Routledge Sex Working and the Bible (BibleWorld)

The Bible contains many stories of prostitution. Feminist and liberation readings of these biblical narratives have often made sex workers invisible. 'Sex Working and the Bible' examines stories of biblical prostitution through the experiences and understanding of sex workers today. The Bible narratives - ranging across Rahab in the Book of Joshua, the story of Solomon and the two prostitutes, the anointing women traditions, and the apocalyptic vision of the whore of Babylon in Revelation - are set within both a practical and theoretical framework. This radical book offers a new, more inclusive way of approaching issues of gender, sexuality and prostitution in the Bible. Review The author, who is both a biblical scholar and an activist working for decriminalization of prostitution, has written a stunning book that breaks all stereotypes about sex workers by allowing them to speak for themselves as they dialogue with biblical stories about prostitutes. Ipsen convincingly shows that the integrity of liberation theology is at stake in continuing to exclude sex workers from its defense of and advocacy for the oppressed This remarkable work exposes just how little the average citizen and church member knows about the thoughts and experiences of sex workers whose humanity and right to protection under the law are denied by a hypocritical society and church. --Norman K. Gottwald, Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at the Pacific School of Religion and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at New York Theological Seminary About the Author Avaren Ipsen is a lecturer in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She also serves as vice-chair of the Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women.