The Futures Outside: Apocalyptic Epilogue Unveiled as Africana Queer Prologue

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
African Diaspora ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Queer People ◽  
Queer Temporality

This essay examines the epilogue of Revelation (22:8-21) as an intervention for new imaginations of, and actions toward, a new heaven and new earth that can be realized in the present. It names the ways that Revelation (indeed, the Bible) is used to make outsiders of queer people. More importantly it suggests that the author/narrator John is not the only one who can be filled with the spirit on the Lord(e)’s day with something to say to those “with ears to hear.” The particular “queer time and place” of this investigation occurs at the intersection of queers of color critique, theories of queer temporality, and Sankofa—the Akan concept that we take what is beneficial from the past in order to work toward a more pleasurable future. Composite sketches of the lives of queer folks in the African Diaspora are gathered to create a “deep archive” (following Judith Halberstam) from which Muñoz’s call for new visions of a utopian “then and there” can be articulated in resistance to their apocalyptic “here and now.” Consequently, a re-vision of the death-dealing epilogue can become a life-restoring prologue toward the enactment of Africana queer utopian futures outside of apocalyptic Christo-heteronormativity.

Empire, Postcolonial Criticism, and Biblical Studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Jacob
Keyword(s):  
Biblical Studies ◽  
Postcolonial Criticism ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Critical Scholarship ◽  
Convergence And Divergence ◽  
The Relationship

When it comes to the relationship between the Bible and ancient empires, the focus for the most part remains on the past and on the imperial contexts in which these texts were written. It must be noted that even though historical-critical scholarship has drawn our attention to historical contexts, empires continued to remain in the background in biblical studies. This chapter focuses on the relationship between the Bible and empire, not only of the past but also the present. It examines in depth the works of biblical scholars who have made a conscious attempt to expand the field of Biblical studies. Furthermore, by highlighting the points of convergence and divergence between the Bible and precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial empires, scholars can begin to see the ways in which the relationship between the Bible and empire has constantly evolved, transformed, and mutated as scholars transgress boundaries and draw on the work of one another.

Wisdom and Wisdom Literature

2021 ◽  
pp. xxii-14
Author(s):  
Will Kynes
Keyword(s):  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Wisdom Literature ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter introduces the volume by arguing that the study of biblical wisdom is in the midst of a potential paradigm shift, as interpreters are beginning to reconsider the relationship between the concept of wisdom in the Bible and the category Wisdom Literature. This offers an opportunity to explore how the two have been related in the past, in the history of Jewish and Christian interpretation, how they are connected in the present, as three competing primary approaches to Wisdom study have developed, and how they could be treated in the future, as new possibilities for understanding wisdom with insight from before and beyond the development of the Wisdom Literature category are emerging.

JONATHAN EDWARDS IN HIS TIME, AND IN OURS

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-398
Author(s):  
DAVID D. HALL
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of History ◽  
Jonathan Edwards ◽  
New Haven ◽  
Yale University ◽  
Indiana University ◽  
The Past ◽  
Princeton University ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Grand Rapids ◽  
The World

George M. Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2003)Robert E. Brown, Jonathan Edwards and the Bible (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002)Avihu Zakai, Jonathan Edwards's Philosophy of History: The Re-enchantment of the World in the Age of Enlightenment (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003)Amy Plantinga Pauw, “The Supreme Harmony of All”: The Trinitarian Theology of Jonathan Edwards (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2002)We play tricks on the past, but the past also plays tricks on us. We try to fool the past by reconstructing it in our own image, imposing order and significance on the untidy sources we depend upon. The trick the past plays on us is to remain defiantly strange, ever able to expose what it is that our gestures of sympathetic reconstruction have altered, ignored, or suppressed.

Sicilian Manna: A Sweet Gift of Nature

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-40
Author(s):  
anna tasca lanza
Keyword(s):  
Special Technique ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The People ◽  
Fraxinus Angustifolia ◽  
Alcoholic Drinks ◽  
Ancient Civilizations ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Historical References ◽  
The Ideal

