Mary and Martha: Women in the World of Jesus

Mary and Martha: Women in the World of Jesus focuses on women as portrayed in the Johannine Gospel--the nature of their lives and their relationship to Jesus. Satoko Yamaguchi has written an excellent even groundbreaking work . . . . This book provides a new reading of the stories of Mary and Martha in the Gospel of John and also makes an important contribution to understanding Johannine studies particularly the Christology of that gospel. --Joanna Dewey Academic Dean Episcopal Divinity School This books presents and engaging new reading of the Gospel of John from a critical feminist perspective. Satoko Yamaguchi persuasively argues for a new historical imagination. A clear style of argumentation makes this an excellent text for courses in Biblical and Womens Studies. --Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza Harvard Divinity School It is such a revisioning of early Christian women which Yamaguchi suggests will expand the historical imagination of contemporary readers of the gospel in a way which can shape new spiritualities and identities for todays Christian women (and men). Yamaguchi hopes to reach the first-time readers of feminist biblical interpretation with her text and for them this work will offer a very rich fare. For those already familiar with the field Mary and Martha will be a re-immersion and an expansion of imagination especially in relation to the two focal women -- Mary and Martha of the Johannine Gospel. --Elaine Wainwright The University of Auckland School of Theology I highly recommend this readable and informative text. --Kwok Pui-lan Episcopal Divinity School Satoko Yamaguchi received the Bible & Archeology prize for her dissertation at the Episcopal Divinity School Cambridge Massachusetts and taught at New York Theological Seminary and the Newark School of Theology. She now teaches in Tokyo at Japan Biblical Theological Seminary (Protestant) Central Theological College (Episcopal) Keisen Womens University (Protestant) and Sacred Heart University (Catholic). She is codirector of the Center for Feminist Theology and Ministry in Japan. Her Mary and Martha received the 2003 Book Award from Catholic Press Association in the US and Canada.