Remembering Catherine Clark Kroeger and her study Bible
Catherine Clark Kroger (Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary) died on Valentine’s Day of this year. She profoundly influenced Christian Evangelism in her tireless struggles against domestic abuse, her writings and teachings on equality, and through her forming organizations supporting these ideals include: Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE), Peace and Safety in the Christian Home (PASCH), and Men Women and God(MWG). At that same time, her work strongly followed in the footsteps of her mentor John Stott; as an example of her conservatism, she constantly was hostile towards gay rights.
Perhaps as a Christmas gift, Amazon is currently selling one of Kroeger’s masterworks, her Oxford University Press The Women’s Study Bible, at 61% off, for a mere $13.65. This work is a fine introduction to issues of gender as they arise in the Bible – it is most certainly not an “advice for women” style Bible as most similarly titled works are. It is popularly written, but with reference to scholarship. At this price, it is a bargain.
Other Kroeger books include:
- No Place for Abuse: Biblical & Practical Resources to Counteract Domestic Violence;
- I Suffer Not a Woman: Rethinking I Timothy 2:11-15 in Light of Ancient Evidence;
- Refuge from Abuse: Healing and Hope for Abused Christian Women;
- The IVP Women’s Bible Commentary;
- Women, Abuse, and the Bible: How Scripture Can Be Used to Hurt or to Heal
- Healing the Hurting: Giving Hope and Help to Abused Women
- Responding to Abuse in Christian Homes: A Challenge to Churches and Their Leaders
- Beyond Abuse in the Christian Home: Raising Voices for Change
- The Goddess Revival: A Biblical Response to God(dess) Spirituality
- Reflections: Biblical and Otherwise about Sexuality
(I have not read most of the books on this list; the only Kroeger books I have read are I Suffer Not a Woman and The Woman’s Study Bible.)
I cannot admire Kroeger unreservedly – and her worldview is too different from mine for me to fully appreciate her contributions; but within her community, she was undoubtedly a real force. Given the ease with which a certain type of conservative Christianity is willing to turn a blind eye towards domestic abuse, I think voices such as Kroeger are important.
BLT 
Judging by the raves and the high prices, the IVP Women’s Bible Commentary needs to be reprinted. Though I see the reviewer at RBL didn’t think much of it. Not critical enough for her, I gather.
I don’t understand how the publishing industry decides to keep books in print or take them out of print. Obviously, there is still a market for works like the IVP Women’s Bible Commentary; and I’m not certain that there is anything like it on the market today.
And it seems likely that Oxford is remaindering its Women’s Study Bible based on the price being charged for it. I must say that Oxford is especially irresponsible in taking books out of print. Why, for example, did it take popular volumes such as its Parallel Apocrypha, Precise Parallel New Testament, Complete Parallel Bible, Oxford Study Bible in hardcover, and all of its editions of the New English Bible out of print? There must be a constant demand for these titles.
For the price of $39.95, WORDsearchbible is selling a digital version of the IVP Women’s Bible Commentary. I suspect we’ll see more older titles in new digital formats in years to come. eBooks aren’t the same, and yet the publishers are feeling the pinch of new technologies.