An Unusual Ingredient – Manna Manna, a gift from nature, comes from a kind of ash called “Fraxinus angustifolia” or “Fraxinus ornus” found in the surrounding areas of the towns of Castelbuono, Pollina and Cefalù (Italy). In the past, it was grown extensively in the Mediterranean basin though all traces of it seem to be lost. The history is pieced together with historical references from the Bible, health manuals from ancient civilizations, and references to the implements used to harvest it. Its mysterious or miraculous properties are presented; two kinds of manna were thought to exist, one from Heaven, and the other from a tree. The ideal conditions for growing the trees and harvest are described with plentiful folklore, local customs, special vocabulary and tools mentioned. Manna is harvested in summertime when the plant is “in love”, from June to September or until the first rains, which would dissolve it, start to fall. The people of Pollina romantically call manna, “a sweet gift of nature”. It tastes like honey mixed with carob. The sap flows through a gash made with a special technique, using a curved cutter called a “mannarolo,” on the vein of the trunk of the tree, and it is left to drip for several days. The sap crystallizes and forms long clumps similar to stalactites, which are called “cannolo” in the manna-world vocabulary. The juice is violet and very bitter when it drips, but the contact with the air and the strong Sicilian sun dries and sweetens it. “Cannoli” are harvested with an “archetto.” There is a second and third grade of sap, which doesn’t crystallize or form cannoli. Prickly-pear leaves act as a sort of spout to catch the manna. Its medicinal qualities include its mild laxative effect, its natural sweetness for dietary purposes, and its use in digestive alcoholic drinks and cosmetics is noted. It is sold at pharmacies and tobacco stores.

scholarly journals ‘Text as condenser of cultural memory’: intertextual space of Valerii Shevchuk’s prose

2020 ◽  
pp. 33-54
Author(s):  
Iryna Prylipko
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Memory ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Intertextual Dialogue

The paper considers the demonstrative aspects of intertext in the prose by Valerii Shevchuk and focuses on the peculiarities of the works’ interaction with the Bible, mythology, and literature, which takes place at the level of different forms and types of intertext. Particular attention is paid to revealing the specifc ‘dialogue’ of V. Shevchuk’s works with their pretexts — hagiography, autobiographical and diary’s literature of Baroque. ɒ e examples discussed testify to the depth and ramifications of the intertextual dialogue in the writer’s prose, reveal the intellectual, philosophical, and elitist nature of his texts. A dialogue with the Bible, mythology, world and Ukrainian literature in the works by V. Shevchuk unfolds in the form of open and hidden quotations, allusions, reminiscences. These details aim at deepening the representation of ideas and themes, forming the subtexts, interpreting images. The writer creates a new artistic form — metatext — mainly through the reinterpretation of the pretexts, among which the works of the Baroque period (poetic, autobiographical, diary genres) and hagiography dominate. Transforming the pretexts at the level of contents, plot, genre, time and space, narrative, V. Shevchuk expands them with monologues, dialogues, descriptions, and details. In the process of interpreting prototexts, the writer resorts to modeling original images, in the context of which he actualizes some worldview points, reveals important moral, ethical, and philosophical problems. Allowing the perception of his work as a ‘textual game’, the writer, at the same time, does not reduce the role of intertext to the level of intellectual play. Intertext becomes a peculiar way of continuing the literary discourses of the past in a dialogue with them. They become re-read, ‘supplemented’ and thus brought once again into the continuous process of forming culture.

scholarly journals Being Biblical? Slavery, sexuality, and the inclusive community

2008 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Burridge
Keyword(s):  
Church Leadership ◽  
World View ◽  
Careful Analysis ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Ethical Debate ◽  
Ethical Teaching ◽  
Women In Church Leadership ◽  
The Last Two Millennia

The use of the Bible in ethical debate has been central for the last two millennia. Current debates about sexuality, or the position of women in church leadership, are marked by both, or all, sides of the argument using Scripture. However, this has been true of many issues in the past. This is demonstrated in the debate about slavery two hundred years ago. Careful analysis of the use of Scripture in both the justification and critique of apartheid reveals how both sides quoted Scripture in its various modes, such as rules, principles, paradigms, and overall world-view. The biographical nature of the Gospels means that we must set Jesus’ rigorous ethical teaching in the context of the narrative of his deeds, including his open and welcoming acceptance of all people. It was an inclusive community of interpretation which changed the debates about slavery and apartheid, and a similar inclusive community is needed today.

Why blackseed can be the cure for all illnesses except death

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-80
Author(s):  
Rashid Bhikha ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pharmacological Action ◽  
The Body ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The World ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Vast Range ◽  
Regular Intake

The use of plants to prevent and treat illnesses has been known since time immemorial. Blackseed has been used in different civilizations around the world for centuries. The curative properties of blackseed were mentioned in the Bible and further elaborated on by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) as “Hold on to the use of blackseed, as it has a remedy for every illness except death”. Extensive research conducted over the past century into the phytochemistry of blackseed has identified many active ingredients and confirmed its pharmacological action in the treatment of a vast range of illness conditions across the different systems of the body, including the prevention and treatment of cancer, and optimum functioning of the immune system. Furthermore, the Tibb philosophical principles highlight the ability of the body’s inherent self-healing capacity, known as Physis, and the intricate functioning of the human body, based on the temperamental and humoral theory. This paper emphasizes the importance of Physis, and its role in the maintenance and restoration of health with the regular intake of blackseed, highlighting why blackseed can be a cure for all illnesses except death. Keywords: Blackseed, phytochemistry, pharmacological action, Tibb philosophical principles.

The Southern Levant and the Ancient Near Eastern Canon

2020 ◽  
pp. 45-65
Author(s):  
Rachel Hallote
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Southern Levant ◽  
Near Eastern ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Narratives ◽  
History Of ◽  
Late Nineteenth

When the artistic canon of the Southern Levant coalesced in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, scholars thought of the region, then Ottoman Palestine, as the locus of the Bible. The small-scale nature of the archaeological finds as well as their relative dearth reinforced a reliance on biblical narratives as a framework for understanding the culture of the region. Moreover, early scholarship did not recognize the complex regionalism of the Southern Levant or the diversity of its populations. Consequently, the artistic canon that developed did not represent the historical and archaeological realities of the region. This chapter examines the history of how the artistic canon of the Southern Levant formed over the past century of scholarship, why various scholars of the early and middle twentieth century included particular items in the canon, and why these now entrenched representations may or may not be helpful to the discipline’s future.

scholarly journals Rethinking the message of the church in the 21st century: An amalgamation between science and religion

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk G. Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Science And Religion ◽  
Western World ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The World ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Theological Training

Throughout its history, Christianity has stood in a dichotomous relation to the various philosophical movements or eras (pre-modernism, modernism, postmodernism and post-postmodernism) that took on different faces throughout history. In each period, it was the sciences that influenced, to a great extent, the interpretation and understanding of the Bible. Christianity, however, was not immune to influences, specifically those of the Western world. This essay reflects briefly on this dichotomy and the influence of Bultmann’s demythologising of the kerygma during the 20th century. Also, the remythologising (Vanhoozer) of the church’s message as proposed for the 21st century no more satisfies the critical Christian thinkers. The relationship between science and religion is revisited, albeit from a different perspective as established over the past two decades as to how the sciences have been pointed out more and more to complement theology. This article endeavours to evoke the church to consider the fundamental contributions of the sciences and how it is going to incorporate the sciences into its theological training and message to the world.

Calvin, the Bible, and History

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Pitkin
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Biblical Interpretation ◽  
Historical Consciousness ◽  
Biblical Exegesis ◽  
Apostle Paul ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Introductory Overview ◽  
Historical Developments

Calvin, the Bible, and History investigates John Calvin’s distinctive historicizing approach to scripture. The book explores how historical consciousness manifests itself in Calvin’s engagement with the Bible, sometimes leading him to unusual, unprecedented, and occasionally deeply controversial exegetical conclusions. It reshapes the image of Calvin as a biblical interpreter by situating his approach within the context of premodern Christian biblical interpretation, recent Protestant hermeneutical trends, and early modern views of history. In an introductory overview of Calvin’s method and seven chapters focusing on his interpretation of different biblical books or authors, Barbara Pitkin analyzes his engagement with scripture from the Pentateuch to his reception of the apostle Paul. Each chapter examines intellectual or cultural contexts, situating Calvin’s readings within traditional and contemporary exegesis, broader cultural trends, or historical developments, and explores the theme of historical consciousness from a different angle, focusing, for example, on Calvin’s historicizing treatment of Old Testament prophecy, or his reflection of contemporary historiographical trends, or his efforts to relate the biblical past to present historical conditions. An epilogue explores the significance of these findings for understanding Calvin’s concept of history. Collectively these linked case studies illustrate the multifaceted character and expansive impact of his sense of history on his reading of the Bible. They demonstrate that Calvin’s biblical exegesis must be seen in the context of the rising enthusiasm for defining adequate and more formalized approaches to the past that is evident in the writings of Renaissance humanists, early modern historical theorists, and religious reformers across the confessional spectrum.

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