Feminist Hermeneutics And Evangelical Biblical Interpretation -- By: David M. Scholer

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 30:4 (Dec 1987)
Article: Feminist Hermeneutics And Evangelical Biblical Interpretation
Author: David M. Scholer


Feminist Hermeneutics And Evangelical Biblical Interpretation

David M. Scholer*

Hermeneutics is at the forefront of discussion today and is recognized as one of the most important and significant subjects about which we can talk together. Hermeneutics is intriguing and fascinating. Think of the fact that conservative evangelical Susan Foh can say that Jesus treated women with the utmost respect and that what Jesus did with and for women ought to change once and for all how we look at women. On the other hand Mary Daly, a “left-wing” post-Christian feminist, says that Jesus did a lot with and for women and that what Jesus did ought to change forever how we look at women. How is it that Foh and Daly can say the same things about Jesus and women but after that be so different?1 Or consider the new book recently published by John Robbins—a book that attacks the “liberalism” of George McKnight, James Hurley and Susan Foh! Even within the hallowed circles of evangelicalism the hermeneutical issues are at the very foundation of our mutual concerns.2

My intent in this paper is to attempt to do two things. (1) I would like to give a relatively brief analysis of contemporary feminist hermeneutics and attempt fairly, I trust, to categorize feminist hermeneutics into seven typologies. (2) I hope to engage in some genuine and serious dialogue between the strengths and challenges of feminist hermeneutics and traditional evangelical Biblical interpretation with respect to our own hermeneutical struggles and disputes with specific references to numerous NT texts and the issues involved in their interpretation.

I. Analysis Of Contemporary Feminist Hermeneutics

There have already been significant discussions analyzing feminist her-meneutics carried out by feminist women scholars. I would particularly like to celebrate Carolyn Osiek, Phyllis Trible, Mary Ann Tolbert, Bernadette Brooten and Elisabeth Schtissler Fiorenza as some of the scholars who have written at length with insight, perception and persuasion and with disturbing questions

*David Scholer is dean of the seminary and professor of New Testament at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, Illinois.

on the whole issue of feminist hermeneutics.3 If one has not read these persons, I commend them for the expansion of one’s hermeneutical horizon.

Within evangelicalism there has been very little written on the question of feminist hermeneutics. Willard Swartley, F. F. Bruce, Alan PadgettYou must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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