One of the top books of 2022 in our annual Books of the Year is Joy A. Schroeder and Marion Ann Taylor’s Voices Long Silenced: Women Biblical Interpreters Through the Centuries (WJK). At this year’s Society of Biblical Literature an entire session was dedicated to this book. Four respondents followed by two follow-up responses by the authors. The four respondents were Jaime Clark-Soles, Mitzi Smith, Eunjoo Kim, and me. I am honored that each of the respondents has agreed to post their responses here at Tov Unleashed. Today’s post is by Mitzi J. Smith.
I read with interest Mitzi J Smith's words. It motivated me to a search of her other books mentioned at the end of the newsletter. I was moved by her courage to use her own voice for those often left without a voice: "I wonder what a comprehensive study of women’s interpretations of scripture imbedded in oral communities or in oral traditions would yield? Women who could not read or without access to education..." I hope to read and hear more from her, and have made a note of her podcast.
Thank you for this series!!! The affirmation it is to read someone’s story of telling THEIR story, rather than the story some try to force them to tell, that is not their story. It allows The Light to shine more brightly for all, without any tinted glass to filter It!!!❤️❤️❤️
Dr. Mitzi Smith, I appreciate these thought-provoking comments.
Two questions come to mind as I read your words:
1) You cite Julian of Norwich, then seem to see her as an "elite", when you ask, "Did many of these elite women interpreters own enslaved persons and/or poorly paid laborers?"
As I study the life of Julian, historical records her life as an anchoress, a servant of the church who lived in seclusion and poverty. In your studies, have you found that her life was that of an "elite" woman, rather than an anchoress?
2) You quote Emilie Du Chatelet, who "... argued that Jesus was “not divine but was a charlatan who deceived his followers.”" Where do you land on the subject of Jesus' divinity?
Thanks again for your words describing other perspectives of faith and life that I had not previously considered.
Mitzi J. Smith
I read with interest Mitzi J Smith's words. It motivated me to a search of her other books mentioned at the end of the newsletter. I was moved by her courage to use her own voice for those often left without a voice: "I wonder what a comprehensive study of women’s interpretations of scripture imbedded in oral communities or in oral traditions would yield? Women who could not read or without access to education..." I hope to read and hear more from her, and have made a note of her podcast.
Thank you for this series!!! The affirmation it is to read someone’s story of telling THEIR story, rather than the story some try to force them to tell, that is not their story. It allows The Light to shine more brightly for all, without any tinted glass to filter It!!!❤️❤️❤️
Dr. Mitzi Smith, I appreciate these thought-provoking comments.
Two questions come to mind as I read your words:
1) You cite Julian of Norwich, then seem to see her as an "elite", when you ask, "Did many of these elite women interpreters own enslaved persons and/or poorly paid laborers?"
As I study the life of Julian, historical records her life as an anchoress, a servant of the church who lived in seclusion and poverty. In your studies, have you found that her life was that of an "elite" woman, rather than an anchoress?
2) You quote Emilie Du Chatelet, who "... argued that Jesus was “not divine but was a charlatan who deceived his followers.”" Where do you land on the subject of Jesus' divinity?
Thanks again for your words describing other perspectives of faith and life that I had not previously considered.