Ciphers in the Sand: Interpretations of The Woman Taken in Adultery (John 7.53-8.11) (Biblical Seminar)

About this book

This is a volume of cross-disciplinary essays focused on the enigmatic story of the woman taken in adultery (John 7.53--8.11). Explorations of the background history and interpretation of the passage are offered including investigations of the adulterous woman motif in Old Testament New Testament rabbinic patristic and mediaeval writings. There are also treatments of the motif as it appears in other cultural expressions such as Nathaniel Hawthornes Scarlet Letter and assessments of the themes significance for contemporary theologies in particular for feminist and pastoral approaches. The contributors represent a wide range of professional and ecclesiological backgrounds.