A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings

Description

Since its emergence a few years ago, postcolonial biblical criticism has witnessed swift expansion and development in Biblical Studies. This critical approach has been increasingly applied to biblical texts as well as modern and postmodern interpretations and interpreters of these texts, yielding an ever-growing body of dissertations, scholarly articles, and volumes. In the process, this approach has become increasingly sophisticated as well in matters of method and theory. This Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings represents a critical benchmark in postcolonial biblical criticism. Indeed, the Commentary stands as the most comprehensive application to date of postcolonial criticism to the biblical texts, with its focus on the entire corpus of the New Testament. It places the reality and ramifications of imperial-colonial frameworks and relations at the centre of biblical criticism. The various entries pursue their analysis across a broad range of concerns and through a number of different approaches. They show, among other things, how texts and interpretations construct and/or relate to their respective imperial-colonial contexts; foreground literary, rhetorical, and ideological marks of coloniality and postcoloniality in both texts and interpretations; reveal how postcolonial reading strategies disrupt and destabilize hegemonic biblical criticism; and engage in critical dialogue with the visions and projects identified in texts as well as in interpretations. Toward this end, the Commentary has recourse to a highly distinguished and diversified roster of scholars, making this a definite point of reference for years to come.

Fernando F. Segovia is Oberlin Graduate Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, at the Divinity School, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. His recent publications include Postcolonial Biblical Criticism (T&T Clark, 2005), coedited with Stephen Moore; Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth: Essays in Honor of Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza (Orbis Books, 2003). R. S. Sugirtharajah is Professor of Biblical Hermeneutics, University of Birmingham. Recent publications include: The Bible and Empire: Postcolonial Explorations (Cambridge, 2005), Postcolonial Criticism and Bibical Interpretation (Oxford, 2002), Postcolonial Reconfigurations: An alternative way of reading the Bible and doing Theology, SCM Press, London, 2003.

"This book is a good resource for all serious students of Scripture." The Expository Times, 1st May, 2010. "Highly integrative critical analysis of each of the New Testament writings are provided by eminent theologians mostly from the anglophone world, but also the Philippines and Brazil. In a 68-page introduction, Segovia compares the contributions in terms of the meaning and scope of postcolonial criticism, approach and argument in postcolonial criticism, the Christian Church and the Roman Empire in postcolonial criticism, and interpretive findings and critical stance. Sugirtharajah presents an epilogue on the next phase of postcolonial and biblical interpretation. The anthology was first published in 2007 as volume 13 of the Bible and Postcolonialism series."-Eithne O'Leyne, BOOK NEWS, Inc. 'A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings provides a much-needed fresh look at the writings of the New Testament. It does so with the big questions in mind that are now reshaping not only the various fields of religious studies but academic inquiry as a whole. . . . In sum, this Commentary is a marvelous achievement of which people in my field, systematic theology, can only dream at this point, although some of us have begun the world.' -- Biblical Interpretation Book note in Interpretation "The publication of this Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament is an event to be celebrated. These studies are uniformly well written by scholars already known to us for their excellent scholarship, and here they continue to provoke us to new levels of encountering the New Testament with chapters that are informative, at times even inspiring, always provocative, and more than a little unsettling. At last we are moving beyond tedious methodological debates and we finally have a very useful tool for New Testament study that is written for the issues of the third millennium. At last we have a progressive and substantial resource that can be among the first tools we turn to in reading or teaching the Bible...These essays invite us to read the Bible very seriously - and they establish clearly that there are social and political realities of reading the Biblical texts, not only in it's own historic context, but inescapably in our modern context as readers and interpreters. The writers of this commentary courageously challenge Bible readings and traditions that have often contributed to very real abuses. But even more importantly - many of these chapters offer genuine directions forward for Biblical Theologies that can assist all of us in building new societies of hope and change. These learned readers of the New Testament effectively insist that we pay attention to the issues and peoples who have too long been callously left out or conveniently left behind." Daniel L. Smith-Christopher, Loyola Marymount University, California, USA -- Daniel L. Smith-Christopher, Loyola Marymount University, California, USA Mention - International Review of Biblical Studies, vol. 54:2007/08 "this book is really a major landmark in postcolnial biblical criticism" Journal for the study of the New Testament, 30 May 2008 -- Peter Oakes "This interesting and valuable volume offers the most comprehensive postcolonial treatment of the NT writings to date, and it includes many of the leading theorists in this regard. Recommended for students and scholars in biblical studies." Religious Studies Review, September 2009 " Segovia and Sugirtharajah do not need presentations: they are leading scholars in the field of postcolonial biblical criticism. This co-edited book is a living testimony to the interdisciplinary approach and creativity which characterises their work. Using different methodological approaches, the contributions are both original and well researched. A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings is a very impressive book: Highly recommended." Marcella Althaus-Reid, University of Edinburgh, UK -- Marcella Althaus-Reid, University of Edinburgh, UK 'Anyone with an interest in the complicated dynamic of how early Christian and Jewish identity related to Roman Imperial culture will surely find this commentary highly valuable. The work as a whole is highly impressive and gives ample invitations for continued research and discussions.' Hans Leaner, RBL 10/2008 -- Hans Leander * Review of Biblical Literature * 'This Postcolonial Commentary on every book of the New Testament is a major and welcome achievement, and I agree with Segovia's comment in the introduction that it is "a collection of incredible breadth and immense richness"' Jonathan A. Draper, RBL 10/2008 -- Jonathan A. Draper * Review of Biblical Literature *