God's Phallus and Other Problems for Men and Monotheism: And Other Problems for Men and Monotheism

In recent years, feminists have argued that male images of God in the biblical religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) have served to diminish the power of women within these faiths. Yet, while such conversations have focused primarily on gender and the traits of masculinity, little attention has been paid to male sexuality itself or to the problems it engenders for men. Eilberg-Schwartz here opens that issue, contending that making God in a man's sexual image either requires the feminization of the man or implies a homoerotic relationship between father and son. Through a detailed study of the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud and Freud, the author demonstrates the tensions latent in any tradition within which men must engage the image of God's phallus. Eilberg-Schwartz brings to this study a rich experience of writing about both the body and Judaism, and readers will be greatly rewarded by his careful scholarship and crisp writing. While the book challenges feminist assertions about gender and religion, it is a significant contribution to the ongoing conversation about the centrality of sexuality to religion. (Aug.)