Feminist Hermeneutics

Introduction:
The emerging trends in the biblical scholarship have suggested several hermeneutical tools to
interpret scriptures with its social, cultural and historical context. Constructing hermeneutics
from the perspective of women to know the roles of women from Christian history is the
challenge faced by many of the feminist theologians. Elisabeth schussler Fiorenza have
suggested few models to interpret scriptures which are in androcentric language.

Elisabeth schussler Fiorenza says that feminist hermeneutics employs the historical, theoretical
and theological questions to construct. Within the acceptable paradigm model with the available
facts and data it develops coherent interpretation. Correlation of set of devices and symbolic
selection of certain reality, such interpretation models are heuristic devices for the interpretation
of human and Christian historical unity. She says that these hermeneutical approaches not only
benefit women to history and history to women but also the Christian history of Church.1
In doing the feminist hermeneutics the androcentric cultural world need to be related with the
feminist paradigm of reality. Bible evolved from a cultural world but it is also an authoritative
and holy book for the scriptures. Theologians are trying to do justice of theoretical tension
between the theological and historical claims of the text. She further suggests some models
developed by theologians for doing feminist hermeneutics.2
Doctrinal approach this approach understands the revelation and canonical authority. It
understands the revelation and authority in terms of historical and dogmatic terms. In this
method the word is understood literally and ascribes authority and treats the bible as holy and
takes proof text method in interpreting.3
Second model is positivist exegesis approach and in this model the scientific and rational
approach is taken. This approach is developed in confrontation with the authority and revelatory
model. This method tries for rationalist understanding of the natural sciences, and historical
1

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, A feminist Theological reconstruction of

Christian Origins, (New York, Cross Road Publishing Company, 1985), 3-4.
2
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 4.
3
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 4.

interpretation tries to achieve a purely objective reading of the texts and scientific presentation of
historical facts.4
The third model is dialogical-hermeneutical interpretation, this model uses the historical details
drawn through the second model. This model focuses on the interaction between text and
community or text and interpreter. She says this hermeneutical tool helps in involvement of
scholar in the interpretation of text. Form and redaction criticism have focused and confined to
the early Christian communities confession side of interpretation.

Christian community is

intertwined with the cultural, political and societal contexts. Hermeneutics is concerned with the
establishment of the meaning of biblical texts. The reader or scholar should free him/her self
from the preconceived notions and pre-understanding of text. 5 The subject matter of the text or
the text should determine the interpretation but not the preconceived ideas or presuppositions.
The third model dialogical interpretation explains to us that how the early Christian writers were
in constant dialogue between their living tradition and the problems of their communities, and
the dialogical attempt in continuation with the contemporary situation. Schillebeeckx opines that,
the apparent point of departure is the presupposition that what is handed down in tradition,
and especially the Christian tradition, is always meaningful, and that this meaning only has to
be deciphered hermeneutically and made present and actual.6

Feminist Sociology of knowledge Model

I would like to employ this model to interpret the case and the text Judges 19 chapter. In the both
cases the voice of women was silenced and the narrator runs the story with the lens of patriarchy.
The narrator pays deaf ear to the cries of the victim and blind eye towards her painful situation.

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 5.

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 5.
6
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 6.
5

Bible is in androcentric language and a complete rejection of it will not lead us to liberation. 7
Completely removing or rejected the text since it is androcentric and biased is not possible.
Complete negation of the already existing order leads to utter chaos. Rather construction of a life
centre that generates new cultural texts, traditions and mythologies are important. This is
necessary to create a new feminist life centre that generates new construction of reality and new
visions of life.8 This hermeneutical tool uses the previously existing tool and constructs a world
of feminism and it should happen in and through language and interpretation. Elizabeth Cady
Staton says bible is a product of men and patriarchal society. This method gives women the
power of naming stolen from them and courage to name. Hermeneutics should make use of the
socio-historic details of the text to liberate it from the androcentric influence. Feminist
interpretation of text and tradition should move from method of correlation but to method of
liberation.9
The androcentric language and scholarship have silenced and neglected the voices of women
from the scriptures but not completely erased them. Feminist hermeneutics will invent a new
language for womens experiences. She also makes the mention of the atrocities against women
in the past namely Indian sati, African genital mutilation, European witch hunt, American
Gynecology, Chinese foot binding, she terms it as Sado rituals. Keeping this background in mind
we need to be aware of the society in the past which is oppressive towards women and their
experiences. These incidents will help us that women from the past are struggling and have left
models for us to continue the resistance. Now feminist hermeneutics invites us to-name this is
to create our own world, language and naming is central to this approach.10
Androcentric sociology of knowledge approach would not permit us to theoretically develop an
emancipatory solidarity with women. Mary Dalys spinning and journeying leads us to other
world, to other side which we cannot know until we arrive there. Daly wants making the
periphery the life-centre of a feminist consumption of the world. The shift had to be made in
language, ritual and theory but in socially location on the boundaries of male centered

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 22.

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 21.
9
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 23.
10
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 24.
8

universities. She says On the boundaries of male-centered universities; however there is a

flowering of women centered thinking.11
Case:
TV Actress Hemasri 28 years old was murdered under conspicuous conditions on 9 th October
2012. Husband arrested in connection with the murder. She was married to Surenda Babu, a
realtor, on June 21, 2011, at Tirupati. She was forced by her own family members to marry
Surendra Babu a political leader who lives in Bangalore. Her parents blackmailed her and get
married to him and in return they received 50 lakhs from him. Just three days after the wedding,
she had met police commissioner and had filed a case alleging Babu of forcibly marrying her and
threatening her of dire consequences. Though she was reluctant to marry him, he had tied her
hands and legs and had kept her in a locked room. Later, he married her forcibly at Tirupati, she
had reported in her complaint. She had further stated that she was cheated about his age he is 52
years and said that he is 32 years. He already has a first wife and married her. The next day she
had taken the compliant back. In similar way she complained but taken back the compliant again.
Surendra Babu had contested from Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency on a JD (S) ticket in
the last election.12 Some newspapers reported that Surendra Babu bought costly jewellery for
her. Some of Hemasri friends said that she was troubled by Babu that he use to abuse her
physically and verbally if she refuse to participate in sex with him. Before her murder she was
taken to a farm house in Ananthapur district in Andhra Pradesh belonging to a congress leader
Murali. As per the media reports, hemasri was declared murdered three days ago when she was
brought to a hospital by her husband Surendra Babu, a Karnataka politician. Postmortem reports
say that this case is a clear case of murder with overdosed chloroform and also a suspicion of
gang rape. Police have tracked the entire episode related to farm house of Congress leader
Murali.13 Hemashri's parents were not ready to lodge a complaint despite the suspicious
circumstances

surrounding

her

death.14

11

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her, 25.

http://newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/article1294242.ece accessed on 9th November 2012.
13
http://timesofap.com/cinema/congress-leader-behind-actress-hemasri-raped-and-murdered.html accessed on 9th
November 2012.
14
http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/10/2012101120121011062906998db84681f/Hemashri%E2%80%99shusband-arrested.html?pageno=5 accessed on 9th November 2012.
12

Text: Judges 19: 1 - 30

This text is in a narrative form and the narrator express the words of Levite, the father, the
servant, the host, the group of men. The silent character in the whole episode is the woman, the
concubine.
V.1 explains that Levite he himself took a concubine and her consent of staying with him is not
recorded in the narrative. The case also had similar connections Hemasri is forced to marry
Surendra Babu against her wish.
V.2 she became angry with him and went to her fathers house and stayed there for 4 months.
Hemasri is also not happy with the marriage and with her husband and complained to police
twice for the divorce.
V.3 Levite went to her fathers house to speak and bring her back. In Hemasris case some
newspapers suggest that he bought jewellery worth of lakhs of rupees for her. But some
newspapers also reported that he abuse her physically and verbally if she deny to have sex with
him.
V.4 the concubines father is very happy with the Levite but no mention of solving the
disturbances in their lives.
V.20 The Old man receives the Levite, servant and concubine and offers hospitality to them. He
also promises to care them for all the wants. But we could observe his priority to save the man
and his patriarchal behavior towards the women in the later verses.
V.25 The perverse group demands to have intercourse with the man, but the old tries to negotiate
to offer them his daughter and this mans concubine. The Levite seizes his concubine and puts
her out. Even here the voice of concubine is not recorded, her opinions, her pain and her situation
is not expressed in the test. As Elisabeth explains in her Feminist Sociology of knowledge model
the text is androcentric and patriarchal which have silenced the voices of women, but it have not
completely erased them from the text. We also need to understand how a person who went to
please her and bring her back to his home became insensitive towards her at the time of trouble.
How a man becomes such heartless at that situation? Why the Levite is not willing to take the
risk on himself to save his concubine?
5

