Femininity and the Unnamed Women of the New Testament

Abstract

Gender and sex are often considered to be synonymous, suggesting that males are designed to be biologically and psychologically a certain way while females are designed to be biologically and psychologically opposite and complimentary to males. As we mature and engage with society, we receive messages about what it means to be feminine or masculine from a number of sources, including family structures, media, education, jobs, interpersonal relationships, and sports. However, one area that has not been widely explored is the Bible. The Bible is highly valued in the U.S. and has great potential for communicating and reinforcing the dominant gender ideology. The purpose of this study is to investigate what the Bible communicates through stories about unnamed women in the New Testament. Results indicate that these stories reinforce patriarchy.