Battered Love (Overtures to Biblical Theology) [Paperback]

Renita Weems (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1995 | Series: Overtures to Biblical Theology

Weems's pioneering study explores the puzzling ways in which the Hebrew prophets' portrayals of divine love, compassion, and conventional commitment often became associated with battery, infidelity, and the rape and mutilation of women. She wrestles with the prophets' rhetoric and sexual metaphors to uncover Israelite social structures, asking, "What is implied about women, men, and God by the language that the prophets use to describe the covenant between Yahweh and Israel?" This provocative work by a leading African American biblical scholar delves deeply into issues of intimacy and power, violence and control, seduction and betrayal, and is a searing indictment of the axial points of Israelite religion-its covenantal and prophetic traditions-and their authority today.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: FORTRESS PRESS (November 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800629485
• ISBN-13: 978-0800629489
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #399,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God as Wife Abuser, November 28, 2000

By 

Therese "Treehugger" (Peoria, IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battered Love (Overtures to Biblical Theology) (Paperback)

Battered Love is about how the Hebrew Bible prophets portrayed the relationship between Israel and God. Many times the metaphor of God as husband and Israel as wife was used.

Weems points out in a fascinating study, that God was often portrayed as setting up all the rules and that strict obediance of the rules was necessary for people of Israel, the subordinate partner in the divine/human relationship. If the Israelites disobeyed the rules, then God was permitted to beat up Israel. If Israel later returned to God, then God would love Israel again.

Renita Weems explains how a metaphor works and how metaphors are used by people. Furthermore she explains quite lucidly that for many people the human husband represented God, and the wife represented the subordinate partner. Therefore, husbands throughout the centuries have believed that they have permission to beat up their disobedient wives. Renita Weems especially looks at the prophets Ezekiel, Hosea, and Jeremiah to prove her case.

Words do hurt!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good General Information, August 16, 2007

By 

B. Ross (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Battered Love (Overtures to Biblical Theology) (Paperback)

Even if you have no real interest in women in the Bible this book is beneficial. Weems aptly explains the use of metaphor in scripture with regard to textual interpretation. If I have a small criticism it is that she over-explains just a little bit, but her writing here is applicable to many scriptural texts as a basis for understanding context. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in better understanding the Bible as a whole.

If you are particularly interested in women in the Bible you will find this book fascinating. If you enjoy studying prophecy you will find this book insightful. It's an easy read - it won't take much of your time to read it, and the benefit is well worth it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Should have been just an article, December 3, 2008

By 

brityank - See all my reviews

This review is from: Battered Love (Overtures to Biblical Theology) (Paperback)

Oh my goodness. This book has a good point, which it makes over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. In different words. In a different order. With different emphasis. She could have said what she wanted to say in a magazine article and left it at that. Got it.