Handbook of Women Biblical Interpreters

Starred review from December 1, 2012

Texts about biblical interpreters are nothing new; what separates this one from others is its focus on women. Taylor (Old Testament, Wycliffe College) and Choi (New Testament, Pacific Lutheran Univ.) have curated a collection of 180 entries written by 130 scholars from the United States, Canada, and Europe. Women interpreters and their work over two millennia are analyzed in concise, well-researched entries that each include a short biography and an examination of the interpreter's context and methods. The list of entries includes queens, abbesses, and noblewomen alongside teachers, social reformers, and abolitionists. Names include the familiar (Teresa of Avila, Katherine Parr, Sojourner Truth) and the less famous (Maria W. Miller, Mary Sidney Herbert, R. Roberts). Each signed entry concludes with a list of primary and secondary sources and cross references to contemporaries of the subject entry. The text concentrates on women from the Judeo-Christian traditions and includes scripture quotes from various biblical versions. VERDICT This handbook is an important contribution to the field of biblical interpretation. It provides a voice for women who were marginalized, forgotten, or silenced. The material presumes some knowledge of scripture but is otherwise easily accessible for most readers and is especially apt for seminarians, academics, and religious professionals. Highly recommended for academic libraries and seminaries.--Jacqueline Parascandola, Columbia Univ. Libs., NY

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