Narrating Rape

This academic collection tackles the difficult but necessary subject of sexual violence within biblical texts and their surrounding contexts, offering a global and intergenerational scholarly perspective. The fourteen essays rigorously examine narratives of rape and assault found in both the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, while also exploring the cultural frameworks of the ancient Near Eastern and Roman worlds. This approach provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding how these stories functioned historically and how their legacy persists. The contributors, a mix of established and emerging voices, are united in their commitment to providing tools for a critical and ethical engagement with these traumatic passages.

What distinguishes this work is its practical focus on developing a responsible hermeneutic, moving beyond mere description to equip readers with methods for wrestling with and responding to these texts. It is an essential resource for theologians, biblical scholars, and anyone involved in pastoral care or trauma-informed ministry who seeks to address this challenging subject with intellectual and ethical integrity. The collective effort provides a crucial framework for confronting a painful biblical legacy, ultimately aiming to foster a more thoughtful and healing engagement with scripture.