Ep114. The Straight Mind in Corinth, Gillian Townsley

Ep114. The Straight Mind in Corinth, Gillian Townsley

I spoke with Gillian Townsley about queer reading across 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. We talk about attending to the ideology of reception and how reading across helps us move beyond the 'tired old debates'. I ask about how the work of Monique Wittig shapes her project (specifically about bringing men/masculinity back into focus). We also discuss her analysis of the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and Christians for Biblical Equality and how supposedly oppositional movements are bound by heteronormativity. We end by discussing the unique form/formatting of chapter 6 which involves two distinct thinkers battling for page space.

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Ep58. Being Subordinate Men, Brian J Robinson

Ep58. Being Subordinate Men, Brian J Robinson

I sat down with Brian Robinson to talk about being beta for Jesus! (Or, as his book is more scholarly titled: Being Subordinate Men: Paul’s Rhetoric of Gender and Power in 1 Corinthians – out now with Lexington Books). Folks, this book is a game changer! A robust, bold, and ultimately convincing argument that through elevating femininity and misperforming masculinity, Paul consistently undermines first-century Roman norms of masculinity. Instead of toxic masculinity, Paul commands the men in his audience to embody a failed, or subordinate masculinity out of both faithfulness to Christ and in order to overcome factionalism in the community. We talk in-depth about the book and its surprisingly increasing relevance where Presidential hopefuls are challenging their incumbent opponent to push-up contests.

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