09 October 2008

Is the Bible Sexist?

Anyone with a passing familiarity with the text of Scripture and its Divine Author knows the answer: negative. But others seem to be catching on. From The Times:
Whether they are temptresses, harlots or simply Old Testament chattels, women (it is often argued) get a raw deal in Scripture, with the odd saintly exception (the virgin Mary).

But new research into Biblical women shows that the majority receive positive or matter-of-fact write-ups. Words such as "blessed", "righteous" "outstanding" and - of course - "beautiful" crop up in descriptions of 60 of the Bible's 175 female characters, according to research from The Bible Society.