The Woman's Bible

A group of pioneering women activists and scholars gathered in the late nineteenth century to tackle a familiar source of authority: the Bible. Their goal was to isolate every passage that mentions or excludes women, then re‑translate and annotate it with fresh insight. The project began with a painstaking method—reading two Bibles, cutting out relevant verses, and compiling them for close study.

The commentary takes three angles. Linguists versed in Hebrew and Greek examine the original wording, historians place the texts in their cultural context, and a broader committee of reformers offers plain‑English reflections on what the verses really say about women’s roles. By focusing on the first five books of the Old Testament, the work challenges long‑standing interpretations that have been used to justify women’s subordination.

Beyond its scholarly ambition, the volume sparked vigorous public debate and opened a new avenue for feminist critique of religious tradition. Listeners will discover how these early thinkers combined rigorous analysis with a passionate call for equality, offering a perspective that still resonates in discussions of gender and faith today.