Yale University Library Research Guides: New Testament Studies: Feminist Criticism

Introduction to Feminist Theology

Dictionary of Feminist Theologies by Letty M. Russell; J. Shannon Clarkson Provides a pluralistic approach to feminist theologies, guiding readers who are interested in all areas of Christian theology as they relate to feminism.
Feminism and Christian Tradition by Mary-Paula Walsh Annotated bibliography, 1960s – 1990s, on feminism and Christian tradition. Historical essays overview of feminism in relation to the women's movement, women's studies, sociology and American religion.
The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Theology by Susan Frank Parsons Explores feminist theology: developments, concerns, questions, answers. Online available.
The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Theology by Sheila Briggs; Mary McClintock Fulkerson Highlights the relevance of globalization and of gender studies and religious studies for feminist theology. 21st century focus. Inclusive. Online available.

Womanist Criticism of the New Testament

An Introduction to Womanist Biblical Interpretation by Nyasha Junior Argues that womanist biblical interpretation is not a byproduct of feminist biblical interpretation but of a tradition of African American women's engagement with biblical texts.
I Found God in Me: A Womanist Biblical Hermeneutics Reader by Mitzi J. Smith Includes articles on womanist interpretative theories and theology as well as womanist readings of biblical texts by womanist biblical scholars. Most articles deal with OT.
Womanist Interpretations of the Bible by Gay L. Byron; Vanessa Lovelace Brings together cross-generational and cross-cultural readings of the Bible and other sacred sources by including scholars from the Caribbean, India, and Africa.

Introduction to Feminist Criticism of the New Testament

Feminist Biblical Interpretation by Luise Schottroff; Marie-Theres Wacker; Martin Rumscheidt Proceeds book-by-book much like a commentary. Popular entree into feminist NT criticism in Europe.
Feminist Biblical Studies in the 20th Century by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza Explores four areas of inquiry: (1) the developments of feminist biblical studies, (2) hermeneutic religious spaces, (3) methods of reading, (4) engaging with traditional academic methods.
Wisdom Ways: Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza Challenges traditional Biblical interpretation. Geared towards feminist readers.

Feminist New Testament Exegesis Series

Lectio Difficilior: European Electronic Journal for Feminist Exegesis A European journal for feminist Biblical exegesis.

Feminist Companion to the New Testament and Early Christian Writings by Amy-Jill Levine New Testament commentary series focuses on feminist exegesis.
Wisdom Commentary Series by Reid, Barbara et al. This commentary series covers the entire Bible and focuses on feminist exegesis.

Case Studies

A Feminist Introduction to Paul by Sandra Hack Polaski Reinterprets overlooked, neglected, misintegrated, or differently interpreted Pauline texts, making visible the invisible and challenging the accepted readings.
Women in the Acts of the Apostles by Ivoni R. Reimer A feminist liberation perspective on the Book of Acts featuring women like: Sapphira, Lydia, Candace, the disciple Tabitha; Priscilla, and many others.

Postcolonial Feminist Criticism of the New Testament

A Reader in Latina Feminist Theology by María Pilar Aquino; Daisy L. Machado; Jeanette Rodríguez; Maria Pilar Aquino; Jeanette Rodríguez Conducted by Latina feminist theologians, feminist theologies of liberation. Adds U.S. Latinas to the larger feminist theological discourse.
Introducing Asian Feminist Theology by Kwok Pui-lan Contributors include community organizers, theological students, church leaders and social activists.
Making Paper Cranes: Toward an Asian American feminist theology by Mihee Kim-Kort Engages the social histories, literary texts, and narratives of Asian American women, as well as the theological projects of prominent Asian American feminist theologians.
Mark, Women and Empire: A Korean Postcolonial Perspective by Seong Hee Kim Looks at the stories of the poor widow (12.41-44), the anointing woman (14.1-11), the women at the cross and the burial (15.40-41, 47), and the women at the empty tomb (16.1-8) in Mark from a feminist and postcolonial perspective.
Postcolonial Feminist Interpretation of the Bible by Musa W. Dube Attends to and respects needs of women in the two-thirds world. Reads Gospel of Matthew as decolonizing rather than imperialist literature.
The Politics of Heaven by Joseph A. Marchal Challenges Pauline studies to engage the full range of critical challenges brought by feminist studies, postcolonial studies, and Roman imperial studies. A feminist, postcolonial analysis. Philippians as a test case.
Woman and Nation: An Intercontextual reading of the Gospel of John by Jean Kyoung Kim Reads the Gospel of John from a postcolonial feminist perspective as a patriarchal nationalist discourse.
Taking up the Cross: New Testament Interpretations through Latina and Feminist Eyes by Barbara E. Reid Gives attention to the role of women in the accounts of Jesus' passion and observes that some of the interpretations of Jesus' death in the New Testament open us up to life and liberation, while others have been used to perpetuate cycles of violence and victimization. The result is an illuminating combination of New Testament exegesis with a liberative constructive theology.