Education

CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY

1992  Ph.D. Religion; M.A. Religion (1988)

Dissertation: "A Place at the Table: Jesus, Women and

 Meals in the Synoptic Gospels."

Specializations: New Testament, Women in Early Christianity, Nag Hammadi and Gnosticism, Hellenistic Judaism.

1982-1984   FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Spent two years in the Pre-Ph.D. Program in Theology 

Courses included Biblical Studies, Theology, Church History, Hebrew and Coptic.

1981    WESTMONT COLLEGE

B.A. Religious Studies and English Literature. Graduated with Honors. Program included 2 years of New Testament Greek.

Experience

1992- PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES (2003); ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES (1998-2003); ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES (1992-1998)

Currently teaching courses in New Testament, Christianity, Women and Religion, Religion and Sexuality, Bible and Film, Jesus and Pop Culture in the Religious Studies and Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin (Oshkosh).  

1989-1992  ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES (1992); INSTRUCTOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES 

Taught all required Biblical Studies courses, both Hebrew and Greek Bible in the Religion Dept. of Sioux Falls College. Also taught upper division courses on the Gospels, Paul, Women in Christianity, and an Honors Course on the Bible and Current Events.

1988-1989  GREEK INSTRUCTOR

Taught Beginning Greek for 3 semesters in the Language Dept. of California State University, Fullerton.

1984-1989 RESEARCH AND TEACHING ASSISTANT

Served as assistant for Profs. Bernadette Brooten, Karen J. Torjesen and Vincent L. Wimbush, Claremont Graduate University

Editorial Boards

Library of New Testament Studies (T and T Clark; Continuum); Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus (T and T Clark; Continuum)

Research Languages

Greek, Coptic; passed graduate reading exams in French and German; one year of Hebrew at seminary level; one year of Latin graduate level

Publications & Books

How Women Invented Christianity (Harper Collins Publishers, under contract). 

Maranatha: Ritos Funerarios de la las Mujeres y los Origines del Chrstianismo (Esstella (Navarra): Espana: Verbo Divino, 2011).

Maranatha: Women’s Funerary Rituals and Christian Origins (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2010).

Jesus and Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ: The Film, The Gospels and the Claims of History(London: Continuum, 2004). Edited with Robert L. Webb.

Women and the Historical Jesus: Feminist Myths of Christian Origins (Santa Rosa, CA: Polebridge Press, 2002).

Private Women, Public Meals: Social Conflict in the Synoptic Tradition(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1993).

"Salome and Jesus on the Dining Couch in Gospel of Thomas," Invest Your Humanity: Celebrating Marvin Meyer, Julye Bidmead and Gail J. Stearns, eds. (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016) 91-105 

“Jesus,” Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender (New York and London: Oxford University Press, 2015).

“White Male Dominance of Synoptic Research and the Creative Process.” Oxford Conference on the Synoptic Problem, New Studies in the Synoptic Problem, eds. P. Foster, A. Gregory, J.S. Kloppenborg, J. Verheyden (Leuvan: Peeters, 2011) 831-844.

“The Passion of the Christ: Bad History and Bad Theology,” The Fourth R 17:1 (2004) 19.

“Gender and Jesus: A Look at the Authentic Parables,” A Feminist Companion to the Historical Jesus, Amy-Jill Levine, ed. (Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, forthcoming).

"Women's Inheritance Rights in Antiquity and Paul's Metaphor of Adoption," A Feminist Companion to Paul: The Authentic Pauline Writings, Amy-Jill Levine, ed. (Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 2004), 98-121.

“The Anointing of Jesus in the Synoptic Tradition: An Argument for Authenticity.” Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus 1,1 (2003) 61-72.

“Gender and Class in the Teaching of Jesus: A Profile,” Profiles of Jesus , Roy Hoover, ed. (Santa Rosa, CA: Polebridge Press, 2003), 137-160.

