Skip navigation
  • Home
  • Browse
    • Communities
      & Collections
    • Browse Items by:
    • Publication Date
    • Author
    • Title
    • Subject
    • Department
  • Sign on to:
    • My MacSphere
    • Receive email
      updates
    • Edit Profile


McMaster University Home Page
  1. MacSphere
  2. Open Access Dissertations and Theses Community
  3. Open Access Dissertations and Theses
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/19583
Title: Wom(b)an: A Cultural-Narrative Reading of the Hebrew Bible Barrenness Narratives
Authors: De-Whyte, Janice P.
Advisor: Boda, Mark J.
Evans, Paul S.
Department: Christian Theology
Keywords: Wom(b)an, cultural-narrative, reading, Hebrew, bible, barrenness, ancient, Akan culture
Publication Date: 19-Mar-2014
Abstract: <p> The barrenness narratives of the Hebrew Bible are not only theological but also cultural in nature. A reading of these texts highlights the fact that in the Hebrew culture, and larger ancient Near Eastern context, childbirth was central to a woman's identity. Since beliefs regarding fertility and infertility are similar in the Akan culture, this dissertation proposes that an African (Akan) perspective may be the bridge needed between the Western readings, in which infertility is not viewed so tragically, and the original ANE context, in which infertility is a shameful and tragic condition for a woman. In addition to examining biological infertility this dissertation will also explore "social barrenness." "Social barrenness" is an original term in this dissertation that seeks to categorise other kinds of barrenness circumstances described within the Hebrew Bible. An awareness of the cultural reality, and varieties, of infertility further elucidates the desperation and lengths to which women in the biblical narratives will go in order to have children. Additionally, an appreciation for the cultural dynamics of the narratives will illuminate the theological message(s) of the story. Since this study employs a cultural-narrative approach, it is appropriate to coin the word "wom(b)an," to underscore the centrality of the womb to a woman's identity in the Hebrew and Akan cultures.</p>
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11375/19583
Appears in Collections:Open Access Dissertations and Theses

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
De-Whyte_Janice_P._2014Mar_Ph.D..pdf
Open Access
12.47 MBAdobe PDFView/Open
Show full item record Statistics


Items in MacSphere are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship     McMaster University Libraries
©2022 McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8 | 905-525-9140 | Contact Us | Terms of Use & Privacy Policy | Feedback

Report Accessibility Issue