#SheToo podcast series

Join us for #SheToo, a seven-part podcast series exploring some of the texts that include violence against women in the Bible. These 'texts of terror' have, at times, been used to oppress women or have just been ignored. But what happens if we take a closer look?

We talk to six theologians from both faith and non-faith backgrounds about their academic and personal approaches to these texts, and what they might have to say to 21st century readers. Can giving voice to these ancient victims open up the means whereby the stories of today’s victims can be heard and validated?

Listen below, in Apple Podcasts or subscribe using a podcast app of your choice via RSS.


The #SheToo podcast series is presented by Rosie Dawson, a religion journalist and broadcaster. Rosie left the BBC in 2018 to pursue a freelance career and other interests – which include a life-long passion for theology.

Episode 1. Sexual violence in the Bible: read with care

Every reader comes to the Bible with their own history and set of assumptions. In this introductory episode, Rev Dr Helen Paynter tells Rosie Dawson which principles and commitments inform her engagement with Biblical texts about sexual abuse and violence.

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After a career in medicine Revd Dr Helen Paynter (@HelenEPaynter) trained as a Baptist minister. She wrote her PhD on aspects of humour in the book of Kings. She is now Director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence at Bristol Baptist college. Her book God of Violence Yesterday, God of Love Today? Honestly Wrestling with the Old Testament will be published by the Bible Reading Fellowship in May 2019.

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Dr Katie Edwards (@KatieBEdwards) is Assistant Director of the Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies and Senior Lecturer in The Bible in Contemporary Culture and Society. Her research focusses on the function impact and influence of the Bible in contemporary culture. Her Lent talk ‘The Silence of the Lamb’ for BBC Radio 4 won the Jerusalem Trust’s festivals award 2018. Katie is a dog lover. She has a Jack Russell with a chewing problem and a Chorkie with a bad attitude. 

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Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand presents regularly on BBC Radio’s ‘Pause for Thought’ and ‘Something Understood.’ She is the founder of JDOV Talks and author of The Barefoot Book of Jewish Tales, an illustrated volume of folk stories for all faiths and ages.

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Dr Mary Evans was for many years a lecturer in Old Testament, mostly in the UK at London School of Theology but after early retirement spent three years at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology. Writing, speaking, church, family, friends and fulfilling the responsibilities of her role as Board Chair for the Langham Partnership, now fill much of her time.

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Dr Johanna Stiebert (@joistie20) is a German-New Zealander and Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Leeds. Her current research interests focus on how biblical texts intersect with contemporary conversations about gender and sexuality. She likes to combine work and travel and has taught in Botswana, the USA, Kerala and New Zealand. Recent research projects focused on engaging the Bible to combat gender-based injustice have taken her to Ghana, Lesotho and Botswana in the past year.

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Dr Meredith J C Warren (@DrMJCWarren) is Director of the Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies and Lecturer in Biblical and Religious Studies at the University of Sheffield. She researches embodied religious experience in the New Testament, in particular Revelation and the Gospel of John. Her second book, Food and Transformation in Ancient Mediterranean Literature will be published by Society of Biblical Literature Press in 2019.

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After a career in medicine Revd Dr Helen Paynter (@HelenEPaynter) trained as a Baptist minister. She wrote her PhD on aspects of humour in the book of Kings. She is now Director of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence at Bristol Baptist college. Her book God of Violence Yesterday, God of Love Today? Honestly Wrestling with the Old Testament will be published by the Bible Reading Fellowship in May 2019.

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