Bible and Masculinity, The

Feminism put gender on the agenda of literary critics everywhere, but for a long time not many realized that gender was male as well as female. Even now, when everyone recognizes that the Bible is a male text through and through, it is a rare event to find the masculinity inscribed in the Bible and enjoined by it being analysed.This session attempts to bring to the surface some of the key elements in biblical masculinity and to identify how male ideals of the ancient world have shaped the Judaeo-Christian tradition. In an overview of biblical texts about David, the psalmists, the prophets, Jesus and Paul, a remarkably consistent portrait of the biblical man emerges, not so very different from traditional masculinities of our own time. Among the essential terms of masculinity in the Bible, the session will focus on power, violence, persuasive speech, womanlessness, holiness and honour.