a.  to introduce students—women and men—to an understanding 
      of patriarchy in the biblical texts—what it is, how it originated, 
     and developed in the Judeo-Christian culture and how it 
     functioned/functions as a principle of social organization 

b.  to introduce students to the relationship between patriarchy and 
      other hierarchies, including (in our categories of social 
      organization) its political, economic, social, ethnic, racial 
      and ecclesiastical dimensions 

c.  to introduce feminism as a principle of social organization and 
      biblical interpretation which assumes the equality of women 
      and men and which functions as a challenge to unexamined 
      hierarchical presuppositions 

d.  to supplement traditional ways of doing exegesis with less 
      hierarchical ones, including the doing of biblical interpretation 
      using women’s experience as  starting point

a.  willingness to enter the seminar as an equal and responsible 
      participant 
b.   willingness to read, to think, to speak, to listen, and to share 
c.   willingness to be open to change, if and when the evidence warrants it 

The method of teaching is the method of learning.

a.  One’s own evaluation of one’s own work in the seminar - 30% 
b.  The other members of the class’ evaluation of one’s own work in the 
      seminar - 20% 
c.  Faculty evaluation of student work in the class - 20% 
d.  Faculty evaluation of one’s final project - 30% 

The Bible - Old and New Testaments (any of several 
                  translations) 
Phyllis Bird, ed. Reading the Bible As Women: Perspectives from Africa,
Asia, and Latin America.  Semeia 78. Scholars Press.
 
Kirsten E. Kvam, Linda S. Schearing & Valerie H. Ziegler, eds. 
Eve and Adam: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Readings on Genesis
and Gender.  Indiana University Press.

A.  L. Laffey, An Introduction to the Old Testament: A  
Feminist Perspective. Fortress Press.
 
C.  A. Newsom and N. Ringe, eds. The Women’s  
Bible Commentary. Westminster/John Knox Press.
 
S.  Schneiders, Women and the Word. Paulist Press.
 
E. C. Stanton, The Woman’s Bible. Northeastern University Press.
 
R.. J. Weems, Just a Sister Away. Lura Media Press.

Course Schedule: 

 
Class #1       Introduction to the Seminar 
                         Reading for next class: Schneiders, Women and the Word  

Class #2       Women and the Bible 
                          Reading for the next class: Pentateuch; 
                                                                  Laffey, part 1; Bellis, part 1; 
                                                                  Weems, pp. 1-38; 71-84; 129-142 
                                                                  Hollyday, pp. 3-12; 18-22; 27-32; 45-66; 
                                                                                        93-96; 115-120; 139-148 
                                                                  Kam, pp. 23-85 
                                                                  Stanton, 14-147 
                                                                  Newsom and Ringe, eds., pp. 10-62 

Class #3     The Pentateuch 
                         Reading for the next class: Joshua-2 Kings 
                                                                 Laffey, part 2; Bellis, part 2 
                                                                 Weems, pp. 53-70 
                                                                 Hollyday, pp. 33-44; 67-75; 83-87; 97-114; 
                                                                                       121-132; 145-153; 165-169 
                                                                 Kam, pp. 86-114; 121-146 
                                                                 Stanton, pp. 11-83 
                                                                 Newsom and Ringe, eds., pp. 63-77; 85-109 

Class #4     The Deuteronomic History (Joshua-2 Kings) 
                         Reading for the next class: Prophets 
                                                                 Laffey, part 3; Bellis, part 3 
                                                                 Stanton, pp. 101-105 
                                                                 Newsom and Ringe, eds., pp. 161-234 

Class #5     The Writing Prophets 
                        Reading for the next class: the Writings/Wisdom Literature 
                                                                Laffey, part 4; 
                                                                Bellis, part 4 
                                                                Weems, pp. 23-38; 99-112 

Class #6 The "Writings"/Wisdom Literature 
Readings for the next two classes: the New Testament Epistles and Revelation
Hollyday, pp. 133-136; 154-163; Kam, pp. 258-268;
Stanton, pp. 152-180; Newsom and Ringe, eds., pp. 313-389 
 

Classes #7 & #8 The New Testament Letters and the Book of Revelation 
Reading for the next two classes: Mark and Matthew
Hollyday, pp. 189-193; 229-231; 88-90; 204-209;
Kam, 181-199; 226-247
Stanton, pp. 116-131 
Newsom and Ringe, eds., pp. 252-274 

Classes #9 & 10 The Gospels of Mark and Matthew

Reading for the next two classes: Luke-Acts and John
Hollyday, pp. 170-186; 194-203;
210-228; 232-241
Kam, pp. 167-180; 200-225; 248-257
Stanton, pp. 132-151
Newsom and Ringe, eds., pp. 275-312 

Classes #11 & 12 The Gospels of Luke and John and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles