Disorderly Women and the Order of God: An Australian Feminist Reading of the Gospel of Mark
Ebook
Michele A. Connolly's postcolonial analysis links the Gospel of Mark - produced in the context of the Roman Empire - with contemporary Australia, established initially as a colony of the British Empire. Feminist analysis of texts from two foundational events in Australian colonial history reveal that women in such texts tend to be marginalised, silenced and denigrated. Connolly posits that imperialist sexism, both ancient and modern, perceives women as a threat to the order that males alone can impose on the world.
The Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus bringing the order of the Reign of God to combat the disorder of apocalyptic evil. Jesus' task is a markedly male project, against which eleven female characters are portrayed as disorderly distractions who are managed by being marginalised, silenced and denigrated, contradicting Jesus' message of mutual service and non-domination. In his death under apocalyptic power, Jesus is likewise depicted as isolated, silenced and denigrated, subtly associating femininity with chaos, failure and disgrace.
A postcolonial, feminist engagement with the Gospel of Mark showing how Jesus actions in Mark are markedly male and set against the 'distractions' of the female characters in the gospel.
A feminist reading from an Australian perspective whereas most are from an American perspective
Uses a creative combination of history and literature to create an interpreting lens
While revering the Gospel of Mark's inclusive intention, exposes deep-grained sexism in its literary construction of female characters
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Postcolonial Religious World in Australia
2. Colonial Australia as the Imperialised Reading Context
3. The Myth of Colonial Australia in an Imperial War
4. The Gospel of Mark, a Christian Narrative of the First Century C.E.
5. Jesus and Women in Mark 1-12
6. Jesus in the Midst of Women, Mark 14-16
7. Conclusion
Appendices
Indexes
In this original and illuminating study, Michelle Connolly uses the imperial-colonial dynamics of her Australian cultural context, as interpreted through two founding national narratives, to ground her exploration of the complex imperial-colonial dynamics animating the Christian Gospel of Mark. What results is an impressive reflection on the deep moral ambiguity in both sets of writings, which valorize male hero myths at the cost of female denigration. This superb study is a must read for anyone concerned with imperial-colonial dynamics, biblical interpretation, or the ways that texts both secular and religious encourage cultures to perpetuate gender inequality.
Michele Connolly's challenge to her readers is to become as self-aware as possible when reading an ancient and familiar text-one hedged with religious value as well. Whether her readers are only partially or quite thoroughly familiar with the Anzac myth, her treatment of it offers vivid access to the impact of our unconscious reading filters and makes likely a better reading of the gospel. I know of no postcolonial study that offers a clearer lens for examining the ancient biblical text.
The unique contribution that Michele Connolly makes in this book is the framework against which she reads women in the Gospel of Mark - namely that of colonial Australia, an imperialized reading context. She brings a contemporary feminist postcolonial perspective to the Markan text and its context, enabling her to recognize that Markan women are portrayed as 'isolated, mute' and with little impact on society; but a counter-narrative is possible. This book invites readers, whatever their location, to engage a new lens for reading the Markan text and encountering its female characters.
- Title: Disorderly Women and the Order of God: An Australian Feminist Reading of the Gospel of Mark
- Author: Michele A. Connolly
- Publisher: T&T Clark
- Print Publication Date: 2018
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9780567680617, 9780567692535, 0567692531, 0567680614
- Resource ID: LLS:9780567680617
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-05-12T04:01:01Z
Michele A. Connolly currently teaches at Catholic Institute of Sydney, Australia.