Daughters of God, Subordinates of Men

Christianity faces a dilemma with regard to the status of women. Despite political, social and scientific advances, female subordination remains a predominant social and religious paradigm in a number of modern cultures. Among Christians, the primary justification for patriarchy has been the story of Adam and Eve, along with seven key New Testament texts rooted in the notion that female subordination is the will of God. This book provides a critical analysis of womanhood in the major cultures that formed the backdrop for the emergence of Christianity, covering Mesopotamia, the Abrahamic Semites and Egypt. The status of women in Judaism is discussed. The author connects the subordination of women with slavery and other forms of social and political dominance that were taken for granted in the ancient world, and demonstrates their influence on various New Testament texts concerning the status of women in the home and church.