Women Remembered

Jesus’ Female Disciples

Written by: Helen Bond and Joan Taylor Published by: Hodder and Stoughton Price: £12.99

This paperback seeks to raise the profile of the women who followed Jesus but whose place has perhaps been overlooked or misinterpreted. Inspired by their popular Channel 4 documentary, Jesus’ Female Disciples, this book is a companion work to the television series.

The book challenges readers to dig more deeply into the bible and using scholarship and understanding of history, portrays the hidden roles of the women of the bible and shows alternative appreciation of their roles including disciples, apostles, teachers, messengers and founders of the early church.

The authors, both Professors of Christian Origins, (Bond is Head of the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh) seek to show how popular interpretations of the Bible have sidelined the role of women. Using their scholarship, understanding and gifts, they offer an alternative interpretation of the roles of women such as Salome, Joanna, Martha and Mary, Tabitha and Phoebe as well as the best-known women of the Bible – Mary, mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

The work challenges established perspectives in art, literature and culture, but offers fresh insights and highlights the importance of the role of women in the life of Jesus.

Perhaps the most challenging statement lies in the final pages of the book in the comments of the authors: ‘The story of the suppression of women in the Church is a sorry tale that still has repercussions today. Women have been silenced, marginalised, refused entry to theological discussion and blamed for it. As we have seen throughout this book, however, there is a wealth of evidence that tells us that in the earliest period of Christianity women were highly active as disciples and teachers, prophets, missionaries and midwives of faith.’

Lynne McNeil