The Intersection of Misogyny and Anti-Judaism at the Parting of the Ways

The Intersection of Misogyny and Anti-Judaism at the Parting of the Ways researches how misogyny and anti-Judaism intersect in early Christianity.

Historians note a sharp rise in Christian anti-woman texts from the turn of the first century. There is likewise a rise in Christian anti-Judaism. Yet a relationship between them has never been posited. This project examines early Christian misogynistic and anti-Semitic texts intersectionally, proposing that the increase in Christian misogyny is linked to the rise in vitriol against Jews.

The research indicates that as the demographics of Jesus-followers shifted to majority non-Jewish, the likelihood of writings against women increased. An intersectional feminist approach reveals that accommodation to Roman ideals of masculinity engendered early Christian mistrust for both women and Jews.

Funding

This project is made possible through a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship.