YVWH's Wife
This is not news to religion scholars, but it's interesting that Archaeology magazine's March/April magazine carries an article on Hebrew polytheism, "The Lost Goddess of Israel."
"Biblical scholars were at first reluctant to accept the pairing of Yahweh and Asherah. Those who were wont to take the biblical narrative at face value [as most Christian preachers do] were slow to accept artifacts as a refutation."
In other words, all the monotheistic "Lord God of Israel" stuff is a rewrite of Israelite history by later monotheistic Jews after the 7th century BCE, particularly during the reign of King Josiah (639-609), who was severely anti-goddess-worship.
This is not news to religion scholars, but it's interesting that Archaeology magazine's March/April magazine carries an article on Hebrew polytheism, "The Lost Goddess of Israel."
"Biblical scholars were at first reluctant to accept the pairing of Yahweh and Asherah. Those who were wont to take the biblical narrative at face value [as most Christian preachers do] were slow to accept artifacts as a refutation."
In other words, all the monotheistic "Lord God of Israel" stuff is a rewrite of Israelite history by later monotheistic Jews after the 7th century BCE, particularly during the reign of King Josiah (639-609), who was severely anti-goddess-worship.
posted by Chas S. Clifton at 2:31 PM Permalink
3 Comments:
A potential Hebrew/Christian Goddess counterpart to their monothiestic God?
OK, this qualifies as the coolest thing I've read today.
Yes, Pacific Druid, there is a Mrs. Santa Claus. ;)
Another book, although the article doesn't mention it, perhaps because of its age (1st ed. 1967, 3rd rev ed 1990) or because Merlin Stone wrote the foreward, is Raphael Patai's The Hebrew Goddess.
Thanks for the suggestion, crazyquilt. I'm adding it to my reading list.
And I picked up the magazine last night.
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