Religion.

'although this book is easy reading, it is certainly not superficial frivolous theology. On the contrary. Spencer substantiates his arguments by means of thorough scholarly research...Of particular interest is the fact that this book is written by a male scholar who takes on a feminist perspective..Thus one may expect a certain degree of reading against the grain, and this is indeed what happens for most of the part....Dancing Girls, Loose Ladies and Women of the Cloth is an uncommonly exciting perspective on some women in the NT. They take the read for an unexpected dance; they manage to pick up several loose threads that they weave together in an interesting even provocative -cloth. A trendy party gown? No, this garment is designed for la party haute...' ~ Gerda de Villiers, Neotestamentica, Journal of the New Testament Society of South Africa, July 2006 -- Gerda de Villiers "Written in a lively contemporary style, these seven essays address a knowledgeable academic audience and are accompanied by voluminous endnotes. A careful scholar, Spencer bolsters his own interpretations and speculations with a sweeping review of feminist contemporary output, mostly by women, including Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Jane Schaberg, and Esther Fuchs, as well as Marc Brettler, David Gunn, and many others.... the book is recommended for religious and academic collections as an intelligent contribution to the ongoing debate".-Library Journal mention in PostScripts, July 2009 "Spencer dives into the world of biblical women with all its complexities. But most importantly, he pays close attention to feminist readings of biblical texts. Spencer is a good listener to the various biblical and scholarly voices, and models a thoughtful way into the many debates about the roles of biblical women." -Tina Pippin, Professor of Religious Studies, Agnes Scott College "F. Scott Spencer has been listening to feminists for decade, an extraordinary thing for a male biblical scholar. Convinced that feminism is for everybody, he displays uncommon perception, with, and insight, as he links arms with women in the struggle against sexist interpretations to biblical texts. Spencer avoids many of the pitfalls into which other well-intentioned males have fallen: patronization, colonization, cooptation, or neutralization, as he becomes a feminist companion." -Barbara Reid * Blurb from reviewer * "This study of New Testament women 'of passion and purpose' is itself passionate about the value of feminist criticism as an item in the interpreter's toolbox, and as a crucial part of the struggle for equality in church, society, and daily life. Written in a warm, accessible style, Spencer's book invites us readers--scholars and lay people alike--into a world in which biblical women matter, to Jesus, to the church, and to ourselves." -- Adele Reinhartz, Dean, Graduate Studies and Research, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario * Blurb from reviewer * F. Scott Spencer has been listening to feminists for decades--an extraordinary thing for a male biblical scholar. Convinced that feminism is for everybody, he displays uncommon perception, wit, and insight as he linnks arms with women in the struggle against sexist interpretations of biblical texts. Spencer avoids many of the pitfalls into which other well-intentioned males have fallen--patronization, colonization, cooptation, or neutralization--as he becomes a feminist companion. -- Barbara E. Reid, Professor of New Testament Studies, Catholic Theological Union * Blurb from reviewer * "Spencer dives into the world of biblical women with all its complexities. But most importantly, he pays close attention to feminist readings of biblical texts. Spencer is a good listener to the various biblical and scholarly voices, and models a thoughtful way into the many debates about the roles of biblical women."--Tina Pippin, Professor of Religious Studies, Agnes Scott College -- Tina Pippin * Blurb from reviewer * "This is an exceptionally rewarding book. Its readings of 'the women in Jesus' life' -together with Jesus in women's lives - are unusually creative, frequently provocative, and always interesting." -Stephen D. Moore, Professor of New Testament, Drew Theology School * Blurb from reviewer * 'The book is accessible and engaging and certainly can be said to take a fresh look at the stories and characters it deals with.' ~ Gary Burnett, Vol. 28.5 -- Gary Burnett * Journal for the Study of the New Testament * "Written in a lively contemporary style, these seven essays address a knowledgeable academic audience and are accompanied by voluminous endnotes... an intelligent contribution to the ongoing debate." -Library Journal, November 15, 2004 * Library Journal * "Expertly written...an ideal book for Biblical study groups or simple individual contemplation." -The Midwest Book Review, July 2005 * Midwest Book Review, The * "Drawing from the biblical stories of Jesus' encounters with women, Spencer takes us into the world of a very human Jesus, showing from the text both the honesty and the complexity of his relationships with the women of his time.... Spencer is at his best exploring the dynamic that he calls 'strategies of connection/opposition affecting male/female discourse.'... Scholars will appreciate Spencer's thorough research." -Publishers Weekly, September 13, 2004 * Publishers Weekly * 'this is a lively, thought-provoking and spirited volume that is cleverly crafted and should prove engaging for those who are either familiar with, or even new to, the theatre of New Testament scholarship.' Philomena Cullen, Theological Book Review, Vol 18, No. 1, 2006 -- Philomena Cullen * Theological Book Review *