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Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne by Wilda C. Gafney
madisonboboltz's review
5.0
How to begin?!?!?! Forget ministry... I'm just going to head down the road to Fort Worth, take all of her classes, and become a Hebrew Bible scholar. Well, not really. But it's tempting.
I originally picked this up because I had heard such great things from others who I admire. I am always on board to read commentaries on women in the Hebrew Bible; it was one of my favorite things to explore in undergrad. Furthermore, I looked through my shelves and realized I had no works of theology or biblical scholarship written by women of color. I had a few books about Christian life and faith, and some on race relations, but none that veered more toward the academic side of study. So glad to have changed that now!
Gafney's scholarship is INCREDIBLE! Her writing and teaching is MASTERFUL. I'm sure she could put to shame anyone who challenged her knowledge and competence of scripture, or her ability (and her CALLING) to teach/preach it--SHAME I tell you. I am just blown away. Okay, onto the actual book:
Goodness.... she does not shy away. Yes, Abraham is the father of our faith.... but.... he also sex trafficked his own sister/wife, impregnated a woman against her will, allowed for her abuse, and then sent her and her son into the wilderness... not great. Yes, Moses delivered the Israelites from slavery.... but.... he also calls for slaughter and genocide even though God does not demand it.... AND he he denies the daughters of Zelophehad their inheritance granted to them BY GOD... RUDE. Do not even get me STARTED on David. Yes, he is one of the few characters in the Old Testament who understood the importance of monotheism... but that's pretty much the only good thing he's got going for him, in my opinion. I pray there is a special place in heaven for the women in his life who had to endure him.
These important figures in our faith were heroes in some ways and horrific villains in other ways. They have two or three redeeming qualities or moments, sure. Patriarchy, on the other hand, has no redeeming qualities. There is no "right way." If the most important characters in scripture, whom God spoke with and commanded directly, could not lead or rule over women without also subjecting them to grave injustice, what makes anyone think patriarchy, as a model for relationships and authority in the church, bears good fruit? In fact, it bears a lot of bad fruit. Scripture shows. History shows. The MeToo movement shows. Let's leave patriarchy behind and love God and one another. Amen? Amen.
We can not go back and hold Abraham, Moses, David, and others accountable for the crimes they committed against women, but we can and should and must do so today.
Gafney also points out how patriarchy is, in many ways, responsible for pitting women against one another and and leads women to become perpetrators of crimes against one another. This is womanist midrash, not merely feminist. Gafney points out how women in scripture betrayed/abused/disenfranchised other women, and she reminds us how we have continued to do so throughout history. She brings to light more modern and ongoing conflicts which continue to reflect patterns of cruelty and exclusion between people and women of different races/nations/ethnicities.
This book is not easy to read. It is disturbing to me that consent, which figures so essentially in our conversations about sex today, seemingly had little or no importance to characters in the Hebrew Bible. Does this mean consent did not matter to God? It is awful to read women listed out with animals as though they are simply property. Did God not care enough to correct this misconception when bestowing the law to Moses? Or is this how God viewed women as well? The section on forced impregnation was also especially troubling. Are women no more than wombs?
What provides readers hope and comfort is the voice Gafney grants to characters, some named and some just imagined. We know women were present, even if they were not named. We know they played essential roles, even if they were not given a voice. Midrash is a means through which to give them names, stories, and voices. It grants us permission to use our sanctified imagination. It reminds us that women matter, and it's important to consider stories of scripture from their perspective. In doing so, we may praise them for their resilience, curiosity, cleverness--their grit and grace. We may critique them for the part they play in perpetuating injustice. We may be in solidarity with them and they may be in solidarity with us. We may mourn those who did not survive the crimes committed against them. We may be encouraged by those who did survive. We may remember their names. We may remember they too are children of God.
Okay, this accidentally turned into a book report. I'm done now. :)
I originally picked this up because I had heard such great things from others who I admire. I am always on board to read commentaries on women in the Hebrew Bible; it was one of my favorite things to explore in undergrad. Furthermore, I looked through my shelves and realized I had no works of theology or biblical scholarship written by women of color. I had a few books about Christian life and faith, and some on race relations, but none that veered more toward the academic side of study. So glad to have changed that now!
