Hadley, Judith M. 1956-
(Judith Marie Hadley)

PERSONAL:

Born December 21, 1956, in Toledo, OH; daughter of John Bothwell and D. Ruth Hadley. Education: Wheaton College, B.A., 1978; Institute of Holy Land Studies, M.A., 1984; Cambridge University, Ph.D., 1989. Hobbies and other interests: Singing in church choir, jigsaw puzzles, pottery restoration, word games, travel.

ADDRESSES:

Office—Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085-1694. E-mail—judith.hadley@villanova.edu.

CAREER:

Tel Aviv University Excavations, Tel Aviv, Israel, field archaeologist, 1979-89; St. George's College, Jerusalem, Israel, lecturer, 1981-84; St. John's College, Cambridge, England, supervisor, 1986-89; Cambridge University, Cambridge, lecturer, 1987-90; Westcott House Theological College, Cambridge, lecturer, 1989-90; Villanova University, Villanova, PA, assistant professor of archeology, 1990-98, associate professor of Bible and archeology, 1998—. Staff archaeologist for Tel Jezreel Excavations, 1990-91, and Tel Megiddo Excavations, 1998, both in Israel. Member, American Schools of Oriental Research and Archaeological Institute of America.

MEMBER:

International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament, American Association of University Professors, American Association of University Women, Catholic Biblical Society, Society of Biblical Literature, Society of Old Testament Studies.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Naden Senior Research Award, 1988.

WRITINGS:

The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah: Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess, Cambridge University Press (New York, NY), 2000.

SIDELIGHTS:

Judith M. Hadley has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East conducting archaeological research. Her doctoral dissertation as a Ph.D. student at Cambridge University centered on the worship of the goddess Asherah in ancient Israel and her potential role as the partner of God. Hadley expands on this research in her first book, The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah: Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess, examining evidence as to whether Asherah was worshipped as a deity or was in fact an inanimate object of worship.

Writing for Women in Judaism, Carole R. Fontaine commented that Hadley "has performed a major service to readers interested in a comprehensive study of the worship of the tree-goddess Asherah in biblical times.… [Her] book fills a welcome spot on any critical reader's bookshelf." Biblical Theology Bulletin contributor John Barclay Burns wrote that "the overall narrative is clearly written." Barclay continued: "Hadley has done an excellent job of presenting and evaluating this evidence and the scholarship, while advancing the discussion in a substantial way. Asherah and her symbol are very well served by this book." Dennis Pardue further wrote in the Journal of Near Eastern Studies: "This book contains one of the best treatments available of the Khirbet el-Qom inscription.… The author's views are carefully and judiciously expressed and are almost always reasonable within the confines established by the paucity of the data." Journal of the American Oriental Society reviewer Mark S. Smith concluded that "the book strikes the right balance between concision and comprehensiveness. As a result, Hadley's very careful handling of the evidence is appealing." The critic added: "Hadley includes a fine array of evidence and authors, and she offers some good insights of her own. In so doing, she has provided a near state-of-the-art discussion."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Biblical Theology Bulletin, spring, 2001, John Barclay Burns, review of The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah: Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess, p. 39.

Journal of Near Eastern Studies, October, 2005, Dennis Pardue, review of The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah, p. 281.

Journal of the American Oriental Society, January-March, 2002, Mark S. Smith, review of The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah, p. 99.

Women in Judaism, 2002, Carole R. Fontaine, review of The Cult of Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah.

ONLINE

Villanova University Web site,http://www.villanova.edu/ (November 2), profile of Judith Hadley.*