Luke's Gospel has been the subject of much critical debate and biblical criticism with regard to the role of women. The polarized debate pits academics who argue that the representation of women by Luke is solely to highlight the role of man against those who cite the Gospel as evidence of a wider prominent role attached to women. Indeed, Reid B. E. argues that the recent debate regarding the role of women in the church has revived interest in the New Testament, with many gravitating towards the perception of Luke as a friend of women (Reid, 1996, p.xiv). Conversely, the interpretation of Luke's Gospel has often been viewed as highlighting the passive and silent role of women, thereby supporting the importance of the male leaders (Seim, 1994, p.173).
[...] Indeed, it is argued that this lack of confidence in women's words facilitates the ascension of power of men in public testimony at a later stage 4). The above analysis demonstrates that whilst women are highly visible in the Gospel their disappearance and silencing from the Acts and has been utilized to imply the marginalization of women by Luke (Reid p.16). Alternatively it could be argued that due to the traditions of the time, the structure of the Acts rather highlights the contrast between the Acts of Paul and Peter (Corley, 1993). [...]
[...] As such, whilst Seim's arguments may go too far in undermining the importance attached to women by Luke, it is still questionable whether Luke's representation of women can truly be interpreted as intending to promote equality of women per se within the feminist ideal. The underlying theme of Luke appears to subvert the role associated with women insofar as it promotes the overriding ideal of belief in and service to In the Acts, Luke details the story of Paul's first convert in Europe, which was a woman Lydia. [...]
[...] However, the significance attached to the representation of women in Luke is somewhat undermined by Seim's emphasis on the dichotomy between the Gospel and the Luke Acts, where the woman's role is negligible (Seim p.249). To this end, Seim suggests that it is only when the women demonstrate a form of asceticism to free themselves from men's control that they ascertain true which undermines the Pastorals to whom Luke is often compared (Seim, 1994: 249). It further contradicts the notion of Luke as a feminist in early feminist theology. [...]
[...] As such, it is submitted that the importance of fertility and reproductive nature of women ceases and autonomy is highlighted which further supports the overriding purpose of women in Luke to highlight God's purpose and service to God. Moreover, Luke compares this to the angels as a stated without marriage and the criticism of marriage reflects an orientation towards eschatology (Johnson, 2006: 120). Through abstinence, women escape femaleness and move towards “maleness” (Johnson, 2006: 120). This is further supported by Paul's call to the widows to remain unmarried (in 1 Corinthian. [...]
[...] The role attached to women in the Luke Acts is further underlined by the linguistic and lexical tools utilized in the Gospels. For example, in Luke 13.16 he refers to a woman as the “daughter of Abraham” when he has already utilized the phrase of Abraham” therefore according equal respect through parallelisms (Witherington, 1988: 63). Furthermore, Witherington highlights the language and content parallels and asserts that “Luke expresses by his arrangement that man and women stand side by side before God. [...]
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