Evidence for Asherah by Judith M. Hadley
Asherah has appeared paired with Yahweh in positive ways. Furthermore, the early eighth century BCE prophets do not condemn Asherah worship. The worship of Asherah was evidently acceptable before the Deuteronomistic reform movement gained momentum in the seventh century BCE, but since the text of the Bible was significantly composed or edited by the Deuteronomistic school or even later, this fact is not immediately apparent.
Judith M. Hadley published her monograph The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah. Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess, University of Cambridge Oriental Publication series 57 (Cambridge) in 2000, and wrote the web article (linked to above) in December 2008. It explains how theories about ‘God’s wife’ Asherah, as recently popularised by Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou on the BBC’s ‘The Bible’s Buried Secrets’ documentaries, were making a comeback.
This directly contradicts Stavrakopoulou’s claims that she has uncovered some sort of “buried secret.” Far from it: to academics and scholars in relevant fields this is very old knowledge indeed. Stavrakopoulou is simply trying to outdo Bart Ehrman at his own game.
‘God’s wife’ Asherah Bibliography
More on Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou and ‘The Bible’s Buried Secrets’:
Profile of controversial BBC religion presenter Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Blog comment on controversial BBC religion presenter Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou
Tim Bulkeley answers Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou’s question, “Did God have a wife?”
Tom Sutcliffe on Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou, physical beauty and ‘The Bible’s Buried Secrets’
Francesca Stavrakopoulou & ‘The Bible’s Buried Secrets’: old hat and nothing to do with religion
Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Yahweh and his ‘wife’ Asherah: archaeo-porn for the masses
Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou: trying to beat Dan Brown at his own game?
Historian James Hannam on Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou and ‘The Bible’s Buried Secrets’
