Counting Women & Children: Restoring the Lost Heritage of Formative Judaism & Early Christianity
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Counting Women & Children: Restoring the Lost Heritage of Formative Judaism & Early Christianity Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D. Professor of Biblical Studies & Early Christianity John Carroll University
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Counting Women & Children: Restoring the Lost Heritage of Formative Judaism & Early Christianity. Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D. Professor of Biblical Studies & Early Christianity John Carroll University. Historical Research Depends upon Testimony. Testimony is Interpreted. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Counting Women & Children: Restoring the Lost Heritage of Formative Judaism & Early Christianity
Counting Women & Children: Restoring the
Lost Heritage of Formative Judaism& Early Christianity
Counting Women & Children: Restoring the
Lost Heritage of Formative Judaism& Early Christianity
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.Professor of Biblical Studies & Early Christianity
John Carroll University
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.Professor of Biblical Studies & Early Christianity
John Carroll University
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Historical ResearchDepends upon Testimony
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
3
Testimony is Interpreted
Interpreted witness (even material artifacts)
Requires further interpretation
Presuppositions influence interpretation
Nature and extent of testimony (texts, inscriptions, material artifacts, etc.) influences interpretation
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Testimony of Material Artifacts
When possible, combine various types of
evidence to support
reconstruction (e.g., use
textual evidence with
support identification
and interpretation
of material artifacts)
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
5
Testimony of Material Artifacts
The James Ossuary Which James is it? Is the “brother of
Jesus” part of the inscription authentic?
What is its date?
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Objective of Historical Research: Most Probable Reconstruction
Tarsus
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Reconstructions are Hypotheses
Not certain knowledge of the past
Usually a broad outline with some illustrative details
Corner of Mosaic Floor3rd–4th century Anatolia
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Readers Interpret Reconstruction
Tarsus, reconstruction of tents like those made by St. Paul
The Problem of Memory Loss
Historical “Some-timers”
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Elite Bias of TextsElite Bias of Texts
Texts written for literate elite
Highlight their peers– I.e., aristocratic class, typically
men– “Average” person not noted– Children rarely mentioned– Few women, fewer named
Cannot be taken as complete
Supplement with material evidence
Texts written for literate elite
Highlight their peers– I.e., aristocratic class, typically
men– “Average” person not noted– Children rarely mentioned– Few women, fewer named
Cannot be taken as complete
Supplement with material evidence
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
11
Elite Bias of Material Evidence
Only wealthy can afford durable goods like– Dedicatory statues &
inscriptions– Frescoes & mosaics– Stone v. wood structures
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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A History of Forgetfulness
Library of Celsus, Ephesus (2nd century C.E.)
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
13
Who “counts” depends upon who’s countingWho “counts” depends upon who’s counting
Terms indicating authority often re-defined when applied to women, e.g.
Synagogue inscriptions honoring women as archisynagogos, “ruler of the synagogue”
Authority of women prophets in I Cor 11:10
Terms indicating authority often re-defined when applied to women, e.g.
Synagogue inscriptions honoring women as archisynagogos, “ruler of the synagogue”
Authority of women prophets in I Cor 11:10
1st century CE Synagogue at Capernaum
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
14
Who “counts” depends upon who’s countingWho “counts” depends upon who’s counting
Terms indicating authority often re-defined when applied to women, e.g.
Synagogue inscriptions honoring women as archisynagogos, “ruler of the synagogue”
Authority of women prophets in I Cor 11:10
Terms indicating authority often re-defined when applied to women, e.g.
Synagogue inscriptions honoring women as archisynagogos, “ruler of the synagogue”
Authority of women prophets in I Cor 11:10
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
15
Sex-Change Operations
Junia, a Roman woman Paul calls a “noteworthy apostle” (Rom16:7) becomes the man “Junias”
The woman presider in the Priscilla catecombs
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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The Road to Recovery
The Ephesian Via Sacra
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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How to Overcome Communal Memory Loss
Follow an explicit, consistent methodology
Cultivate gender blindness (i.e., give same level of credence to evidence concerning women and men)
Use material remains to supplement textual evidence
Read between the lines Sometimes read “against the grain”
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
18
Women Disciples of Jesus
Most images of “the
Last Supper” depict only
Jesus and twelve
men, but women
disciples also were there (cf. John 12:1–
8).
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Mothers of Synagogues
The Temple Scroll (11Q19–20)
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Female Priests in Synagogues & Churches
Marin the
Egyptian, a
Jewish priestess
(CIJ 1514)
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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History of Jewish Origins: Pilgrimage of Remembrance
10 September 2006
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D., "Shared Values, Divergent Paths" Symposium
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Other Resources
Bernadette Brooten, Women Leaders in the Synagogues
Tal Ilan, Integrating Women into Second Temple History
______, Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine JCU Bible Web (http://www.jcu.edu/bible) Sheila E. McGinn, presentation on the Maltz
Museum Special Exhibit, Cradle of Christianity: Jewish and Christian Treasures from the Holy Land
