Women in a Patriarchal World

Twenty-five Empowering Stories from the Bible

ELAINE STORKEY, Elaine Storkey

• Publisher: SPCK Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780281084074
• eBook ISBN: 9780281084081
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

‘This immersive, persuasive and triumphant celebration of women is smart, bold and brave, cheering us on and challenging us to live lives of liberation. Faith and ethics dance effortlessly together, as biblical women look us firmly in the eye.’ Rachie Ross, eco-theologian

The Bible includes many stories about women: some well-known, others lesser known; some named, others whose names are not given. In some of these stories, men are depicted negatively by the storyteller; in others men barely feature at all, except in the background or as powerful outsiders. All the compilers of these narratives were probably men, and all of them are set within an ancient world of patriarchal norms and conditions. And yet many of these narratives express the authentic voices of women, and in some cases the original sources will have been the women themselves.

In Women in a Patriarchal World Elaine Storkey focuses on the stories of women who faced a range of challenges and life-changing decisions. Her investigations will lead you to fully appreciate the authenticity of these accounts. They will prompt you to see the connections with our own lives and times. And above all they will empower you to respond more faithfully and intelligently to the many challenges that women are still confronted with today.

‘This book combines rigour with deep humanity and faith.’

Christina Rees CBE, writer, broadcaster and preacher

‘Each page left me feeling more empowered than the last.’

Ruth Akinradewo, Press Red Ambassador

Table of contents

• Women In A Patriarchal World: Twenty-five empowering stories from the Bible
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1 Call the midwives! – Exodus 1.5–22
• 2 A calm mother, a sharp sister and a wet princess – Exodus 2.1–10
• 3 The five daughters of Zelophehad – Numbers 27.1–11
• 4 Rahab: prostitute, traitor, role model – Joshua 2.1–24; 6.1–25
• 5 Prophet, poet, judge: Deborah, leader of Israel – Judges 4 and 5
• 6 A tale of three widows – Ruth 1.1–22
• 7 Hannah: not drinking but praying – 1 Samuel 1—2 42
• 8 Abigail saves the day – 1 Samuel 25.2–19
• 9 The wise woman of Abel Beth Maakah – 2 Samuel 20
• 10 Two mothers in desperate dispute – 1 Kings 3.16–28
• 11 Huldah: speaking truth to power – 2 Kings 22; 23.1–25; 2 Chronicles 34
• New Testament Women
• 12 What Mary said when the wine ran out – John 2
• 13 The Samaritan woman who broke the stereotypes – John 4.4–30, 39–42
• 14 A most embarrassing party – Luke 7.36–50
• 15 Joanna: well connected but surprising – Luke 8.2–3; 24.10
• 16 When the bleeding had to stop – Mark 5.25–34; Luke 8.43–48
• 17 A Canaanite woman: sassy, and full of faith – Matthew 15.21–28
• 18 More to the widow than her mite – Mark 12.38–44
• 19 Martha knows what she believes – John 11.1–44
• 20 Pilate’s wife: God challenging through dreams – Matthew 27.19
• 21 The women at the cross and tomb – Matthew 27—28; Mark 15—16; Luke 23—24; John 19—20
• 22 Mary of Magdala: apostle to the apostles – Luke 8.1–3; John 20.14–17
• 23 Lydia: taking a risk with her hospitality – Acts 16.9–15
• 24 Priscilla teaches Apollos some theology – Acts 18.1–3, 18–28
• 25 Euodia and Syntyche go down in history – Philippians 4.1–3