Queen Vashti: A Contemporary Model for Christian Morality in Africa
Issue: Vol.7 No.2 February 2021 Issue Article 2 pp. 37-45
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.2021722 | Published online 11th February 2021.
© 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
In this paper, King Artaxerxes’ action against Queen Vashti (Esther 1:1-2:1-18) is examined, and moral and ethical lessons for contemporary Christian morality are drawn. One can describe the decision of the King as contemptible, despicable, barbaric, and a violation of Queen Vashti’s self-value and dignity. A further challenge can be thrown to the popular notion, which seems to suggest that Queen Vashti was disobedient, arrogant, and not submissive. Contrary to the traditional popular derogatory assessment of Queen Vashti’s rejection of the King’s demand, it is argued that she is a contemporary model for Christian Morality. Rhetorical criticism and historical narrative criticism were used for the study. An analysis of the moral and ethical factors that underpinned Queen Vashti’s rejection of the King’s demand and found that she demonstrated high moral and ethical values worth emulating was conducted in the study. It is, therefore, recommended that Christian women emulate Queen Vashti and maintain high moral and ethical values in society.
Keywords: King Artaxerxes, Esther, Vashti, Gender.
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Daniel Nii Aboagye Aryeh, PhD is the Acting Rector of Perez University College, Winneba, Ghana.
George Sungadar Moses Wee is the Dean of the School of Business, Perez University College, Winneba, Ghana. He is a PhD Candidate at GIMPA, Legon.
Aryeh D.N.A & Wee G.S.M, “Queen Vashti: A Contemporary Model for Christian Morality in Africa” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies, 7 no.2 (2021): 37-45 https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.2021722
© 2021 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Publishers. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).