The Women's Bible Commentary - expanded [Paperback]

Carol A. Newsom (Author), Sharon H. Ringe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1998

In the critically acclaimed best-seller, Women's Bible Commentary, an outstanding group of women scholars introduced and summarized each book of the Bible and commented on those sections of each book that have particular relevence to women, focusing on female charecters, symbols, life situations such as marriage and family, the legal status of women, and religious principles that affect relationships of women and men. Now, this expanded edition provides similar insights on the Apocrypha, presenting a significant view of the lives and religious experiences of women as well as attitudes toward women in the Second Temple period. This expanded edition sets a new standard for women's and biblical studies.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The past two decades have seen the growth of feminist biblical studies into a significant force within biblical scholarship. This landmark work brings the fruits of these labors together into a single fascinating collection. Like previous single-volume commentaries, this provides introduction and comments on each book of the Protestant Bible (with a brief treatment of the apocryphal writings). Unlike the others, however, this work is not a traditional commentary, which entails explaining the whole of each biblical book. Rather, the writers focus on "portions . . . that deal explicitly with female characters and symbols . . . and sections that bear upon the condition of women generally." Although the contributors share this goal, they take different paths. In addition to the commentary itself, there are helpful essays on feminist hermeneutics and daily life in biblical times. This commentary will raise eyebrows, and it will raise consciousness as well. It will not be well received in all quarters, but it is essential for those who are seriously interested in biblical and feminist studies. Recommended for seminary, university, and public libraries.
- Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Carol A. Newsom is Charles Howard Candler Professor of Old Testament at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia. She is on the editorial advisory board of the Old Testament Library series.

Sharon H. Ringe is Professor of New Testament at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Product Details

• Paperback: 501 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press; Expanded edition (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 066425781X
• ISBN-13: 978-0664257811
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fair, honest, insightful, and sound biblical scholarship., February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Women's Bible Commentary - expanded (Paperback)

Contrary to what some may believe from the title, the Women's Bible Commentary does not show favoritism. It simply addresses individual needs/issues and/or individual audiences -- and it does so in a manner that is at least as fair, honest, and genuinely scholarly as most other one-volume Bible commentaries. Of hundreds of Bible commentaries that we have in the BibleTexts Online Commentary library, not one is so absolutely exhaustive that it includes everything that all of the other commentaries have. Each commentary includes material that its editors consider to be most important within the commentary's intended own scope and within their own editorial perspective -- whether that commentary is a one volume commentary of the entire Bible, a multi-volume commentary of a single book of the Bible, or a multi-volume commentary of the entire Bible. The Women's Bible Commentary not only includes much of the same basic information found in other high quality one-volume commentaries, but it also provides valid information and valuable insights that are not found in other commentaries. It is an excellent biblical commentary worthy of inclusion in any Bible student's library.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Other Side of Scripture, December 2, 2005

By 

Erik Young "Why Guy" (Hillsboro, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Women's Bible Commentary - expanded (Paperback)

This is my go-to commentary for all of my seminary work. As a man who has been steeped in a tradition of male-dominated interpretation of scripture this is volume is a breath of fresh air. One is remiss to deny the scholarship of this collection. With contributors like Amy-Jill Levine, Jouette Bassler, Mary Ann Tolbert, and the editor Carol Newsom you are presented with some of the greatest feminist theologians alive. The contributors skillfully employ literary, historical, and redaction criticism in studying the texts to help flesh out the place and role of women in the story of God's people.

This should be in the library of any real student of the bible.

PAX

E

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fair, honest, insightful, and sound biblical scholarship., February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Women's Bible Commentary (Hardcover)

Contrary to what some may believe from the title, the Women's Bible Commentary does not show favoritism. It simply addresses individual needs/issues and/or individual audiences -- and it does so in a manner that is at least as fair, honest, and genuinely scholarly as most other one-volume Bible commentaries. Of hundreds of Bible commentaries that we have in the BibleTexts Online Commentary library, not one is so absolutely exhaustive that it includes everything that all of the other commentaries have. Each commentary includes material that its editors consider to be most important within the commentary's intended own scope and within their own editorial perspective -- whether that commentary is a one volume commentary of the entire Bible, a multi-volume commentary of a single book of the Bible, or a multi-volume commentary of the entire Bible. The Women's Bible Commentary not only includes much of the same basic information found in other high quality one-volume commentaries, but it also provides valid information and valuable insights that are not found in other commentaries. It is an excellent biblical commentary worthy of inclusion in any Bible student's library.