Exegesis in the Making

Anna Runesson, Lic.Phil. (2007) in New Testament Studies, Lund University, Sweden, is rector of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Toronto. Previousl publications include studies on postcolonialism and contextual theology. She is currently writing a commentary on the Gospel of Mark.

• CONTENTSList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations Chapter One: Introduction PART ONETHE THEORETICAL LOCATION AND CONTRIBUTION OF POSTCOLONIAL NEW TESTAMENT STUDIESChapter Two Introduction 2.1 Procedure 2.2 Postcolonial Studies: Some Initial Remarks Chapter Three The Theoretical Location of Postcolonial Studies 3.1 The Postcolonial Phenomenon: A Presentation and a Definition 3.1.1 Excursus: Who is a Postcolonial Scholar? 3.2 Perspectives and Methods 3.2.1 Episteme: What is Reality? 3.2.2 Deconstruction—a Theory and a Method 3.3 Postcolonial Studies and New Testament Exegesis 3.4 Summary Chapter Four Deconstructing Western Biblical Studies 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Exegesis in a Nutshell: A Short Presentation of its History 4.2.1 Defining Exegesis 4.2.2 The Historical Critical Discourse 4.2.3 Summary 4.3 Postcolonial Critique of Traditional Historical Critical Discourse 4.3.1 General Critique of Historical Critical Discourse 4.3.1.1 Positivism and ‘Objectivism’ 4.3.1.2 The Nature and Intention of the Biblical Text 4.3.2 Specific Critique of Historical Critical Discourse 4.3.2.1 Orientalism and the Portrayal of ‘the Other’ 4.3.2.2 Hegemony and Truth Claims 4.3.2.3 Relevance as a Critical Problem 4.3.3 Kwok and the Quest for the Historical Jesus: A Test Case 4.3 Summary Chapter Five Constructing Postcolonial Biblical Analysis 5.1 Redefining Exegesis: Introducing Postcolonial Approaches 5.2 Category One: Postcolonial Analysis within the Historical Critical Paradigm 5.2.1 Tracing Colonial Elements and Abuses in New Testament Texts 5.2.2 Mapping Colonial Spread of Western Biblical Criticism 5.2.3 Translating the Bible in an Indian Context 5.2.4 Inter-Textual Comparisons 5.2.5 Mapping Historical Contacts: The Ancient World Beyond the Euphrates 5.3 Category Two: Postcolonial Methodological Approaches Beyond Western Historical Critical Discourses 5.3.1 Dhvani Exegesis 5.3.2 Dalit Exegesis 5.3.3 Minjung Exegesis 5.3.4 Postcolonial Imagination 5.4 Summary Chapter Six Summary and Conclusion: Postcolonialism andthe Search for “Authentic Exegesis” contents ixPART TWOPOSTCOLONIAL READINGSChapter Seven: Introduction Chapter Eight Postcolonial Analysis, History, and Hermeneutics 8.1 Musa W. Dube (University of Botswana). Consuming a Colonial Cultural Bomb: Translating Badimo Into ‘Demons’ in the Setswana Bible (Matthew 8.28–34;15.22; 10.8) 8.2 Khiok-Khng Yeo (Garrett-Evangelical Seminary, USA/Beijing University, China). The Rhetorical Hermeneutic of 1 Corinthians 8 and Chinese Ancestor Worship 8.3 Gregory David Wiebe (McMaster University, Canada). The Demonic Phenomena of Mark’s “Legion”:Evaluating Postcolonial Understandings of Demon Possession Chapter Nine Postcolonial Approaches Beyond Western Historical Critical Discourses 9.1 George M. Soares-Prabhu (De Nobili College in Pune, India [† 1995]). And There Was a Great Calm: A ‘Dhvani’ Reading of the Stilling of the Storm (Mk 4:35–41) 9.2 George Zachariah (Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai, India). The Parable of the not so Prodigal Daughters: A Postcolonial Dalit Womanist Reading Bibliography Author and Subject Index