Bernadette J. Brooten

Bodies, Borders, Believers

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“In this remarkable collection, international scholars of the Bible, church history, art history, classics, archaeology, and ecumenical dialogue follow Seim's model of nuanced interpretation in The Double Message: Patterns of Gender in Luke-Acts. Luke features women prominently but simultaneously subordinates them. In this volume, scholars take the body seriously as a site for theologizing; explore the borders between life and death, women and men, and Christians and Muslims; and discuss how belief can unite, not just divide.”

Slaves in the New Testament

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“Far more than a historical study of slavery in early Christianity, Harrill's remarkable book raises profound moral questions for the field of Biblical Studies and for the Christian churches. Nineteenth-century debates over whether the Bible supports slavery forged the schools of thought that shape today's debates over lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered rights; the full emancipation of women; or capital punishment. Harrill deftly analyzes a range of New Testament and other Christian sources, demonstrating how frequently they echo Roman society's slave-holding values and anxieties about living with people forcibly held in bondage.”

Womanist Sass and Talk Back

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“In this remarkable book, Smith grounds her reading of biblical stories about women in contemporary crises experienced by black communities. When Sandra Bland stands up for her rights, Smith hears echoes of the Syrophoenician woman talking back to Jesus, who initially refused to help her, calling her a dog. Police sexual assaults on poor black women provide a framework for understanding Susannah, whom two elders sexually profiled. Smith thereby demonstrates the practical value of intersectionality, post-colonial, and other critical theories.”