Jane Dewar Schaberg (1938–2012) was an American biblical scholar who served as Professor of Religious Studies and of

Women's Studies Women's studies is an academic field that draws on feminist and interdisciplinary methods to place women's lives and experiences at the center of study, while examining social and cultural constructs of gender; systems of privilege and oppress ...

at the

University of Detroit Mercy The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catholic univers ...

from 1977 through 2009.

Life

Born in 1938, Schaberg earned a BA in philosophy from

Manhattanville College Manhattanville College is a private university in Purchase, New York. Founded in 1841 at 412 Houston Street in lower Manhattan, it was initially known as Academy of the Sacred Heart, then after 1847 as Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart ...

, an MA in

systematic theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topic ...

from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, and a PhD in biblical studies from Union Theological Seminary. In 1974 she was elected a member of the

Catholic Biblical Association The Catholic Biblical Association of America (CBA) is an American learned society dedicated to the academic study of the Bible. The suggestion to form a permanent association of biblical scholars was made at the beginning of 1936 at a meeting in ...

. Schaberg's publications deal mainly with the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...

, including a commentary on the New Testament Infancy Narratives, on the Gospel of Luke, and on feminist contributions to historical and literary research. She also wrote poetry although her poetry is not widely published. Her later research was on the traditions and legends associated with the figure of Mary Magdalene, as seen through a feminist lens. Schaberg's sometimes controversial work, especially the 1987 publication of ''The Illegitimacy of Jesus: A Feminist Theological Interpretation of the Infancy Narratives'', has been discussed in ''

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...

'', ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...

'', ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'', '' Cross Currents'', and the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...

''.UDM recognizes CLAE faculty excellence
/ref> Schaberg's automobile was set on fire in response to this book. At one time a professed member of the

Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus , image = RSCJnuevo.jpg, , image_size = 150px , caption = , abbreviation = Post-nominal letters: RSCJ , formation = , founder = Saint Sr. Madeleine Sophie Barat, R.S.C.J. ...

(a religious community of Roman Catholic women), Schaberg renounced her vows while teaching at the University of Detroit Mercy, and in 1984 was one of 97 theologians and religious persons who signed

A Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion "A Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion", alternatively referred to by its pull quote "A Diversity of Opinions Regarding Abortion Exists Among Committed Catholics" or simply "The New York Times ad", was a full-page advertisement placed on ...

, calling for

religious pluralism Religious pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems co-existing in society. It can indicate one or more of the following: * Recognizing and tolerating the religious diversity of a society or coun ...

and discussion within the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

regarding the church's position on abortion. She was chosen for the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2006, she was acknowledged as Professor Emerita of Religious Studies in 2011 following her retirement. She died at her home in Detroit April 17, 2012, at the age of 74 after a long illness.Faculty Bio
/ref>

Works

Thesis

* *

Books

* - general publication of the author's 1980 thesis * * * *

Edited by

References

External links

An interview with Jane D. Schaberg - feminist biblical scholar
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schaberg, Jane American biblical scholars Roman Catholic biblical scholars New Testament scholars Historians of antiquity American feminist writers American theologians American historians of religion Women's historians University of Detroit Mercy faculty Manhattanville College alumni Union Theological Seminary (New York City) alumni Feminist historians Feminist studies scholars Christian feminist theologians 1938 births 2012 deaths American women historians Catholic feminists Female biblical scholars Christian feminist biblical scholars 20th-century Christian biblical scholars 21st-century American women