In the #MeToo era, theologians publish ‘A Women’s Bible’
Scholars create texts challenging traditional interpretations of scriptures
Tired of seeing their holy texts they say is used to justify subjugation of women, a group of feminist theologians from across the Protestant-Catholic divide have joined forces to draft A Women’s Bible.
As the #MeToo movement continues to expose sexual abuse across cultures and industries, some scholars of Christianity are clamouring for a reckoning with biblical interpretations they say have entrenched negative images of women.
The women we know from translations and interpretations of Bible texts are servants, prostitutes or saints, seen dancing for a king or kneeling to kiss Jesus’ feet.
But while many feminists have called for The Bible, Christianity and religion altogether to be cast aside, an eclectic group of theologians instead insists that ■ if interpreted properly, the Bible can be a tool for promoting women’s emancipation.
‘Not incompatible’
“Feminist values and reading the Bible are not incompatible,” insisted Lauriane Savoy, one of two Geneva theology professors behind the push to draft Une Bible des Femmes (A Women’s Bible), which was published in October.
The professor at the Theology Faculty in Geneva, which was established by the father of Calvinism himself in 1559, said the idea for the work came after she and her colleague Elisabeth Parmentier noticed how little most people knew or understood of the biblical texts.