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Rating: 
Summary: God as Wife Abuser
Review: Battered Love is about how the Hebrew Bible prophets portrayed the relationship between Israel and God. Many times the metaphor of God as husband and Israel as wife was used.Weems points out in a fascinating study, that God was often portrayed as setting up all the rules and that strict obediance of the rules was necessary for people of Israel, the subordinate partner in the divine/human relationship. If the Israelites disobeyed the rules, then God was permitted to beat up Israel. If Israel later returned to God, then God would love Israel again. Renita Weems explains how a metaphor works and how metaphors are used by people. Furthermore she explains quite lucidly that for many people the human husband represented God, and the wife represented the subordinate partner. Therefore, husbands throughout the centuries have believed that they have permission to beat up their disobedient wives. Renita Weems especially looks at the prophets Ezekiel, Hosea, and Jeremiah to prove her case. Words do hurt!
Rating: 
Summary: Good with some flaws
Review: Overall, I found this book was rather interesting. The writing was solid and easy to understand.
However, the author made the assumption that the reader would agree with the basic premise that the biblical world was an inherently sexist society, in which women had no status. While I would agree with that, since she did not examine or support her presumtions, it made her conclusions harder to accept because she did not lay a good foundation. She does seem to presume that the reader would have more difficulty with the role of metaphor in the Bible.
In essence my low rating comes from the viewpoint, that I wanted more content in the structures of sexism within ancient Israel rather than an explanation of metaphor in the Bible. I should say I was torn between giving this book three or four stars. If there was a button for three and a half, that is probably what I would have given it.
Rating:
Summary: Good with some flaws
Review: Overall, I found this book was rather interesting. The writing was solid and easy to understand.
However, the author made the assumption that the reader would agree with the basic premise that the biblical world was an inherently sexist society, in which women had no status. While I would agree with that, since she did not examine or support her presumtions, it made her conclusions harder to accept because she did not lay a good foundation. She does seem to presume that the reader would have more difficulty with the role of metaphor in the Bible.
In essence my low rating comes from the viewpoint, that I wanted more content in the structures of sexism within ancient Israel rather than an explanation of metaphor in the Bible. I should say I was torn between giving this book three or four stars. If there was a button for three and a half, that is probably what I would have given it.
Rating:
Summary: A fresh and fruitful guide to reading the Prophets
Review: Prof. Weems has contributed a helpful critique of the social implications inherent in the Prophets' choice of metaphors. This book will alter - for the better - the way you view the Hebrew Prophets, God, and yourself.
Rating:
Summary: A fresh and fruitful guide to reading the Prophets
Review: Prof. Weems has contributed a helpful critique of the social implications inherent in the Prophets' choice of metaphors. This book will alter - for the better - the way you view the Hebrew Prophets, God, and yourself.
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