The cry of the concubine, her plea for help is not recorded in the story, the Levite, the old man,
his daughter; the native Benjamin people heard her cry and all are passive to rescue her. She was
abused all the night; she is tortured by the perverse guys who are also heartless like the Levite
and Old man.15 In the present case also there is suspicion of gang rape; a person who married
woman promising to take care and protect her all through his life turned himself as a predator.
V.28one may feel that this Levite must be not sleeping whole night and worried about the
concubine with shock, terror and helplessness. But his words with concubine make us to think
otherwise. He says get up, we are going, these word makes us to feel that he might have slept
in peace without any trace of worry or concern for the lady who is in danger. 16 There is no sense
of feeling guilt for Babu in the case but has tortured her without minimum humanitarian concern
for her.
V.29 the text does not speaks when she is dead she might have killed by the Levite for no reason
of her fault. She took intense pain and risk to save this Levite and at last this man killed her for
his revenge. The concubine faced violence at every place, neither house nor in the travel she
finds a secure and safe place.17 Hemasri also faced the same fate like the concubine in the story.
She suffered with her husband at home and also she died in the travel. What difference is there
between the Levite and those perverse men who raped her although the night?
Reflection
The text is silence about the voice and cry of the concubine but it have not erased her from the
bible. Making use of the socio-historical interpretation we will create and express the story and
difficulty of the concubine which she underwent.
Why this Levite is so insensitive towards the cry of his concubine? Feminist scholars say that
concubine occupies inferior status. We cannot also imagine whether she is his second wife
because there is no mention of firs wife. The Hebrew term pilegesh means person of inferior
status or slave, she is just seen as an object by the man who secured her. She was never treated as
15

http://www.academia.edu/633135/Judges_19_The_Levites_Concubine__Constructing_a_Hermeneutics_of_Meani
ng_for_Victim_Survivors_of_Sexual_Violence accessed on 9th November 2012.
16
http://www.academia.edu/633135/Judges_19_The_Levites_Concubine__Constructing_a_Hermeneutics_of_Meani
ng_for_Victim_Survivors_of_Sexual_Violence accessed on 9th November 2012.
17
http://www.academia.edu/633135/Judges_19_The_Levites_Concubine__Constructing_a_Hermeneutics_of_Meani
ng_for_Victim_Survivors_of_Sexual_Violence accessed on 9th November 2012.

a human being in the entire story, her voice is not heard and her resistance is not recorded. 18
Hemasri is also taken as second wife, like the concubine who is angry with the man and went on
her way was taken aback by the husband. Even Hemasri who tried to escape from the oppressive
husband her attempts were not fruitful. Hemasri was only an object for Babu to satisfy his sexual
pleasure and she is no more a person in his sight. Likewise most of the men see women as sex
objects and these is one major reason for the sexual violence and abuse in the society. Father of
the concubine was failed to keep the daughter and Levite with him and here in the case father of
Hemasri have taken money and remained quiet even though his daughter was murdered.
There are many incidents and stories in bible which explains to us the fate and difficulty of
women who underwent the pain and whose voices are silenced.

18

http://www.academia.edu/633135/Judges_19_The_Levites_Concubine__Constructing_a_Hermeneutics_of_Meani
ng_for_Victim_Survivors_of_Sexual_Violence accessed on 9th November 2012.