S4 E16 | Dr. Marion Ann Taylor | Rediscovering Women Biblical Scholars Through The Ages

The Alabaster Jar

In this conversation, Dr. Marion Taylor, Professor of Old Testament and Graduate Director at Wycliffe College joins Dr. Lynn Cohick, to discuss the contributions of women exegetes throughout history. She shares her serendipitous discovery of women interpreters in the 19th century and highlights their diverse range of topics, from technical grammatical analysis to sermons for women. Dr. Taylor also emphasizes that women read and interpret the Bible differently, often focusing on stories and texts that impact women's lives. Additionally, she explores the empowerment and courage of women exegetes, including those who faced pushback and persecution as well as discusses the impact of these women on her work as a biblical scholar.

Key Takeaways: ·

• Women have made significant contributions to biblical scholarship throughout history.
• Women exegetes in the 19th century wrote on a wide range of topics, including technical analysis and sermons for women.
• Women read and interpret the Bible differently, often focusing on stories and texts that impact women's lives.
• The stories of women exegetes provide inspiration and empowerment for women today.

Episode Breakdown:
00:00 - Introduction
01:01 - Serendipitous Discovery of Women Exegetes
03:18 - Women's Contributions to Biblical Scholarship
04:16 - Women Writing for Children and Women
05:04 - Women Scholars and Florence Nightingale
06:03 - Women Commenting on Women in the Bible
07:01 - The Cult of Domesticity and Women's Empowerment
08:00 - Women's Interpretation of Biblical Stories
09:21 - Empowering Stories of Courageous Women
10:46 - Women Balancing Multiple Roles
11:14 - Discovering Women Exegetes
13:24 - Women Exegetes in Nubia
14:16 - Jewish Women Exegetes
29:31 - Whispers of Women in Nubia
33:09 - Jewish Women Exegetes
36:08 - Women Exegetes in the Reformation
40:48 - The Influence of Women Exegetes

Episode Resources:
Voices Long Silenced: Women Biblical Interpreters through the Centuries by Dr. Joy A. Schroeder and Dr. Marion Ann Taylor
Ruth, Esther (8) (The Story of God Bible Commentary) by Dr. Marion Ann Taylor
Handbook of Women Biblical Interpreters: A Historical and Biographical Guide by Dr. Marion Ann Taylor and Dr. Agnes Choi
Women of War, Women of Woe: Joshua and Judges through the Eyes of Nineteenth-Century Female Biblical Interpreters by Dr. Marion Ann Taylor and Dr. Christiana DeGroot
The Visual Museum Of Women In Christianity

Episode Sponsor:
The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology. Learn more about The Center for Women in Leadership at: https://www.leadershipwithoutapology.org/.