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Women and the Genesis of Christianity (1990) is a book by Ben Witherington.

Abstract

"This study explores the role of women in New Testament times. Beginning with the woman's place in Judaism, in the Hellenistic world, and in the Roman Empire, Witherington demonstrates how Jesus broke significantly with convention in how he viewed women, offering as he did a wholly new conception of the legitimate rights of women in society."--Publisher description.

"This book sets out to present in as clear and objective a way as possible the New Testament material relating to women and their roles in the context of the movement Jesus began." "Dr. Witherington begins by illustrating the roles of women in Judaism, in the Hellenistic world, and in the Roman Empire. He goes on to show how Jesus broke significantly with convention in the way he viewed women and their roles, offering as he did a wholly new conception of the rights of women in society. An analysis follows of the apostle Paul's attitude toward women, which shows how he agreed with and differed from the ideas of his contemporaries. Witherington then provides separate sections on the Evangelists, whose selection and presentation of material with respect to women casts much light on the early Church's understanding of women and their status." "This comprehensive survey, which avoids slanting its material to serve a modern patriarchal or feminist bias, comes to the exciting conclusion that we can see in the New Testament an attempt to reform the patriarchal orientation of the day and permit women to hold a new kind of authority in religious contexts."--Book jacket.

Editions

Published in Cambridge [England], and New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1990.

Table of contents

Women in Judaism -- Women in Hellenistic settings -- Women in Roman settings -- Teachings on family and single life -- Women in the parables and judgment sayings -- Stories of help and healing -- Women in the ministry of Jesus -- Women and the physical family -- Paul and the household tables -- Women and the family of faith -- Paul and his female co-workers -- The Pastoral Epistles -- Women and the third evangelist -- Women and the evangelists Matthew, Mark, and John

External links

• [ Google Books]