6.20.2009

HERMENEUTICS!

...What I have argued is that nothing in the New Testament itself tells us which is the most important or “controlling” text on women in ministry. Rather, this decision becomes a hermeneutical one, attempting to assess the context of each passage and its role in biblical teaching and seeking a balance of all (not simply a selective group of) texts. Further, one needs hermeneutical skills to assess the cultural contexts of passages written in first-century culture, in which, generally speaking, women were considered inferior, subordinate, not worthy of education and suited only to domestic responsibilities. David Scholer
Hermeneutics, Hermeneutics, always Hermenuetics, I say!!

6.14.2009

Jesus the Christian Hero

One particular issue to which I have given increasing attention is the oft-repeated Jewish charge that Christian feminism is a new form of anti-Semitism, by making Jesus the Christian hero who liberates women from oppressive Judaism. I have, thus, given attention to the accomplishments and positive roles of women in Second Temple Judaism before I cover the negative views of men toward women. Further, I have argued (in print) that Jesus is a hero to both Jews and Christians. David M. Scholer
This is an accusation of which I had not been aware. It is something to be sensitive to as we approach the discussion of how Jesus treated women. His treatment of women is very positive and is a model that is important in understanding the role of women in the home and in the Church. We do not want to minimize or lose the powerful image of Mary sitting at Jesus' feet learning as men did at the time. Nor do we want to miss the importance of Jesus speaking to the woman at the well and revealing to her who He was! But perhaps we should choose our words carefully so that we minimize any potential offense to our Jewish brothers and sister.

What do you think?