This compact volume by one of the foremost contemporary feminist scholars of the Hebrew Bible packs a big punch.Feminist Theory and the Bible: Interrogating the Sources contains six well-defined essays, each of which can stand independently, but which together weave into a succinct yet remarkably comprehensive and thought-provoking assessment and interrogation of feminist theory of the Bible.... In the course of this introduction, Esther Fuchs constructs helpful thumbnail sketches and synopses of arguments, but her generalizations are never simplistic; only someone so completely on top of her game can pull something like this off so deftly.... [I] am left deeply admiring this volume and how Fuchs succeeds in being both concise and comprehensive; self-reflective, aware of the big picture, but able to provide insightful and pertinent detail; theoretically informed but also providing concrete examples. This volume distills significant contours and developments in feminist biblical theory and pushes them further, demonstrating in the process the significant contributions of Fuchs herself, which span over three decades. Feminist Theory and the Bible is erudite but accessible, and is consequently a rich resource for both students and scholars.

Reading Religion

While recent decades have witnessed a veritable flood of volumes concerned with feminist criticism of the Bible, comparatively few publications have focused exclusively on the issue of feminist biblical theory and method. F.’s volume thus provides a welcome introduction to biblical feminist theory. . . This is a volume which is well worth reading and which will, hopefully, inspire further research into a much-neglected area of feminist biblical study.

Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

This rich and challenging collection of essays brings together six of Esther Fuchs’ groundbreaking studies, integrating feminist theoretical discussions into the analysis of the Hebrew bible in the context of a succinct overview of feminist theory and biblical studies. In offering options and trajectories for moving feminist biblical criticism forward, Fuchs has provided a map for the future of the field as well as a valuable resource for the next generation of feminist biblical scholars.

Pamela Milne, Emerita, University of Windsor

Esther Fuchs is one of the most important feminist bible critics of the so-called Third Wave. Her importance stems, first and foremost, from her insistence on methodological approaches that combine literary criticism with extrabiblical feminist approaches. Moreover, her status as a Jewish bible feminist scholar is uncontested, in historical as well as present terms. Her erudition, energy and understanding—even anger—have helped blaze a path for all of us. We are grateful that she has now given us another guide in the form of this book.

Athalya Brenner-Idan, Emerita, Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Chair, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands