Women’s oral culture and the Basileia (kingdom) of God in Q

This paper attempts to discover the Galilean women’s hidden contribution in Q by taking advantage of the exceptional heritages of Korean women, which enables the tracing of women's oral art and culture even in the times of Roman Galilee. Consequently, it will illustrate how the creation of Q’s communal vision of the Basileia of God as a merciful place of home was made possible especially by the contribution of women. One of the most important themes of Q is, clearly, the Basileia of God. During the last decade, scholarly discussions of Q’s Basileia have focused on its domestic features. Along with this, recent discussions on the socio-political dimension of Q have converged on the idea that Q’s Basileia of God creates an alternative socio-political vision toward a more equal and inclusive society. These recent discussions about approaches in the Q field will be helpful in reopening discussions about Q through the lens of feminism and the contribution of women’s culture. Within some of the prior conversations on gender issues, some arguments cast doubt as to whether a study of Q can contribute to the feminist perspective. These criticisms have been mostly based on earlier analysis of Q’s backdrop and its literal genre; such as Jewish wisdom tradition or Hellenistic Cynic philosophy. Q’s tradition, however originated not from male elite circles but from the “folk wisdom” of Galilean villages and townspeople, therefore, Q would have been produced in relation to more diversely engaged women’s contexts. Under this view, I examine oral features of Q in relation to women’s culture. An examination on the orality retained in Q 12:22-31 in comparison to the popular tradition of Korean women is helpful in delineating the women’s spinning and weaving songs embedded in this text. It will also contribute in tracing the daily lives of Galilean women, especially regarding their work with clothing which would have been part of the larger Roman textile industry. With Q’s abundant domestic images of women’s daily life, this pericope offers significant insight about women’s contribution in creating the essential message of Q’s kingdom of God, in addition to addressing gender issues as well as the ethics of Q. Q’s reflection on the culture of women which is established by the daily rhythms and work on a woman’s life shows that Q recognized women and appreciated their effort. Thus, it is possible to draw the conclusion that Q’s formation was also shaped by women who strived to make a life for themselves in their ‘Sitz im Leben’, and, in doing so, they contributed to creating the communal ideal of Q. Their effort would eventually bring a dramatic change into the traditional masculine concept of images of His Kingdom and brings radical change into the kingdom of God which seeks a more inclusive and compassionate community.