Abstract
ABSTRACT The patriarchal discourse in the Deuteronomic Code creates the need for its re-interpretation from a feminist perspective. This is in aid of understanding the subordination of women viewed from the following perspectives: their roles, images and the limited contributions of women in the ancient world. The reading also includes some remarks on the patrilineal and patriarchal organisation of the Israelite society and its family-centred economy - with special reference to the Covenant Code because of its similarity to Deuteronomy. This article describes how reformers of the Code formed a social structure which they made effective by linking disempowerment of women with other poverty alleviation laws. Keywords: Deuteronomic Code, Socio-economic, Covenant Code, Social-scientific interpretation, Gender inequality
Highlights
The patriarchal discourse in the Deuteronomic Code creates the need for its re-interpretation from a feminist perspective
This is in aid of understanding the subordination of women viewed from the following perspectives: their roles, images and the limited contributions of women in the ancient world
We [need to] understand the central role of religion in many women’s lives, and we suggest that a new theology taking clearer account of women may be productive in understanding the central role of faith in people’s lives [ in women’s lives]
Summary
This article explores possible ways of re-interpreting (inner-biblical) the Deuteronomistic Code (including to some extent the Covenant Code because of their inter-relationship) in order to show how Israelite society and its familycentred economy disempowered women. The methodology of this article is supported by Meyers, who employs a social scientific approach to read the Bible with regard to the issue of women’s disempowerment and other related topics such as patriarchy She notes that: Since the late nineteenth century, if not before, the term “patriarchy” has been invoked by those seeking to understand the cultural context of biblical texts. There are similarities and differences in these texts in relation to how women were treated, one needs to affirm that “individual cultures of the Ancient Near East were not solitary functioning systems, like islands, but subject to mutual influence.”[24] Van der Toorn[25] calls this phenomenon a “cultural continuum.” This idea is helpful because it sheds light on the societal attitudes towards women in history.[26]. In contrast with other parallel codes, the laws give more importance to the overall cultural development of Israel
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