 | Queer Theory and the Prophetic Marriage Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible offers a metaphor of marriage that portrays men and women as complementary, each with their distinct and 'natural' roles. Queer Theory and the Prophetic Marriage Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible draws on contemporary scholarship to critique this hetero-normativity. The book examines the methodological issues involved in the application of queer theory to biblical texts and draws on the concept of gender performativity - the construction of gender through action and behaviour - to argue for the potential of queer theory in political readings of the Bible. The central role of metaphor in reinforcing gender performativity is examined in relation to the books of Jeremiah, Hosea and Ezekiel. The book offers a radical reassessment of the relationship between biblical language and gender identity. Stuart Macwilliam is a lecturer in the Department of Theology at the University of Exeter. He teaches Biblical Hebrew and New Testament Greek, and continues to develop his research interest in queer theory and the Hebrew Bible, working at present on such diverse topics as male beauty, Queen Athaliah and eunuchs. |
