The Woman with the Hemorrhage

Date of Award

2022

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Theology

Department

Department of Religious Studies

Advisor/Chair

Jana Bennett

Abstract

Women who have been physically, psychologically or sexually abused often do not completely process the trauma of their wounds. As a result, some women may display physical and psychological manifestations of their continued trauma. In a contemporary setting that adheres to a dualism that separates mind and body, the symptoms reported by these women are often not associated with their previous trauma. This continued trauma often interferes with the woman's ability to relate to her family, her community, and her faith. This dissertation names this trauma, "the wounds of women," and explores the varied manifestations of these wounds. It then uses Scriptural and theological lenses to explore wounds, identity, and the meaning of wounds in resurrected bodies. An examination of theologies of forgiveness provides wounded women, and those called to attend to them, a pathway forward. In the end, an exegesis of the story of the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage in Mark 5:23-34 encourages women to open their wounds to God's healing grace.

Keywords

Gynecology, Health Sciences, Medical Ethics, Mental Health, Pastoral Counseling, Religion, Social Psychology, Spirituality, Women’s Studies, sexual assault, unconditional forgiveness, feminist theology, sequelae of sexual assault, religious response to sexual assault, spiritual response to sexual assault, healing after sexual assault

Rights Statement

Copyright © 2022, author

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