The lecture will look at both textual and material data related to the Hebrew Bible regarding women’s worship and rituals.

Taking into consideration new research on the religious pluralism in ancient Israel, Dr Jeffers will redraw the boundaries between private and public worship spaces as a means to reassess the place of women in the ancient Israelite religious landscape.

Furthermore, Dr Jeffers will look at a number of female figures e.g. Huldah, the unnamed woman of Endor, Zipporah, Tamar, Nehushta, whose role in worship was marginalised or suppressed by the biblical authors. Finally, the place of Canaanite goddesses Asherah and the Queen of Heaven will be examined and re-evaluated within the framework of women’s ritual practices.

The Revd Dr Ann Jeffers is Research Fellow at Roehampton University.  Formerly Director of Research and Senior Lecturer in Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Judaism, Convenor for the MAs in Biblical Studies and in Christianity and Inter-religious Dialogue.