Gafney's scholarship is INCREDIBLE! Her writing and teaching is MASTERFUL. I'm sure she could put to shame anyone who challenged her knowledge and competence of scripture, or her ability (and her CALLING) to teach/preach it--SHAME I tell you. I am just blown away. Okay, onto the actual book:
Goodness.... she does not shy away. Yes, Abraham is the father of our faith.... but.... he also sex trafficked his own sister/wife, impregnated a woman against her will, allowed for her abuse, and then sent her and her son into the wilderness... not great. Yes, Moses delivered the Israelites from slavery.... but.... he also calls for slaughter and genocide even though God does not demand it.... AND he he denies the daughters of Zelophehad their inheritance granted to them BY GOD... RUDE. Do not even get me STARTED on David. Yes, he is one of the few characters in the Old Testament who understood the importance of monotheism... but that's pretty much the only good thing he's got going for him, in my opinion. I pray there is a special place in heaven for the women in his life who had to endure him.
These important figures in our faith were heroes in some ways and horrific villains in other ways. They have two or three redeeming qualities or moments, sure. Patriarchy, on the other hand, has no redeeming qualities. There is no "right way." If the most important characters in scripture, whom God spoke with and commanded directly, could not lead or rule over women without also subjecting them to grave injustice, what makes anyone think patriarchy, as a model for relationships and authority in the church, bears good fruit? In fact, it bears a lot of bad fruit. Scripture shows. History shows. The MeToo movement shows. Let's leave patriarchy behind and love God and one another. Amen? Amen.
We can not go back and hold Abraham, Moses, David, and others accountable for the crimes they committed against women, but we can and should and must do so today.
Gafney also points out how patriarchy is, in many ways, responsible for pitting women against one another and and leads women to become perpetrators of crimes against one another. This is womanist midrash, not merely feminist. Gafney points out how women in scripture betrayed/abused/disenfranchised other women, and she reminds us how we have continued to do so throughout history. She brings to light more modern and ongoing conflicts which continue to reflect patterns of cruelty and exclusion between people and women of different races/nations/ethnicities.
This book is not easy to read. It is disturbing to me that consent, which figures so essentially in our conversations about sex today, seemingly had little or no importance to characters in the Hebrew Bible. Does this mean consent did not matter to God? It is awful to read women listed out with animals as though they are simply property. Did God not care enough to correct this misconception when bestowing the law to Moses? Or is this how God viewed women as well? The section on forced impregnation was also especially troubling. Are women no more than wombs?
What provides readers hope and comfort is the voice Gafney grants to characters, some named and some just imagined. We know women were present, even if they were not named. We know they played essential roles, even if they were not given a voice. Midrash is a means through which to give them names, stories, and voices. It grants us permission to use our sanctified imagination. It reminds us that women matter, and it's important to consider stories of scripture from their perspective. In doing so, we may praise them for their resilience, curiosity, cleverness--their grit and grace. We may critique them for the part they play in perpetuating injustice. We may be in solidarity with them and they may be in solidarity with us. We may mourn those who did not survive the crimes committed against them. We may be encouraged by those who did survive. We may remember their names. We may remember they too are children of God.
Okay, this accidentally turned into a book report. I'm done now. :)
madsmacmath's review against another edition
4.5
It’s academic and thoughtful and not a quick read. But holy shit, is it well done.
alisarae's review
5.0
Rev Dr Wil Gafney is a Hebrew scholar who uses her extensive knowledge and research to breathe life into the women of the Hebrew scriptures. Women who seem to be merely a passing footnote are pondered with concern and empathy. Notorious women are cast in a new light. Grammar is teased out to reveal the women hidden between the lines. Reading this book broadened my perspective on women's agency and activity in the Bible.
sophie5927's review
5.0
This was so good!! It's definitely the best textbook I've read for a course so far. The way Gafney writes about the characters of the Pentateuch have allowed me to meet them all again and see them in a new light. I don't think I will ever be able to read the Jacob, Rachel, and Leah story the same way again. I also met many characters who only got a passing mention in the Bible and who were fleshed out and given humanity by Gafney. I would recommend this book to anyone as it is such an important read.
amycourts's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Dr Gafney’s books are some of my go-tos for preaching.
tori_story's review
5.0
I can’t think of another book I’ve read recently that has taught me more. I feel like I’ve learned a new language. I am so thankful for the information and perspectives offered in this book and the added dimension it provides to my thinking around the Scriptures and traditions that I was raised in.
jaytongue's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
5.0
One of the best expositions of women in the Bible hands down. No matter what background one is from, it will likely be challenging.