The Bible and Women · An Encyclopaedia of Exegesis and Cultural History
- edited by
- Mary Ann Beavis (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)
- Irmtraud Fischer (Graz)
- Mercedes Navarro (Madrid)
- Adriana Valerio (Napoli)
A Critically Engaged Project in Cultural History
The volumes in this encyclopaedia study the Bible as "The Book" of Western culture. They explore how religion has shaped gender identity and roles, stereotypes and relationships between men and women in Western culture.
The interdisciplinary conversation found here brings together voices from the fields of biblical exegesis, cultural history, archaeology and art history, literary history and musicology.
In academic contexts where religious literacy can no longer be assumed, the encyclopaedia provides a useful tool for research in the humanities.
This series of volumes engages biblical interpretation from the standpoint of our contemporary social context and will promote the ideals of democracy and gender equality.
A Project in the History of Theology
This project intends to engage, in a critical way, both the Bible and the history of interpretation.
It presents the socio-political consequences which have resulted from particular interpretive traditions.
In particular, the series examines how gender inequality has been legitimized by referring to the Bible and tradition.
Since tradition is not monolithic, the encyclopaedia explores diverse interpretations arising out of various communities of discourse.
Presenting this complex history of interpretation in its cultural context provides a corrective to religious fundamentalism.
A Project that will put into practice the principles of multi-disciplinary gender research.
As an international, interdenominational and multi-disciplinary work, the encyclopaedia is not supplemental or compensatory to other historical projects. Rather, it presents a new conception of history, one that integrates gender as a key tool of analysis.

The Jewish Middle Ages
- Eds.
Carol Bakhos - Gerhard Langer
Year 2023

Ancient Christian Apocrypha
- Eds.
Outi Lehtipuu - Silke Petersen
Year 2022

Rabbinic Literature
- Eds.
Tal Ilan - Lorena Miralles-Maciá
- Ronit Nikolsky
Year 2022

Prophecy and Gender in the Hebrew Bible
- Eds.
L. Juliana Claassens - Irmtraud Fischer
Year 2021

The Early Middle Ages
- Eds.
Franca Ela Consolino - Judith Herrin
Year 2020

Faith and Feminism in Nineteenth-Century Religious Communities
- Eds.
Michaela Sohn-Kronthaler - Ruth Albrecht
Year 2019

Early Jewish Writings
- Eds.
Eileen Schuller - Marie-Theres Wacker
Year 2017

THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES
- Eds.
Kari Elisabeth Børresen, Adriana Valerio
Year 2015

GOSPELS: NARRATIVE AND HISTORY
- Eds.
Mercedes Navarro Puerto, Marinella Perroni
Year 2015

THE WRITINGS AND LATER WISDOM BOOKS
- Eds.
Christl M. Maier, Nuria Calduch-Benages
Year 2014

FEMINIST BIBLICAL STUDIES IN THE 20TH CENTURY
- Ed.
Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza
Year 2014

TORAH
- Eds.
Irmtraud Fischer - Mercedes Navarro Puerto
- Collaborator
Andrea Taschl-Erber
Year 2011