Why has the biblical passage, Eph. 5:21-33 traditionally been used to reiterate the subordinate position of wives and women in general? This book attempts to analyze the Jewish, Greco-Roman and Christian elements of household relationships in the letter to the Ephesians as a site for postcolonial feminist theological formulations. While there are negotiations with the colonial and patriarchal environment, one may also find how the author struggles to retain the egalitarianism of early Christian church. The imagery of Christ-church union and mutuality in "one flesh" marital relationship provide pointers to re-read the text towards de-colonizing and de-patriarchalizing the Ephesian household codes.

Contents

Foreword

Preface

1. Ephesian Household Codes and Empire

2. Household Codes in New Testament : Jewish or Greco-Roman or Christian?

3. Wife-Husband Relationships : Intersecting Judaism, Greco-Roman Religions and Christianity

4. Ephesians, Empire, and Egalitarianism

5. The Mutual "One-Flesh" Relationship : A Third Space of Enunciation

6. Conclusion

Bibliography

Rev. Dr. Jayachitra Lalitha is Professor of New Testament at the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Madurai. She is also the Dean of Women's Studies. She has co-edited two books, `Teaching All Nations: Interrogating the Matthean Great Commission' and `Evangelical Postcolonial Conversations: Global Awakenings in Theology and Praxis.'