Course Introduction

Learning from Women of the Old Testament.

Taught by Dr Ekaterina E. Kozlova, Research Fellow at King’s College, London. 

This short course is for men and women who wish to encounter and attend to all characters in the biblical text, both male and female. In this class, therefore, we will explore the diverse and often surprising portrayals of women in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and the ways in which gender shapes biblical literature and theology.

Starting with Genesis 1–3, we will be invited to read a range of texts featuring key women, including the first woman, matriarchs, prophets, queens, and symbolic figures. We will encounter characters such as Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Rachel, Leah, the women of Exodus, Rahab, Ruth, Woman Wisdom, Huldah, and personified female figures in prophetic texts. Through these and other characters, we will examine how women can shape families, communities, and religious pra ctices and traditions. Importantly, we will also consider the roles women can play in times of change, crisis, and restoration. Additionally, we will be encouraged to think critically about themes and issues relating to authority, vulnerability, individual and communal identity, judgment, renewal, and memory. Through a variety of texts and figures, we will explore matters of faith, agency, resilience, and divine-human relationships. (No prior knowledge of Hebrew is required!)

This course will not be recorded, but detailed notes will be provided for any sessions missed.