Tamar: Brilliant, Scandalous, and Determined

Chances are you didn't hear the story of Tamar (Genesis 38) in Sunday School or at summer camp. Boldness in the face of adversity is the name of the game for many women in the Bible, and Tamar is right on the top of that list. One of Jesus' awesome female ancestors, she is brave, determined, clever--and a bit scandalous. A woman...

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The Woman in Proverbs 31: Yikes!

Okay. There’s a woman in the Bible that leaves me feeling a little, well unnerved. And she comes up in this Sunday’s lectionary (RCL, Year B, September 20). Described in Proverbs 31, she’s known as the “capable wife.” Unfortunately, we’re missing a few verses in Sunday’s lectionary, which makes a huge difference. Here’s how it starts on Sunday: “A good wife who...

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The Shulammite Woman: Arise, My Love, and Come Away

Passionate. Sensual. Provocative. Eloquent. Erotic. It’s all there, in the Bible, in the beautiful collection of poems known as the Song of Solomon, otherwise known as the Song of Songs. In this Sunday’s lectionary reading (RCL), we hear the main character in the Song—an unnamed woman—eloquently describe how much she yearns to be with her lover—and how she will fully...

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Women in the Bible Do Not Shuffle Across Its Pages

What do we know about Bible women? Research conclusion #1: Bible women, especially those who speak, are surprisingly bold.  Traditionally, the view of Bible women has been they are subservient and passive—but that is like saying the earth is flat, or environmental disasters have nothing to do with climate change. Shrinking violets they are not. Immoral or moral, most step up and say...

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