‘Good Girls, Bad Girls of the New Testament’

Good Girls, Bad Girls of the New Testament
By T.J. Wray (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016)

Rooted deeply in Christian theology, T. J. Wray’s Good Girls, Bad Girls of the New Testament paints an exciting, multi-dimensional picture of the heroines, companions, and pariahs of the gospels. Wray deconstructs these women without ever straying from the lens of scriptural authenticity. Notable figures like sisters Martha and Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Nazareth, and Elizabeth are analyzed within the context of scripture, Wray’s academic scholarship, and personal anecdotes.

Wray doesn’t shy away from deeper analysis of the nameless women of the New Testament. The popular story of the adulterous woman of John’s gospel is commonly understood as a lesson in the pitfalls of judging others, and the nameless woman is overlooked as little more than a chess piece between Jesus and the Pharisees. Yet, Wray reframes this story as a deep and meaningful conduit for personal introspection, making it more than just an allegory emblematic of Jesus’ unending compassion for all. Wray’s fresh take on an old discussion, namely the gray areas that govern modern day morality, reignites inspiring discourse on the intersections among faith, dogma, and humanity.

No exploration into the women of the New Testament would be complete without a critical discussion of Mary Magdalene. Wray found that often, subjected to the whims of “biblical illiteracy,” Mary is portrayed as an intimate of Jesus, if not more. For Wray, Mary is a misunderstood friend and consummate supporter of Jesus who teaches us that love for one another comes in many different forms. Ultimately, Wray’s ability to not only question but honestly reflect upon the complex entanglements between human behavior and spirituality is what makes this a book worth reading.

In January 2016, the editors of U.S. Catholic interviewed T.J. Wray about her new book and women’s roles in both the Old and New Testament.