"Slaves, Servants and Prostitutes: Social Class in Mark," A Feminist Companion to Mark, Amy-Jill Levine, ed. (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001), 191-221.

"Salome and Jesus at Table in the Gospel of Thomas," Food and Drink in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, Athalya Brenner and Jan Willem van Henten, eds. Semeia 86 (2001) 85-97.

"The Egalitarian Jesus: A Christian Myth of Origins" Forum, NS 1, 2 (1998) 291-325.

"Women and the Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus," Forum, New Series 1, 1 (1998) 181-225.

"Notes: Empty Tomb Stories (Mark 16:1-8; Matt 28:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-13; Gos. Pet. 9:1-13:3); Anointing Stories (Mark 14:3-9; Matt 26:6-13; Luke 7:36-50; John 12:1-8); Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-41); Longer Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9-20); A Woman Blesses Jesus (Luke 11:27-28)," in The Acts of Jesus, Robert Funk and Roy Hoover, eds. (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 1998).

"Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Salome," The Fourth R 9 (January/April, 1996) 13-16.

"Feminist Myths of Christian Origins," Reimagining Christian Origins: A Colloquium Honoring Burton L. Mack, Elizabeth A. Castelli and Hal Taussig, eds. (Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1996), 51-67.

"First Peter," Searching the Scriptures, vol. 2, ed. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (New York: Crossroad Press, 1994), 349-360.

"Jesus' Table Practice: Dining with Tax Collectors and Sinners, Including Women," Society of Biblical Literature 1993 Seminar Papers, Eugene H. Lovering, ed. (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1993), 444-459.

"Prostitutes," Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels , eds. Joel B. Green, et al. (Downers Grove, IL; Leicester, England: Intervarsity Christian Press, 1991), 643.

"James M. Robinson: A Bibliography," Gospel Origins and Christian Beginnings: In Honor of James M. Robinson, eds. James Goehring, et al. (Sonoma, CA: Polebridge Press, 1990), xii-xviii.

"Were the Women Around Jesus Really Prostitutes? Women in the Context of Greco-Roman Meals," Society of Biblical Literature 1989 Seminar Papers(Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1989), 487-521.

"The Gospel of the Birth of Mary," "The Preaching of Peter," Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4: 583; vol. 5: 282. David Noel Freedman, ed. (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1992).

"Is Our Problem Sexuality or Hierarchy?" Daughters of Sarah 14 (May/June 1988) 20-23 (with Karen J. Torjesen).

"Salome," "Sister," "Syntyche," "Tappuah," "Tiphsah," International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, v. 4 (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988).

"Sexuality, Hierarchy and Evangelicalism," TSF Bulletin 10 (1987) 23-27.

Reviews

Book Review: “Jesus Was A Feminist: What the Gospels Reveal About His Revolutionary Perspective by Leonard Swidler.” Review of Biblical Literature (Review of Biblical Literature 12/20/08).

Book Review: “Jesus: According to the Earliest Witness by James M. Robinson.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly (Spring 2008).

Book Review: “Roman Wives, Roman Widows: The Appearance of New Women and the Pauline Communities, by Bruce W. Winter” Interpretation 58 (2004) 318.

Book Review: “Gospel Women: Studies of the Named Women in the Gospels, by Richard Bauckham” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 65 (2003) 463-464..

Review Article: "Jesus, Miriam's Child, Sophia's Prophet: Critical Issues in Feminist Christology, by Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza," Toronto Journal of Theology 13 (1997) 65-70.

Book Review: "The Truth about the Virgin: Sex and Ritual in the Dead Sea Scrolls, by Ita Shere and Anne Kohn Blau," Religious Studies Review22 (1996) 171.

Book Review: "The Double Message: Patterns of Gender in Luke and Acts, by Turid Karlsen Seim," Journal of Biblical Literature 115 (1996) 746-748.

Book Review: "The Ongoing Feast: Table Fellowship and Eschatology at Emmaus, by Arthur A. Just, Jr.," Journal of Biblical Literature, 114 (1995) 338-340. 

Book Review: "Let the Oppressed Go Free: Feminist Perspectives on the New Testament, by Luise Schottroff," Princeton Seminary Bulletin, 16 (NS) (1995) 92-94.

Book Review: "Paul, Women Teachers, and the Mother Goddess at Ephesus: A Study of 1 Timothy 2:9-15 in Light of the Religious and Cultural Milieu of the First Century, by Sharon Hodgin Gritz," Critical Review of Books in Religion, 1992, 210-211. Eldon Jay Epp, ed. (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1993).

Book Review: "Her Price is Beyond Rubies: The Jewish Woman in Greco-Roman Palestine, by Léonie J. Archer," Critical Review of Books in Religion, 1992, 352-354. Eldon Jay Epp, ed. (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1993).

Papers and Addresses

“Influence and Role of Ancient Jewish Women in Lament, Funerals, Burials,” Plenary Address, Chevra Kadisha Annual Conference, Bethesda, MD, June 3-5, 2018.

“How Women Invented Christianity,” Invited Address, Brandeis University, March 20-23, 2017.

“How Women Invented Christianity.” Plenary Speaker, Snow Star Annual Meeting (Canadian Equivalent of the Jesus Seminar), Montreal, CANADA, April 2015.

“Women and the New Testament,“ Plenary Speaker, Annual Retreat of the United Church of Christ, Fond du Lac, September 2014. 

“The Contribution of Marvin Meyer to Biblical Scholarship,” Annual Meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion, Chicago, IL, November, 2012. 

“Women’s Funerary Rituals and Christian Origins,” Wisconsin 2012 Book Festival Presentation, Madison, WI, Nov. 10, 2012.

Panelist on Books regarding the Resurrection, of Jesus, “Resurrection in Context” including Maranatha,: SBL Ideological Criticism Section, Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion, San Francisco, CA, November, 19-22, 2011. 

Panelist for book: Mark as Story: Retrospect and Prospect in SBL Mark Group, Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion, San Francisco, CA, November 19-22, 2011.

“Peter, Paul and Mary,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, First United Methodist Church, Lenison, MI, October 14-15, 2011.

“First Century Jesus Movements: How Did Christianity Evolve?” Jesus Seminar on the Road, First United Methodist Church, Madison, WI, October 21-22, 2011. 

“Celebratory Meals of the Kingdom of God and Meals of Jesus Presence: From Jesus to Q to the Didache,” SBL Didache in Context Section, Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, New Orleans, November 2010.

“Women, Funerary Meals and Lament and Christian Origins,” Women and the Biblical World Section, Annual Society of Biblical Literature Meeting, New Orleans, November, 18-22, 2010.

“Celebratory Meals of the Kingdom of God and Meals of Jesus’ Presence: From Jesus to Q and the Didache to the Eucharist,” Catholic Biblical Association Annual Meeting, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, August 2009.

“Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul and Christian Origins.” Jesus Seminar on the Road, East Lansing, MI, March 2009.

“Funerary Meals, Women and Christian Origins.” Catholic Biblical Association Annual Meeting, Fordham University, New York, August 2008.

“White Male Dominance of Synoptic Research and the Creative Process,” Oxford Conference on the Synoptic Problem, April 2008.

“Women in the Palestine and Galilee of Jesus’ Day,” Jesus Seminar, Miami, March, 2008.

“Eating, Drinking and Mourning in the Palestine of Jesus’ Day,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, October 2008, Columbus, OH.

“Women at Greco-Roman Funerary Meals, Lament and the Origins of Early Christian Meals,” Annual Meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature, Washington DC, Nov. 18-22, 2006. 

“Eating, Drinking and Mourning in the Palestine of Jesus’ Day,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, San Diego, CA, September, 2006.

