Uncovering Hidden Oppressions
Probing the Use of Patriarchal Language in Genesis 3:16, Ephesians 5:22–24, and 1 Timothy 2:11–12 Through Poststructuralist Feminism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 16969539 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mlamli Diko (0000-0001-8516-3586, University of South Africa, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-30 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal for Semitics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1013-8471 • E-ISSN: 2663-6573 |
| Publisher | Unisa Press (PUBLISHER • ZA) |
| DOI | 10.25159/2663-6573/17508 |
| OpenAlex | W4407042319 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
In this article I probe the use of patriarchal or male-centric language in Genesis 3:16, Ephesians 5:22–24, and 1 Timothy 2:11–12 through the theory of poststructuralist feminism. By applying poststructuralist feminist theory, which stresses the deconstruction of binary oppositions and rejects the stability of meanings, I unmask how these biblical texts cement gender hierarchies and solidify male hegemony. Genesis 3:16’s depiction of women’s increased pain in childbirth and their submission to their husbands is scrutinised for its role in fuelling male-centric standards. Ephesians 5:22–24’s directive for wives to submit to their husbands is critiqued in light of poststructuralist feminist evaluations of fixated gender roles, while 1 Timothy 2:11–12’s prohibition on women teaching or exercising power over men is re-evaluated to uncover underlying cultural and historical prejudices. This poststructuralist feminist discourse aims to deconstruct traditional interpretations and offer alternative readings that question entrenched gender disparities. The overall findings underline the demand for more inclusive interpretations of these biblical texts and highlight the universal implications for contemporary gender dynamics within religious and social contexts. To further contextualise the argument, I engage a young woman who questions patriarchal or male-orientated expectations within her community, linking her journey to the three selected biblical texts
Argument (complex analysis) · Deconstruction (building) · Depiction · Essentialism · Feminism · Hegemony · Linguistics · Patriarchy · Political science · Power (physics) · Sociology · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Development, Ethics, and Society · Gender Studies · Law · Philosophy · Theological Perspectives and Practices
Feminism and Patriarchal Religion
A New Way of Facilitating Leadership
‘For the husband is the head of the wife’
Conceptual Structuralism
Without a voice, with a violated body
Giving an Account of Oneself
Violence and the Liberated Woman
A Discussion with Jacques Derrida
God-talk rhetoric and the abuse of Women in Neo-Pentecostalism
Enslaved Women, Women Enslavers
Teaching/Learning through “Black Earth Rising”
Pandora's Box
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission’ (1 Timothy 2
An Underworld Rite
Becoming a ‘Girl’
Poststructuralist theory in practice
The origins of structuralism
Poststructural feminist theories of representing Others
Reflections on Poststructuralism and Feminist Empirics, Theory and Practice
Consuming a Colonial Cultural Bomb
Depatriarchalizing in Biblical Interpretation
Towards a poethics of love
Tragic Curse, or Messianic Hope? Reading Genesis 3
Orders of discourse
Which Bodies Matter
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |