BA Philosophy and Religion / Course details

This course, which assumes no previous knowledge of biblical literature or languages, offers an introduction to the characterisation of gender and sexuality in the biblical world. By taking this unit, students will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to engage in critical examination of the key issues concerning the biblical representation of women and men’s social and religious roles in biblical literature, and to frame these within their wider historical context. Topics covered include: gendering the divine; marriage and parenthood; female sexuality and ethnicity; gender, power and authority; ancient Israelite women’s religion; gendering religious leadership in the New Testament and sexuality, renunciation, and ascetisicm in early Christian. Students will also be familiarised with relevant secondary literature, allowing them to contextualise their study of primary materials within contemporary scholarly debate.

• To introduce students to a significant range of biblical texts focused on gender and sexuality
• To provide students with a nuanced and in depth knowledge of gender and sexuality in the biblical world
• To equip students with the tools to engage in critical examination of the representation of women and gender in biblical literature

• Interactive lectures – 2 hour weekly lectures will be online and will form preparation for face to face discussion based seminars
• 2 hour weekly face to face seminars on weekly topic: include discussion of students’ VoiceThread presentation, followed by peer feedback. 
• Set reading from primary and secondary literature, and/or image, cultural object etc. for students to respond to. 
• Questions will be provided to provoke and direct discussion. 
• Blackboard resource for module to encourage independent learning.

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the most significant aspects of the representation of women, gender and sexuality in biblical literature
• Critically assess a variety of evidence concerning the roles of women and men in the biblical world within their religious, social, and historical contexts
• Engage with contemporary scholarly debate on matters of women, gender and sexuality in biblical literature

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• Appreciate and understand a diversity of intellectual approaches to the study of women, gender and biblical literature
• Locate and retrieve relevant information from primary sources and secondary sources
• Assimilate and summarise large quantities of evidence

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• Construct an argument in oral and written form
• Present the results of their work in a professional manner with appropriate reference to sources and modern published scholarship
• Conduct bibliographic searches
• Use e-resources and gain knowledge to research methods and resources

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• Construct an argument in oral and written form
• Produce materials appropriate to specific audiences
• Conduct independent research
• Manage time and resources
• Engage in critical discussion

• Brenner, A. (1985) The Israelite Woman: Social Role and Literary Type in Biblical Narrative, Sheffield: JSOT
• Kraemer, R.S. and M.R. (eds.) (1999) Women and Christian Origins New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Newsom, C.A., et al (2014) Women’s Bible Commentary, New York: SPCK, 3^rd edn
• Bach, A. (ed.) (1999) Women and the Hebrew Bible: A Reader, New York/London: Routledge
• http://www.ntgateway.com/women-and-gender/websites/