global interpretations of christian scriptures rlst 206 and div 3845 february 21, 2011

GLOBAL INTERPRETATIONS OF CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES

RLST 206 AND DIV 3845

February 21, 2011

Zulu Church (near Pietermaritzburg)

Zulu women

Scottish Church

Scottish Church & Graveyard

Feb. 20

3:10 Preparing your paper Proposals and “Reading With” Others

4:00-4:50 Group Discussions: – Group 1: 1&2 SAMUEL Gerald

West– Group 2: EPHESIANS John Riches

5:00-5:30 Roles of Scripture: Paul, Patristic &Medieval Models

Ephesians: Presenter of GBC : Iris Ankroms Leader Anna McReynolds Respondent: Adesewa Adelekun Wendy Aluoch Annie Wong Chance Dillon Lakendra Scott Matthew Calderwood

1-2 Samuel: Presenter of GBC : Jordan Nelson Leader Arlonzo Williams Basye Holland Mark Wells Ben Pflederer Anna Leigh Keith Taylor Schomp Erin Higgins

Take-Home Mid-Term paper prososal Due M- Feb 28 INTRODUCTION: Specify from which concrete life-

context you propose to read the chosen book- -explaining what is/are the major problem[s] in this context (nature of the problems/aspect of life it concerns, and root-problem), which, you hope, the teaching of this biblical book will be able to address– As you will do in a more detailed fashion the first part of the

paper: -PART I- YOUR LIFE CONTEXT AND THE TEXT) explain:

A) Which one of the four contextual ways of interpretation will you use? B) Which one of the 5 strategies for becoming self-conscious about the contextual character of your biblical

interpretation will you emphasize? C) Which one of the traditional interpretations of Scripture your interpretation is the closest to yours? D) Preliminary Analysis of your Text: an Overall Presentation of the Biblical Book, so as to identify and locate

in it the specific passages and textual features that will be discussed in detail.

YOUR INTERPRETATION PART A: INTRODUCTION CONTEXT TODAY PREPARATION: Read the Biblical text. Then ask yourself: For

which CONTEXT TODAY (that I know) would this text have a teaching which would address PROBLEM(s) that CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS have in it.

• You can imagine it, you do NOT need to identify yourself with THESE believers

Part A 1) Describe this CONCRETE Life-context that Christian believers have in it and THE CONCRETE PROBLEM that they have to confront

Part A 2) List the Verses or passages of the Biblical text that are particularly helpful with this problem; briefly suggest why, by mentioning what they are about.

YOUR INTERPRETATION PART A: INTRODUCTION CONTEXT TODAY

Part A 3) ANALYZING THE PROBLEM Christian Believers need to address IN TODAY’S CONTEXT

a) Primary aspect of the believers’ life where this problem is

• A) private life? B) family-life? C) Christian community? D) society? E) culture (with its vision of life, values, ideologies)? F) relationship with people with different religious convictions?

b) What is the primary root-problem to be addressed • A lack of (wrong) A) KNOWLEDGE? B) ABILITY?

• C) WILL? D) FAITH/VISION or IDEOLOGY?

• What kind? To do what? Explain why not the others?

Take-Home Mid-Term paper prososal Due M- Feb 28

Introduction: Part A concrete life-context; the major problem[s] in this context (nature of the problems/aspect of life it concerns, and root-problem) that you hope this biblical book will help believers to address

A) Which one of the four contextual ways of interpretation will you use?

B) Which one of the 5 strategies for becoming self-conscious about the contextual character of your biblical interpretation will you emphasize?

C) Which one of the traditional interpretations of Scripture your interpretation is the closest to yours?

D) Preliminary Analysis of your Text: an Overall Presentation of the Biblical Book, identifying in it the specific passages and textual features that will be discussed in detail (to address the problem above).

TOPIC A) A) Which one of the four contextual ways of

interpretation will you use? – 1) Inculturation (interpretation in a cultural/way of life

context)? – 2) Liberation? (interpretation in a social, economic, or political

context where people are oppressed or deprived)? – 3) Inter(con)textual (interpretation making explicit the intertext

(master narrative) you use; a literary/communication [media] cultural context with its texts and other cultural artifacts, and media)?

– 4) Sacramental/liturgical. (interpretation in a religious context with its religious experiences and rituals)?

