Elizabeth Cady Stanton – The Woman‘s Bible

Nina Foroozan, Alexander Niemann, Julia Pehl

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

• *11-12-1815 †10-26-1902• first: abolitionist with her husband and cousin• then: focused on women's rights• wanted women to be able to vote leading figure in women's right movement

• declined supporting the 14th and 15th Amendment women's right movement split up because many women did not agree with Stanton's opinions

National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) (founded by Stanton and Anthony)

American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA)

• gap between other leaders and Stanton got wider• Stanton: Christianity leads to an unacceptable female

position in society

The Woman‘s Bible: Facts and Background

• published in 1895 and 1898• background: Church of England published a

Revised Version of the Bible Stanton was dissatisfied with it

committee • committee wanted to proof that the bible is

the main source for people believing that women are inferior to men

The Woman‘s Bible: Content

• Stanton claims that apart from religious institutions, social and political institutionshave the same idea of women being inferior to men: → civil law, state, legislators, all political parties

Some examples of the Women’s position in the Bible: → brought sin and death→ precipitated the fall of race → was arraigned before the judgment seat of heaven → Marriage for her was to be a condition of bondage → Maternity a period of suffering and anguish

• Bible made emancipation nearly impossible→ protesting women were referred to the Bible

• She does not believe that man/historians met and talked to God

• Women should not accept this idea→ makes emancipation impossible

The Book of Genesis:• equality → “God created man in his own

image, male and female”• language can lead to misunderstandings →

“he” instead of “they”• no passage that men are superior to women• two different creation stories → Elohistic,

Iahoistic

The Book of Deuteronomy:• women were not allowed to take part at

special events • no direct communication between God and

women• men are allowed to have more than one wife

and to “humble” women• concerning to Moses men are the important

factors → still impacts that times

The New Testament: • different opinions about marriage → Pythagoreans, Pharisees• according to the Apostle you should not marry unbelievers

because this will lead to unholy children• according to Paul (Bachelor) people should not serve the

world but God → love God not husband or wife (criticized by Stanton because no one ever loved God)

• St. Paul → women were created for men and not the other way around

• The Bible can be seen as a big collection of myths and unverified stories

• canon law subordinated women in civil law → were not allowed to receive letters of friendship

The Woman‘s Bible: Reactions

• many scholars did not want to participate in the Woman's Bible project

fearing a loss of professional reputation• suffrages did not want the book to be published

as Stanton is a representative of the movementfearing negative impact on their campaign

for woman's rights: Association non- sectarian, addressing persons of all religions

• after publication: criticized for radicalness of statements:

a. priests/clergy: accuse Stanton of blasphemy (compare her modification of the Holy Trinity) & condemn Woman's Bible

b. suffrages: issued a formal denunciation, marginalized Stanton's influence in the Association

Journal Questions

(1) What, according to Stanton, proofs that women are not inferior to men?

(2) Stanton talks about the “new man” and “the new woman”. What is she pointing at, here?

(3) What is the "Word of God", according to Stanton? How do scholars justify their interpretation of the bible?

(4) Does Stanton share ideas with authors we have already read? What in particular is in line with the tradition of American Freethought in her criticism?