Female Stereotypes in Religious Traditions.

• Superior document: Studies in the history of religions ; Volume 66
• Author: Ria Kloppenborg; Wouter J. Hanegraaff (Editors)
• TeilnehmendeR: Kloppenborg, Ria.; Hanegraaff, Wouter J.
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, , Boston: : Brill, , 1995.
• Year of Publication: 1995
• Language: English
• Series: Numen Book Series 66.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (xii, 261 pages).

This volume contains a collection of studies describing and analyzing stereotypes of women in the religions of Ancient Israel and Mesopotamia, and in Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Medieval Christianity, Islam, Indian Sufism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Tibetan religions, and modern Neopaganism. In all these traditions the stereotypes are based on generalizations, which are socially, culturally or religiously legitimized, and which seem to have a lasting influence on society's conceptions of women. They represent oversimplified opinions, which are, however, regularly challenged by the women who are affected by them. In all traditions the stereotypes are ambiguous, either because women have challenged their validity, or because historical developments in society have reshaped them. They influence public opinion by emphasizing dominant views, as a strategy to restrain women and to keep them controlled by the rules and morals of a male-dominated society.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / Ria Kloppenborg and Wouter J. Hanegraaff -- Torn Between Vice and Virtue: Stereotypes of the Widow in Israel and Mesopotamia / Karel van der Toorn -- Jeh the Primal Whore? Observations on Zoroastrian Misogyny / Albert de Jong -- Images of Women in Ancient Judaism / Pieter W. van der Horst -- “Women on the Loose”: Stereotypes of Women in the Story of the Medieval Beguines / Anke Passenier -- The “Mothers of the Believers”: Stereotypes of the Prophet Muhammad’s Wives / Ghassan Ascha -- Female Sufi Saints on the Indian Subcontinent / Netty Bonouvrié -- The Unconventional Woman Saint: Images of Akka Mahādēvi / Jan Peter Schouten -- Female Stereotypes in Early Buddhism: The Women of the Therīgāthā / Ria Kloppenborg -- Female Stereotypes in Tibetan Religion and Art: Introduction the Genitrix/Progenitress as the Exponent of the Underworld / Rosemarie Volkmann -- From the Devil’s Gateway to the Goddess Within: The Image of the witch in Neopaganism / Woutter J. Hanegraaff -- Index / Ria Kloppenborg and Wouter J. Hanegraaff -- Contributors / Ria Kloppenborg and Wouter J. Hanegraaff -- Studies in the History of Religions Numen Book Series / Ria Kloppenborg and Wouter J. Hanegraaff.