Gen(de)red power: Die Macht des Genres im Streit um die Frauenrolle in Pastoralbriefen und Paulusakten

Abstract

<strong>Gen(de)red power: The power of genre in the debate about women’s roles in the Pastoral Letters and the Acts of Paul.</strong> Two texts that contributed to the discussion on gender roles in formative Christianity, 1 Timothy and the Acts of Paul, are investigated. In both cases the emphasis is on the much-disputed role of women. Power plays a role on different levels. On the one hand power relations between the sexes are depicted or directly addressed by the text (‘gendered’ power), while on the other hand the power of persuasion is brought to bear on both male and female readers to legitimize the patriarchal, videlicet the encratitic model of gender. This is done by rhetorical means that are text-specific, but also make use of genre-specific persuasion strategies. This ‘genred power’ is still mostly unchartered territory in exegetical discussions and is therefore the focus of my investigation. Especially important in both genres are intertextual allusions to authoritative texts. Fictive self-references which enable the author (’Paul’) to correct himself are one focus of interest. Narrative strategies (i.e. character and plot development) which also have an intertextual dimension are a second focal point. The take-over of the role of Peter who denies Jesus and repents by Paul in the Acts of Thecla turns out to be of major rhetorical significance.<p><strong>How to cite this article:</strong> Merz, A., 2012, ‘Gen(de)red power: Die Macht des Genres im Streit um die Frauenrolle in Pastoralbriefen und Paulusakten‘, <em>HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies </em>68(1), #Art. 1185, 9 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v68i1.1185</p&gt

Recent Feminist Approaches to Interpreting the New Testament

“…For example, in their collection of essays related to Romans and gender, Grenholm and Patte (2005) note the importance of making issues of power explicit. Likewise, Merz (2012) explores similar questions of power and gendered expressions of such power. Finally, several scholars demonstrate interest in the implications raised especially by some of the texts in the Pastoral Epistles that lead to similar questions about women's roles, in both ancient and modern settings (Polaski 2005;Payne 2009;Gench 2015;Hylen 2015Hylen , 2019Westfall 2016;Davis 2017;Peppiatt 2019).…”