An introduction to postcolonialism, postcolonial theory and. An important trajectory in postcolonial biblical criticism involves what is often called reading against the grain, an approach that calls upon the reader to adopt an attitude that differs from the texts implied reader. Employing notions of mimicry and hybridity, for example, it is capable of providing frameworks for. Postcolonialism by definition, postcolonialism is a period of time after colonialism, and postcolonial literature is typically characterized by its opposition to the colonial. A compendious history concerns and preoccupations changing faces of a discourse discursive interjections misperceptions, flaws, accom. Sugirtharajah provides a comprehensive overview of the origins, definitions, and procedures of.
He reveals how postcolonial criticism can offer new perspectives to our understanding of the bible and of. His publications include the bible and the third world. Postcolonial biblical criticism in methods for exodus, thomas b. History, method, practice offers a concise and elegant introduction to this exciting field of study. They examine how various past empires such as those of persia and rome affected the narratives of the bible, how different biblical writers handled the challenges of empire, and show how such modern empires as those of britain, russia, and america have affected. Sugirtharajah exploring postcolonial biblical criticism.
His publications include, postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation 2002, postcolonial reconfigurations 2003, the bible and empire 2005, postcolonial biblical reader 2006, still at the margins 2006, voices from. The readings illustrate the relevance of postcolonial criticism to biblical studies. His publications include, postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation 2002, postcolonial reconfigurations 2003, the bible and empire 2005, postcolonial biblical reader 2006, still at the margins 2006, voices from the. This stimulating study explores the implications of postcolonial criticism for biblical studies.
Postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation r. Bill ashcroft teaches at the university of hong kong and the university of nsw, gareth grif. Sugirtharajah has not only been the inaugurator of postcolonial biblical criticism but also its most prolific practitioner. Showing when a sociopolitically engaged reading becomes postcolonial, but also what in the term postcolonial both attracts and also creates distance, exegesis from a. American studies, postcolonial studies, and others. Pdf postcolonial biblical criticism and queer studies. Third, postcolonial biblical criticism has embarked upon retrieval hermeneutics, and three tasks can be identified here. The babylonian empire in the bible hemchand gossai. This wideranging reader provides a comprehensive survey of the interaction between postcolonial criticism and biblical studies. He provides a comprehensive overview of the origins, definitions, and procedures of postcolonial criticism, followed by a discussion of the significance of postcolonial criticism in biblical interpretation.
He reveals how postcolonial criticism can offer new perspectives to our understanding of the bible. In postcolonial biblical interpretation jeremy punt reflects on the nature and value of the postcolonial hermeneutical approach, as it relates to the interpretation of biblical and in particular, pauline texts. Showing when a sociopolitically engaged reading becomes postcolonial, but also what in the term postcolonial both attracts and also. Sugirtharajah explores the implications of postcolonial criticism for biblical studies. Postcolonial theory takes many different shapes and interventions, but all share a fundamental claim. Postcolonial biblical criticism has been one of the most important and vibrant developments in contemporary biblical studies.
We, however, do not share the pessimism ofsugritharajah that our world will never. Materialistmarxist interpretations and postcolonial biblical criticism niall mckay. Postcolonialism and the hebrew bible society of biblical. Pdf postcolonial biblical criticism in methods for. An important trajectory in postcolonial biblical criticism involves what is often called reading against the grain, an approach that calls upon the reader to adopt an attitude that differs from the texts implied reader this resistantreading approach has been typically applied to biblical texts that are generally thought to promote.
Postcolonial biblical hermeneutics hermeneutical principles postcolonial biblical critics use a multilayered biblical hermeneutic, one that emphasizes. Postcolonial biblical criticism is the most indepth and multifaceted introduction to this emerging field to date. Postcolonialism exploring postcolonial biblical criticism. A description of the symbiosis between postcolonial theory and biblical hermeneutics in a subsaharan context. Postcolonial biblical interpretation oxford reference. Bible in the korean resistance against the japanese empire 19101945 jina kang.
History, method, practice offers a concise and multifaceted overview of the origins, development, and application of postcolonial criticism to biblical studies offers a concise and accessible introduction to postcolonial biblical studies. Postcolonial theory is a body of thought primarily concerned with accounting for the political, aesthetic, economic, historical, and social impact of european colonial rule around the world in the 18th through the 20th century. History, method, practice ebook 9781444396645 by r. Postcolonial criticism is an examination of the history, culture, and especially literature of cultures of africa, asia including the indian subcontinent, the caribbean islands, and south.
This handbook is currently in development, with individual articles publishing online in advance of print publication. Kinyua, johnson kiriaku, a postcolonial analysis of bible translation and its effectiveness in shaping and enhancing the discourse of colonialism and the discourse of resistance. Many postcolonial writers write in english and focus on. This article aims to explore the possible relations or links between postcolonial and queer biblical criticisms by trying to understand wherein such links may be situated and also how queer theorytheories function in postcolonial biblical criticism. So when one writes in the early days of postcolonial criticism, it designates barely more than a decade and a half, yet within that time and in the vast swirl of possible approaches to biblical interpretation, let alone the wider field of literary criticism, postcolonial criticism has established itself as a major approach in biblical. All are presenting their ideas and assumptions in the midst of a discussion that has long been controlled by the dominant few. Sugirtharajah is a reader in biblical hermeneutics at the university of birmingham. It probes postcolonial biblical criticism from a number of different but interrelated angles in order. Third, i make suggestions for a liberative biblical pedagogy. Oxford handbook of postcolonial biblical criticism oxford. Marginality first draft 2 postcolonial biblical criticism is eminently suitable to address the complexities emerging from both historical and discursive colonialism. The key concepts is fully updated and crossreferenced throughout. Postcolonial studies has recently made significant inroads into biblical studies, giving rise to numerous conference papers, articles, essays and books. The research studies and essays that appear in the edited work of segovia and tolbert 19953 and in two volumes in semeia 7576 1996, 78.
The gikuyu new testament a case study, black theology 11. His latest book may well turn out to be his most important. Postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation isbn. Demonstrates how different biblical writers such as paul, matthew and mark handled the challenges of empire. In great britain the terms cultural criticism and cultural studies are. This wideranging reader provides an extensive survey of the interaction between postcolonial criticism and biblical studies. They examine how various past empires such as those of persia and rome affected the narratives of the bible, how different biblical writers handled the challenges of empire, and show how. Postcolonial perspectives in african biblical interpretations edited by musa w. Sugritharajah, exploring postcolonial biblical criticism. Pdf postcolonial biblical criticism in methods for exodus. Jun 06, 2005 postcolonial biblical criticism is the most indepth and multifaceted introduction to this emerging field to date. The neoassyrian empire through a postcolonial lens safwat marzouk. As is in postcolonial discourse, the term postcolonial is used without a hyphen, denoting an intellectual reaction against the colonial, instead of being merely sequential to it. R s sugirtharajah this stimulating study explores the implications of postcolonial criticism for biblical studies.
Essentially, postcolonial biblical criticism is about exploring who is entitled to tell stories and who has the authority to interpret them r. With additional further reading this book has everything necessary for students and anyone keen to learn more about this fascinating subject. Dec 17, 2018 postcolonial biblical criticism and queer studies. Second, i utilize postcolonial hermeneutics, using the story of hagar. Postcolonial biblical criticism and queer studies oxford. Sugirtharajah has published widely on biblical interpretation and especially on the intersection between postcolonialism and biblical studies.
His publications include, postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation 2002, postcolonial reconfigurations 2003, the bible and empire 2005, postcolonial biblical reader 2006, still at the margins 2006, voices from the margin 1995. Postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation. It probes postcolonial biblical criticism from a number of different but interrelated angles in order to bring it into as. Postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation book. In other words, postcolonial biblical criticism is a form of ideology criticism, which considers the sociopolitical context and goes even further to address the silencing of the voice of the other through the colonial strategy punt 2003. Sugirtharajah provides a comprehensive overview of the origins, definitions, and procedures of postcolonial criticism, followed by a discussion of its significance in biblical interpretation. Journal of postcolonial networks volume 1 november 2011. Postcolonial biblical criticism the intercultural bible. The first is to retrieve sidelined, silenced, writtenout, and often maligned biblical figures and biblical incidents and restore their dignity and authenticity. Includes examples of the practical application of postcolonial. Showing when a sociopolitically engaged reading becomes postcolonial, but also what in the term postcolonial both attracts and also creates distance, exegesis from a postcolonial. Empire studies and postcolonial biblical criticism. His publications include, postcolonial criticism and biblical interpretation 2002, postcolonial reconfigurations 2003, the bible and empire 2005, postcolonial biblical reader 2006, still at the margins 2006. Ecology and postcolonial biblical criticism by ellen f.
Postcolonial literature comes from britains former colonies in the caribbean, africa and india. Discursive alignments at the epistemological level as well as shared thematic and methodological interests illustrate the. Society of biblical literature global perspectives on biblical scholarship. Examines how various empires such as the persian and roman affected biblical narratives. A critical approach with an optimistic view of postcolonial theory is therefore more preferable than a pessimistic view. Precolonial, colonial and postcolonial encounters, the postcolonial bible, asian biblical hermeneutics and postcolonialism, and is general editor of. Boer 1998 writing on postcolonial biblical criticism states that biblical studies is itself a subset of religion, which belongs to the superstructure of the totality of society, sharing that space with art.
Oxford handbook of postcolonial biblical criticism. Postcolonial theory as a hermeneutical tool for biblical. Matrix of a postcolonial biblical criticism postcolonialism. Jun 30, 2017 in other words, postcolonial biblical criticism is a form of ideology criticism, which considers the sociopolitical context and goes even further to address the silencing of the voice of the other through the colonial strategy punt 2003. Postcolonial theory as a hermeneutical tool for biblical reading. Postcolonial theory as a hermeneutical tool for biblical reading 342 hts 641 2008 voices from the margin2 is recognised as a good contribution for postcolonial theory in biblical criticism. Postcolonial biblical interpretation reframing paul brill.