Why not the others? You need to show an in-depth understanding of the difference between these contextual ways. Review your notes on the lectures and class discussion.

Sacramental/liturgical contextual way of interpretation Do not exclude it,

– although you resist “rituals”… “formalized religion” … But faith, meaningful life cannot be sustained without rituals. Computers: You want to use them to run program… MSWord

to write your papers; Excel for spreadsheet; PowerPoint; e-mail programs; browsers, BibleWorks; etc. etc.– So for our lives…. Many things going on… purposeful…

full of life But nothing would work properly if the BIOS –Basic

Input/Output System; or Basic Information Operating System – [or Open Firmware for Macs] is not coordinating all these, giving them “life” (“bios” in Greek).– Our convictions sustain and drive all aspect of our life….

Everything make sense, is purposeful, meaningful

Sacramental/liturgical contextual way of interpretation You know that from time to time—especially when you add a new

program or new hardware, or simply after working a lot on different things, somehow your programs work very slow… or do not function well (PC users, especially…)– Burn out; losing sense of purpose in life; not knowing any longer what it

is all about; Going to sleep is good… but it is not enough;

– Resting is good, but is not enough; you need more than sleep You need to turn off completely your system, all your programs; AND

RE-BOOT. Then miracle of miracles, everything is functioning smoothly again; – Retreat; rituals; time-out; getting out of normal life and normal space to

be in a sacred time and space; re-booting your convictions… a necessary dimension for life… whether your convictions are “religious” in a traditional sense; or “more secular”

– The role of Scripture in this re-booting of the Christian faith; a ritual structured by Scripture in one way or another

Take-Home Mid-Term paper prososal Due M- Feb 28 Introduction: concrete life-context; the major problem[s] in this context

(nature of the problems/aspect of life it concerns, and root-problem) that you hope this biblical book will help believers to address





Take-Home Mid-Term paper prososal Due M- Feb 28 Introduction: concrete life-context; the major problem[s] in this context (nature of the problems/aspect of life it

concerns, and root-problem) that you hope this biblical book will help believers to address





Topic: B) strategies for becoming self-conscious of your own choices B) Which one of the 5 strategies for becoming self-

conscious about the contextual character of your biblical interpretations will you emphasize?

1) Paying attention to the ways in which they “affect certain groups of people” (e.g., an aspect of feminist interpretations)?

2) Studying the history of reception of biblical texts? 3) “Reading with ordinary readers”? (today West and

Riches) 4) “Breaking biblical texts” (using traditional ways of

reading, particular to each culture)? Jone Havea 5) “Producing alternate contextual interpretations”

(challenging existing interpretation)? • Why not the others?

Take-Home Mid-Term paper prososal Due M- Feb 28 Introduction: concrete life-context; the major problem[s] in this context (nature of the problems/aspect of life it

concerns, and root-problem) that you hope this biblical book will help believers to address

A) Which one of the four contextual ways of interpretation will you use? B) Which one of the 5 strategies for becoming self-conscious about the

contextual character of your biblical interpretation will you emphasize?


Why not the others? You need to show an in-depth understanding of these traditional interpretations of Scripture


Topic C: The traditional roles of Scripture A) LAMP TO MY FEET that teaches believers a KNOWLEDGE of what

they should do or, of what they are called to do = moral reading; literal readings

B) RULE OF THE COMMUNITY that conveys EITHER a KNOWLEDGE of what they must do to belong to the community OR, through demands or threats (of exclusion), establishes the WILL (to do something) moral, literal

C) GOOD NEWS that conveys EITHER a KNOWLEDGE of God’s love OR, expresses God’s love and establishes their WILL (to do something) as a response to God’s love.

D) FAMILY ALBUM that conveys to them a FAITH/VISION of their identity as members of God’s family and thus, calls them to a special vocation and establishes their WILL (to do something).

