Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes

Febbie C. Dickerson

Biblical narratives are not simply sacred stories for religious communities: They are stories that provide transformative insight into cultural biases. By putting historical criticism and reception history into dialogue with womanist biblical hermeneutics, Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes offers a provocative reading of Jesus’ parable about a widow who confronts a judge and obtains what she seeks by means of physical threat. Rather than simply reading the widow as the model for “one who prays always and does not lose heart” (Luke 18:1), Dickerson shows that read in the context of Luke’s wider narrative, the widow, domesticated and robbed both of her agency and moral ambiguity, is more likely demanding vengeance instead of justice. Likewise, rather than simply reading the judge as one "who neither feared God nor had respect for people" (Luke 18:2), Dickerson argues that the judge is both an ideal man and one who compromises standards of ancient masculinity. Then, reading both the widow and judge through African American stereotypes (Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire, Cool Black Male, Master-Pastor, and Foolish Judge) that are used to degrade, debase, and control, and reading them into and in light of the parable, Dickerson demonstrates how the parable calls into question these stereotypes thereby producing new liberative readings.

Lexington Books / Fortress Academic

Pages: 238 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9

978-1-9787-0123-6 • Hardback • August 2019 • $117.00 • (£90.00)

978-1-9787-0124-3 • eBook • August 2019 • $45.00 • (£35.00)

Series: Womanist Readings of Scripture

Subjects: Religion / Biblical Studies / Exegesis & Hermeneutics, Religion / Sexuality & Gender Studies, Social Science / Ethnic Studies / African American Studies

Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Biblical narratives are not simply sacred stories for religious communities: They are stories that provide transformative insight into cultural biases. By putting historical criticism and reception history into dialogue with womanist biblical hermeneutics, Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes offers a provocative reading of Jesus’ parable about a widow who confronts a judge and obtains what she seeks by means of physical threat. Rather than simply reading the widow as the model for “one who prays always and does not lose heart” (Luke 18:1), Dickerson shows that read in the context of Luke’s wider narrative, the widow, domesticated and robbed both of her agency and moral ambiguity, is more likely demanding vengeance instead of justice. Likewise, rather than simply reading the judge as one "who neither feared God nor had respect for people" (Luke 18:2), Dickerson argues that the judge is both an ideal man and one who compromises standards of ancient masculinity. Then, reading both the widow and judge through African American stereotypes (Mammy, Jezebel, Sapphire, Cool Black Male, Master-Pastor, and Foolish Judge) that are used to degrade, debase, and control, and reading them into and in light of the parable, Dickerson demonstrates how the parable calls into question these stereotypes thereby producing new liberative readings.

Details

Lexington Books / Fortress Academic

Pages: 238 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9

978-1-9787-0123-6 • Hardback • August 2019 • $117.00 • (£90.00)

978-1-9787-0124-3 • eBook • August 2019 • $45.00 • (£35.00)

Series: Womanist Readings of Scripture

Subjects: Religion / Biblical Studies / Exegesis & Hermeneutics, Religion / Sexuality & Gender Studies, Social Science / Ethnic Studies / African American Studies

Author

Febbie C. Dickerson is assistant professor of New Testament at American Baptist College and an ordained minister in the United in Christ Worldwide Fellowship.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Price of Stereotypes

Chapter 2: Parable of the Widow and Judge (Luke 18:2–5): Textual Problems and Stereotypes

Chapter 3: A History of Allegory, Stereotypes, and Challenge

Chapter 4: Luke, Widows, Judge, and Gender

Chapter 5: Mammy, Jezebel, and Sapphire in Conversation with Luke

Chapter 6: Luke, the Judge, and African American Male Stereotypes: Cool, Cruel, Foolish

Chapter 7: Conclusion

Reviews

This volume provides a stimulating case study of a short parable of Jesus from multiple angles, resisting superficial readings anchored in rigid stereotypes. It persuasively underscores how much context(s) matters in biblical interpretation.

— Catholic Biblical Quarterly

Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes turns traditional interpretations of the parable of the widow and judge in Luke 18 on their heads by offering a unique twist on the story that will be sure to elicit lively conversation among readers––including Wednesday Bible study group participants and academic readers alike. Dickerson engages womanist concerns for dispelling controlling images of African American women by tackling head on stereotypes of the widow and judge using creativity and wit.
— Vanessa Lovelace, Lancaster Seminary; co-author of Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse

Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes

Febbie C. Dickerson

Luke, Widows, Judges, and Stereotypes

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