Masculinity and the Bible

Catalog description

TAUGHT BY GTU. The study of men and masculinity is necessary to attain a holistic understanding of the construction(s) of gender in the Bible. Masculinity Studies operates under the assumption that "maleness" and "masculinity" are not unmarked categories from which "femininity" deviates, but rather as equally "stylized repetition acts," (which need not be limited to those who identify as male.) Using theoretical frameworks from Gender Studies and the emerging field of Masculinity Studies, this course will explore the ways in which masculinities are constructed across various biblical texts and how these constructions of masculinity function in the narrative form and inform our understanding of gender in the Biblical texts. Using both primary and secondary sources, we will attempt to ascertain the dominant (hegemonic) masculinity in the ancient worlds from which the biblical texts emerged, and compare that masculinity to the way in which certain biblical figures are portrayed. The focus of this course will be on several major characters, including David, Samson, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, Paul, Jael, and God, and how they conform to or subvert the dominant (hegemonic) masculinity. This course is taught by PhD student Jenny Lehmann with a Newhall Award, under the supervision of Dr. Deena Aranoff.