“Eating, Drinking and Mourning in the Palestine of Jesus’ Day, Jesus Seminar on the Road, Carmel Valley, CA, March, 2006.

“Widows, Whores and Leaders: Women in the New Testament and the Early Church, “ United Theological College, the Snowstar Institute, Montreal, Canada, Feb.17-18, 2006.

“Eating, Drinking and Mourning in the Palestine of Jesus’ Day,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, Beaverton, OR, October, 2005.

“Women and the New Testament, “ Jesus Seminar on the Road, Cleveland, OH Oct. 28-30, 2004.

“Women and the Historical Jesus,” Review Panel, Historical Jesus Section, Annual Meeting of the AAR/SBL, Atlanta, GA, November 22-25, 2003.

“The Social Status of Women in the Jesus Movement,” Social Science and New Testament Interpretation Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA: November 22-25, 2003.

“Women and the New Testament,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, October 2003.

“Women and the Jesus Movement,” Daytime Plenary Address, Catholic Biblical Association Meeting, San Francisco, CA, August 2-5, 2003.

“Women and the Historical Jesus,” Review Panel, Historical Jesus Task Force, Catholic Biblical Association Meeting, San Francisco, CA August 2-5, 2003.

“Feminist Analysis, the Historical-Critical Method, and the Empty Tomb Tradition,” International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Cambridge, England, July 20-26, 2003.

“Women and the Historical Jesus,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, Kansas City, MO, April 25-26, 2003.

“Women and the Jesus Movement,” Frame Presbyterian Church, Stevens Point, WI, February 1, 2003.

‘Women and the Historical Jesus” Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Divinity School, December 5, 2002. 

“Women and the New Testament,” Jesus Seminar on the Road, Downers Grove, IL, November 8-9, 2002.

“Women and the Historical Jesus,” Jesus Seminar, Santa Rosa, CA, October 18-19, 2002.

“Review of E. Stegemann and W. Stegemann, The Jesus Movement,” Social Science and New Testament Interpretation Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Toronto, November 23-26, 2002.

“Women and Greco-Roman Meals,” Greco-Roman Meals Consultation, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Toronto, November 23-26, 2002.

"Lament and Gospel: Women's Voices in Passion Tradition," Women in the Biblical World Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, November 17-20, 2001.

"Jesus, Women, and the Social and Religious Environment of Palestine," The Jesus Seminar, Santa Rosa, CA, October 23-24, 1998.

Panelist for "Jesus in Context," Duke University Divinity School, Durham, NC, Feb. 19-21, 1998

"Mourners in the Marketplace: Q 7:31-32," Q Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 22-25, 1997.

"Gender and Class in the Teaching of Jesus: A Profile," The Jesus Seminar, Santa Rosa, CA, October, 1997.

"Jesus, Women, and the Social and Religious Environment of Palestine," Joint Session of the Women and the Biblical World and Historical Jesus Sections, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, November 23-26, 1996.

"The Historical Jesus, Feminism, and the Christian Faith," The Jesus Seminar, Santa Rosa, CA, March 1-3, 1996.

"The Resurrection Appearance to Mary Magdalene: Traditions in Conflict," Historical Jesus Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 18-21, 1995.

"Feminist Myths and Christian Origins," Institute for Research in the Humanities Seminar, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, November 6, 1995.

"He was Buried, on the Third Day He Was Raised: Women and the Crucifixion and Burial of Jesus," The Jesus Seminar, Santa Rosa, CA, October 27-29, 1995.

"Jesus, Women and Meals in the Synoptic Gospels," Edgewood College, Madison, WI, October 21, 1995.

"Feminist Myths of Christian Origins," "Women and Meals in the Jesus Movement," "The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Origins," plenary addresses at "A New Look at Jesus: Summer Conference on Theology and the Church," Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, July 25-28, 1994.

