The cover of Barry’s recently published monograph with the University of California Press
Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry
Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry published her second scholarly monograph, Gender Violence in Late Antiquity: Male Fantasies and the Christian Imagination, with the University of California Press.
Barry’s new book examines how early Christian writers used narratives of gendered harm—especially domestic violence—to shape theology, consolidate authority, and imagine social order.
Later this month, she will give an invited book talk at the University of Pittsburgh highlighting this material and exploring how depictions of violence within the household became central to Christian thought.
Barry was also recently featured on the New Books in Late Antiquity podcast, presented by Ancient Jew Review, to discuss her monograph.
In the interview, Barry explores how early Christian writers used narratives of gendered harm—especially domestic abuse, martyrdom, and sexualized violence—to shape theology, consolidate authority, and imagine social order. She also reflects on how feminist horror theory, trauma studies, and womanist scholarship offer new perspectives on these texts and their enduring impact on the study of gender and power.
Barry joined host Michael Motia (UMass Boston) for the conversation, which is now available online.