Pharisees = C + D (hagadah) IDENTITY AS PEOPLE OF GOD = election + vocation

= then B & A (halakah) LAW = how to carry out this vocation

Topic C: The traditional roles of Scripture A) LAMP TO MY FEET that teaches believers a KNOWLEDGE of what

they should do or, of what they are called to do = moral reading; literal readings

B) RULE OF THE COMMUNITY that conveys EITHER a KNOWLEDGE of what they must do to belong to the community OR, through demands or threats (of exclusion), establishes the WILL (to do something) moral, literal



E) CORRECTIVE GLASSES = prophecies that gives them a VISION of God's presence in their lives and/or show them that God is at work in their lives; secondarily, this vision EMPOWERS/ENABLES them or establishes their WILL (to do something in imitation of God). =

Matthew (E + A & B); Paul (E); Apocalyptic Jews (E); Early Patristics (Typology, Allegory)

Topic C: The traditional roles of Scripture A) LAMP TO MY FEET that teaches believers a KNOWLEDGE of what they should

do or, of what they are called to do = moral reading; literal readings B) RULE OF THE COMMUNITY that conveys EITHER a KNOWLEDGE of what

they must do to belong to the community OR, through demands or threats (of exclusion), establishes the WILL (to do something) moral, literal



E) CORRECTIVE GLASSES = prophecies that gives them a VISION of God's presence in their lives and/or show them that God is at work in their lives; secondarily, this vision EMPOWERS/ENABLES them or establishes their WILL (to do something in imitation of God). =

F) EMPOWERING WORD giving the POWER/ABILITY to to struggle for the kingdom and God's justice). Liberation interpretations; Paul (E)

G) HOLY BIBLE that shatters their view of life, giving a new FAITH-VISION = mystical readings; encounter with the Mystery of God; Apophatic



Take-Home Mid-Term paper prososal Due M- Feb 28 Introduction: concrete life-context; the major problem[s] in this context

(nature of the problems/aspect of life it concerns, and root-problem) that you hope this biblical book will help believers to address

A) Which one of the four contextual ways of interpretation will you use? B) Which one of the 5 strategies for becoming self-conscious about the

contextual character of your biblical interpretation will you emphasize? C) Which one of the traditional interpretations of Scripture your

interpretation is the closest to yours? Why not the others? You need to show an in-depth understanding of these

traditional interpretations of Scripture


Topic: D D) Preliminary Analysis of your Text: an Overall

Presentation of the Biblical Book, so as to identify and locate in it the specific passages and

textual features that will be discussed in detail in your paper

– Use scholarly sources presenting an overview of your biblical book: e.g., in Div library reading room, the article on your text of the ANCHOR BIBLE DICTIONARY or in THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY or in the NEW INTERPRETERS DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE

Your Paper

-PART I- YOUR LIFE CONTEXT AND THE TEXT (30%)

-PART II- YOUR CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY (45%)

-PART III- 20% YOUR COMMENTARY AND GBC

-PART IV- 5% OVERALL CONCLUSIONS:

Your Paper

-PART I- YOUR LIFE CONTEXT AND THE TEXT Identifying the Life-Context Analyzing it, its Problems and the Theological Issues it

Raises. Choosing a particular contextual ways of interpreting: inculturation (if a “cultural” issue) liberation (if a “social, neighbors” issue) inter(con)textual (if “metanarrative and intertext” issue) sacramental/liturgical/religious (if religious issue,

including personal religious issue)

Your Paper --PART III- YOUR COMMENTARY AND GBC a) What textual features did GBC vs you emphasize? b) What are the key theological or ethical concepts (or

themes) that you emphasized and that the GBC emphasized?

Which one of the 5 strategies for becoming self-conscious about the contextual character of your biblical interpretation (i.e., of your particular textual choices and particular theological/hermeneutical choices) did you use? (Note: this often involves comparing with a few additional interpretations).

Reading With Others First Strategy for becoming self-conscious about

the contextual character of our biblical interpretations

“READING WITH OTHER READERS” “Reading with others” involves allowing the other

readers to choose what is most significant for them

“Reading with others” involves recognizing the differences between their interpretations and yours.

“Reading with others” involves recognizing the differences between their problems and yours.

Scottish Church

Scottish Church & Graveyard

Ephesians:

Presenter of GBC : Iris Ankroms

Leader Anna McReynolds Respondent: Adesewa Adelekun Wendy Aluoch Annie Wong Chance Dillon Lakendra Scott Matthew Calderwood

Reading With Scots; their Problems: (Quotes from John Riches)

Churches' sense of loss of power and position within society; a marginalized community: vs. high view of the church’s place in the world in 1:15-23

a deep lack of confidence; low self-esteem (we cannot help but to be “sinners”) vs. positive view of Christian life in 2:1-10; 3:14-21

Not knowing how to engage in open encounter with people from other countries and faiths (// unity of Jews and Gentiles 2:11-21 )

potential for division among the churches vs. unity (4:1-16)

Domestic violence is widespread in Scotland; How is 5:22-33 with its requirements of submission on the part of the wife seen, also in the light of the very different texts like Gal 3:28?

Wives, be subject to your husbands… Husbands should love

their wives as they do their own bodies. Eph 5:22, 28

Zulu women

Reading With Southern Africans 1-2 Samuel Presenter of GBC : Jordan Nelson Leader Arlonzo Williams Basye Holland Mark Wells Ben Pflederer Anna Leigh Keith Taylor Schomp Erin Higgins

Reading With Southern Africans Their problems (Quotes from Gerald West) The Bible is an ambiguous book The Bible was a part of the colonial package

– the legacy of its arrival lives on Used by a white minority to wrest control of the

land and resources from indigenous peoples. The popular African anecdote proclaims: “When

the white man came among us, he had the Bible and we blacks had the land; he then said to us, ‘Let us pray’. After the prayer, when we had opened our eyes again, we had his Bible and he had our land.”

Reading With Southern Africans Their problems (Quotes from Gerald West) The Bible is problematic in Africa because this

single book speaks with divergent voices . the Bible is a liberating book BUT the book sometimes bites the very hand that

embraces it for liberation There are parts of the Bible, to put it crudely,

which are not good for southern African. Not only the use to which the Bible has been put

that is the problem; the Bible itself is the problem – some texts are ideologically loaded against those who

would struggle for survival, liberation, and life. [against the poor, oppressed, marginalized]

Reading With Southern Africans Their problems (Quotes from Gerald West) The Bible was used to denigrate their

indigenous culture and religion Even when they had embraced the Bible as

their book, it was turned against them by the forces of apartheid in South Africa.

Reading With Southern Africans (Quotes from Gerald West) The Bible is also a solution. The Bible is an African book that has power,

whether opened or closed. – As a closed (iconic) book, the Bible is used in

southern Africa to protect and heal those who hold it.

– As an opened book, the Bible contains many elements that resonate with southern Africans.

– Without much difficulty they hear God speaking to them from the pages of their Bibles.

Zulu Church (near Durban)

Reading With Southern Africans (Quotes from Gerald West) African Resonances with 1 Samuel The tribal context, hospitality to visitors and strangers (9:19, 22-26), the polygamous family importance of remembering the ancestors, their deeds;

recitation of the origins and traditions of the tribe the slaughtering of an animal; mediums and dreams to

communicate with the deity or ancestors; local deities, visiting a seer on occasions, possession by spirits All religious and cultural practices that missionaries

denigrated and demonized, insisting that their forms of Christianity were far superior.

Zulu Church (near Pietermaritzburg)

Strategy: “Reading With” (Quotes from West)

How This Contextual Commentary Was Developed

Reading with Ordinary readers of the Bible: Identify their Analytical/Textual choices

1. Read Tamar story 2 Samuel 13:1-22 in small groups. Share what you think the text is about. (topic/theme/teaching about)

2. Who are the main characters? what do we know about them?

3. What is the role of each? Men? Women? 4. Tamar

Strategy: “Reading With” (Quotes from West) How This Contextual Commentary Was Developed

Reading with Ordinary readers = identify their Contextual choices

5. Are there women like Tamar in your church and/or community? Tell their story. [= Identify problem, root-problem]

6.Identify their Theological choices: What is the theology of women who have been raped?

7. Contextual choices: identify the solution: What resources are there in your area for survivors of rape?

8. What will you now do in response to this Bible study?

Effects of this Bible study (Quotes from West) = of reading Scripture to live-by Zulu Women are amazed that such a text exists, angry that they have never heard it read or

preached, relieved to discover that they are not alone, are empowered because the silence has been

broken and their stories have been told. As one women said, “If such a text exists in the

Bible, how can we be silent about these things in the church?”

global interpretations of christian scriptures rlst 206 and div 3845 february 21, 2011

Documents

life context

concrete life context

concrete lifecontext

believers life

pietermaritzburg slide

context nature

scottish church slide

problem christian believers