"Confronting Faith in the Classroom: The Pedagogical Responsibility," and "Private Women, Public Meals: Social Anthropological Models and the New Testament," Chicago University Divinity School, Chicago, IL, May 20-21, 1994.

"The Anointing of Jesus in the Synoptic Tradition," The Jesus Seminar, Santa Rosa, CA, March 2-6, 1994.

"Jesus' Dinner with Salome in the Gospel of Thomas," Thomas Christianity Consultation, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Washington DC, November 20-24, 1993.

"Jesus' Table Practice: Dining with Tax Collectors and Sinners, Including Women," Historical Jesus Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, November 20-24, 1993.

"Jesus, Egalitarian Meals, and Q," Q Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 21-24, 1992.

"The Woman Who Anoints Jesus and Social Scandal in Mark," Joint Session of the Social Science and New Testament Interpretation and Rhetoric and the New Testament Sections, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 21-24, 1992.

"Jesus, Women, and Meals in the Synoptic Gospels," Synoptic Gospels Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Kansas City, MO, November 23-26, 1991.

"Women and Meals in Mark," New Testament Section, SBL Upper Midwest Region, Minneapolis, MN, April 5-6, 1991.

"Freedwomen, Slaves and Prostitutes in Early Christian Communities," Social Science and New Testament Interpretation Section, SBL Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, Nov. 17-20, 1990.

"Were the Women Around Jesus Really Prostitutes?" Historical Jesus Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, Nov. 18-21, 1989.

"Noli Me Tangere : Mary Magdalene in the Patristic Literature," SBL Pacific Coast Region, Claremont, CA, Mar. 16-18, 1989.

"Wisdom and Isis in Thunder: Perfect Mind (CG VI:2). A Key to the Social Setting of the Thunder," Female and Male in Gnosticism Section, AAR/SBL Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, Nov. 19-22, 1988.

"Women's Inheritance Rights in Antiquity and Paul's Metaphor of Adoption," New Testament Seminar, The Claremont Graduate School, Fall, 1988.

"Inclusive Language and Paul's Metaphor of Adoption," SBL Pacific Coast Region, San Jose, CA, Mar. 17-18, 1988.

"Isis and and Wisdom Motifs in Thunder: Perfect Mind," SBL Pacific Coast Region, Long Beach, CA, April, 1987.

"Huiothesia: 'Adoption as Children' or 'Adoption as Sons'?" Institute for Biblical Research, Western Region, Fresno, CA, March, 1987.

"Ascent and Liturgy in Sethian Gnostic Texts," New Testament Seminar, The Claremont Graduate School, Sept. 15, 1987.

Respondent to Rose H. Arthur, "The Song of the Woman in Three Nag Hammadi Documents," Images of the Feminine in Gnosticism Conference, Claremont, CA, Nov., 1985.

Grants and Awards

Summer Research Grant, UW-Oshkosh, 1993

Summer Research Grant, UW-Oshkosh, 1994

Summer Research Grant, UW-Oshkosh, 1995

Summer Research Grant, UW-Oshkosh, 1996

Summer Teaching Grant, Biblical Archaeology, UW-Oshkosh, 1999

Fellow, Coolidge Research Colloquium, Cambridge, MA, Summer 1993

Visiting Scholar, Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont, CA, Summer 1994

Visiting Scholar, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA, Summer 1995

Fellow, Institute for Research in the Humanities, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1995-1996

Visiting Scholar, Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont, CA, Summer 1996

Teaching Development Grant, UW-Oshkosh, Summer, 1999

Visiting Scholar, Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont, CA,

Summer, 1999

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Endowed Chair, 2002-2004

Oshkosh Northwestern Endowed Chair, 2004-2006

Summer Research Grant, UW-Oshkosh, 2003

Summer Research Grant, UW-Oshkosh, 2004

Visiting Scholar, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA, Summer 2004

Summer Research Grant, Summer 2005.

Rosebush Professorship, 2005

LGBTQ Ally Award, 2018