On Saturday November 15, over 130 women of all ages (and some men too!) gathered to hear how women Bible interpreters and scholars have handled texts of violence in the Old Testament. Dr Marion Taylor invited attendees to consider 19th century interpretations while the Rev. Dr Lissa Wray Beal focused on the work of 21st century women interpreters, including herself, who continue to wrestle with similar approaches while bringing in new insights.
This was a hybrid event, with 75 taking part online, including seven church parties, one tuning in from the UK. Beautifully arranged floral centerpieces and a breakfast buffet greeted in-person attendees in Wycliffe’s Great Hall. A curated music list shaped the soundscape against which women made new contacts and enjoyed friends.
What a sharp contrast this setting was to the topic. With a focus on the book of Joshua, Taylor and Wray Beal acknowledged the discomfort of reading about “God-sanctioned violence.” The inclusion of these stories in the canon doesn’t make for comfortable reading, presentations, or discussion!
Both scholars are Professors of Old Testament at Wycliffe College, and their presentations were fodder for lively table discussions. Grateful for permission to acknowledge their discomfort, women acknowledged too, how some of the theology of these 19th century women interpreters had influenced them to this day, a point made by Taylor when she shared about the audiences (children, not only adults!) to whom these early interpreters were writing. Several in the in-person gathering nodded as she explained both the historical context and theologies of these women interpreters. Wray Beal’s positioning of the war accounts as hyperbole, written in the same genre as other ancient Eastern texts, sparked debate. And her invitation to consider these Old Testament violence texts in the context of God’s overall redemptive trajectory fuelled agreement and affirmation.
The Q&A time yielded words of wisdom for all who wrestle with texts like Joshua. For both professors, these texts must be placed in the context of the whole canon of biblical texts. Ask the hard questions, and don’t wrestle with these texts alone. Read together and listen to one another.
Don’t wrestle alone. Read together. Community.
Women’s Breakfasts are a time to meet current Wycliffe women students. This Breakfast was no exception. Both students who shared about their coming to faith, and to Wycliffe, affirmed the necessity of institutions like Wycliffe College. These institutions provide spaces in which women called to serve God’s kingdom in the church, academy, or world, can be affirmed in their calling, and in their biblical scholarship. As one student posited, bursaries for women students offer more than much-needed financial help. They offer tangible encouragement, partnership, and hope for the future of the Church.
Wycliffe’s first Women’s Breakfast in 2026 takes place on Saturday February 28.
