Paul stresses female obedience and the need for continence. Saunders notes that, because of Paul's Jewish culture, his experiences and personal beliefs regarding sexuality were likely very different from those to whom he preached. Greco-Roman sexuality took a far more flexible view of divorce and intermartial relations than did Paul's Jewish culture. While the Letter to the Romans became one of the most foundational documents in Christian history, it is set in a very definable context, with a "specific history" and plans.
Saunders focuses on Romans as the seminal text that defines Paul's mission. Written to the Roman community, Paul says that he was sent by God to make their offering acceptable, and Jesus was sent to glorify the God of Israel. Paul had unique confidence in his mission, but was worried when he wrote both Romans and Galatians: "he asked the Romans to pray that he would be delivered from unbelievers" and "feared rejection by the Jewish members of the Christian movement," who disagreed with his teachings. Even within conventional Christian iconography, this conflict between Paul and other Apostolic traditions can be seen -- Peter receives the 'keys' of the church, and founds the church upon a rock of continuity. In contrast, Paul, who never met Jesus, and persecuted Jesus before teaching the gospel, was an itinerant preacher, preaching a portable version of Christianity that could be incorporated into gentile life, even while Paul urged gentiles to righteousness.
Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the clarity with which Saunders makes his argument, which is essentially a defense of Biblical historicism. He makes Paul into a character in the book, musing upon his mission, and makes the writing of Galatians and Romans a historical act, in answer to a series of problems confronting Paul,...
What is the role of the family in the continuing process of female circumcisions? One of the difficulties in trying to stop the practice of female circumcisions is the central role of the family, particularly women, in perpetuating the practice. Because the girls' mothers have had the procedure performed upon themselves, they assume it is normal, and feel that their girls should have to endure what they endured. Also, even if
Because of the private nature of the tradition and because the methods can range so greatly, it is difficult to adequately assess the details of female genital cutting in Africa. The history of the tradition goes back thousands of years and is often (incorrectly) associated with religious dictates (von der Osten-Sacken & Uwer, 2007). It has long been associated with Islam, though there has been active opposition from many Islamic
Female Circumcision and Ethics The female circumcision practices are found to be followed by a number of regions and tribes in the world where this practice is considered to purify and provide health benefits to the females of that particular society. However, this practice is considered to be immoral and unethical by the ethical feminist and clinical experts who imply that female circumcision practices violate the autonomy of an individual and,
Female Genital Mutilation in Ethiopia: A Human Rights Issue Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a common phenomenon in Ethiopia, which has the highest rate of FGM among African countries, despite international and national efforts to eliminate the phenomenon. Why FGM persists despite these efforts to end the practice is an issue that puzzles scholars and activists, particularly because efforts to end FGM have seen some success outside of Ethiopia. Does the
Female Genital Mutilation -- a Review and Analysis How prevalent is the practice of female genital mutilation throughout the world? Why is it done, where is it done, and what are the human rights and morality implications? This paper will examine those questions, and provide information that supplements those issues. The Literature on Female Genital Mutilation There are four types of female genital mutilation (FGM), according to an article in the British Journal
Female Genital Mutilation, also known as female circumcision is a practice largely in some African countries and is a process where young girls (and sometimes women) have their clitoris removed through unsafe surgical procedures. The procedure is usually done by someone with no medical training and no type of anesthesia is used. As a result, many of the young girls go into shock from the severe which often leads to
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