Toward an African Feminist Ethics and the Book of Proverbs
This essay posits that a feminist African ethics must be based on different principles than Weste... more This essay posits that a feminist African ethics must be based on different principles than Western Socratic-Aristotelian ethics. A feminist African ethics centers on communitarian notions of care and collective engagement. The female figures in Proverbs 1–9 illustrate the complex ethical situation in which feminist African ethicists find themselves. Woman Wisdom represents the traditional African ethics of care and empathy, whereas the Strange Woman represents the unethical system dominant in post-independent and postcolonial Africa. A feminist African ethics also has to recognize that it always operates in a confluence or amalgam of ethical paradigms. Most importantly, a feminist African ethics needs to deal with the significance of the social location and lived experiences of African women. The discussion of the relationship between Woman Wisdom and the Strange Woman teaches that the African and the Western ethical paradigms promote two antithetical ideologies or ways of life. Both of them exist in contemporary Africa, and the resulting tension challenges African feminist Bible scholars to struggle with the ethical incongruities prevalent within their geopolitical context.
Scriptura : international journal of bible, religion and theology in southern Africa, Dec 1, 2017
This article investigates the conceptions of night in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Son... more This article investigates the conceptions of night in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs in the light of the theology of night in the book of Job and the Psalter. It is noted that though some levels of correspondence are observable in the understandings of night in Proverbs-Ecclesiastes-Song of Songs and in Job-Psalter, the points of divergence are stronger. Whereas a strong feminist case can be made regarding the depictions of night especially in Proverbs and Song of Songs, evidence from Job-Psalter differs. In contrast, the unmistakable focus on God in the Job-Psalter conceptions of the night is completely absent in Proverbs-Ecclesiastes-Song of Songs.
(Un)Popular images of women in Yorb popular culture: A quest for human dignity
TeologieOu En Nuwe TestamentPlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of thi... more TeologieOu En Nuwe TestamentPlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: scholar@sun.ac.z
Exegetes consider Genesis 35:8 an intrusive verse in the narrative of Genesis 35:1-15 because of ... more Exegetes consider Genesis 35:8 an intrusive verse in the narrative of Genesis 35:1-15 because of its isolated mention of the death and burial of Deborah, Rebekah's nurse. However, the analysis of the verse in its literary and theological context in this article shows that it has been strategically placed in the narrative to underscore, among other things, the important role of Deborah in the Bethel tradition and the Jacob Cycle, as well as the subtle pointer to the fact that little people also have a place in the overall narrative of God's people.
Scriptura : international journal of bible, religion and theology in southern Africa, Jun 12, 2013
pproaching Old Testament narratives from the canonical perspective, Robin Gallaher Branch retells... more pproaching Old Testament narratives from the canonical perspective, Robin Gallaher Branch retells the stories of seven female characters who appear briefly in the Bible but whose contributions are considered unforgettable because not only did they change the course of history, their brief mention provides significant insight into the major characters with whom they are associated. The Bible mentions the names of three of the women-Miriam, the "pint-sized heroine" (p. 28); Rizpah who started out as "a pawn in the great game of kings" (p. 36) but ended up a silent activist (p. 60); and Athaliah, "daughter of a king, sister of a king, wife of a king, mother of a king" and later a queen in her own right (p. 159). The other four, the Wise Woman of Abel Beth Maacah, the Wife of Jeroboam, the Widow of Zarepath, and the Israelite Slave Girl (in 2 Kings 5) remain anonymous. Notably, some of the anonymous women are also silent e.g. Jeroboam's wife, while the others have speaking roles e.g. the Wise Woman of Abel. In a readable, racy and riveting style, Branch uncovers the lives of these otherwise obscure women by drawing attention to the historical settings and the other characters in their stories as well as the narrative strategies and tools which the biblical narrator employed to memorialize their lives. One of such tools is persuasion, which is used by Miriam, who is described as an "able communicator" (p. 27) or by the Wise Woman of Abel (pp. 69-70). Another common tool is the use of contrasts e.g., Athaliah's character as a wicked and murderous queen is portrayed in a way that contrasts sharply with that of Jehosheba and Jehoiada who both saved little Joash's life. However, one striking narrative tool that is hard to ignore in all the narratives examined is the use of silence-dominating and often awkward silence-on the part of those characters already textually muzzled, on the part of the narrator who refuses to divulge certain information, or even on the part of God who is sometimes absent in the stories. In Jeroboam's Wife, Branch demonstrates an adept grasp of Scriptures by means of copious intertextual references while at the same time drawing inspiration from extrabiblical sources especially rabbinic commentaries and Aggadah literatures. In nine chapters (excluding the introduction and conclusion), and over fifty pages of endnotes, the author convincingly establishes that "importance is not necessarily measured by the amount of textual space allocated to a character based on his or her social status and gender" (p. 172). She shows that the seven women have been able to hold out their own in spite of the terse mention they have been accorded in the narratives. That the book is written in excellent language and with much erudition cannot be ignored. However, one is left wondering whether the introduction of some modern A http://scriptura.journals.ac.za/
Most studies of angelic beings in the Bible do not attempt to interrogate their gender presumably... more Most studies of angelic beings in the Bible do not attempt to interrogate their gender presumably because of Jesus' statement in Matt 22:30 that angels do not marry neither are they given in marriage. Therefore, this article offers a textual review of biblical women's encounter with angelic beings and of instances in Scriptures in which angelic beings appear in what appear to be gendered forms which call into question the assumption that angels are sexless or genderless. It is argued that some form of degenderization is discernible in the depiction of these celestial beings in the Bible which could have significant implications for feminist biblical discourse of the ancient texts.
A textual overview of the book of Job and of the Psalter shows an existential correlation between... more A textual overview of the book of Job and of the Psalter shows an existential correlation between night and darkness that is naturally characterised by terror, horror, agony, oppression, pain, evil and wicked activities. However, the night, a symbol of uncertainty and fear is also portrayed as a time of revelation, of fellowship, and of divine activities, which neutralises in a sense the seeming polarity and tension between night and day, between nocturnality and diurnality. The theological analysis of the night in both the book of Job and the Psalter shows Yahweh as absolutely in control of the temporal order and it is argued that this has strong implications for wisdom theology in particular and for the theology of the HB as a whole.
Scriptura : international journal of bible, religion and theology in southern Africa, Aug 14, 2012
Certain elements of the origin and migration narratives of the Yoruba such as a common ancestor, ... more Certain elements of the origin and migration narratives of the Yoruba such as a common ancestor, common ancestral home, common belief in the Supreme Deity provide a basis for identity formation and recognition among the people. It is argued that the narratives help to bring to light the memories of the Exodus and Israel's recollection of Yahweh as the root of its identity. The juxtaposition of cosmogonic myths and migration theories foregrounds the elements of identity formation of the Yoruba people and have a parallel in the blending of both cosmic and migration elements in Exodus 14-15:18. This blending also points out clearly the role of Yahweh as the main character in the Sea event.
Even though a number of studies have probed the concept of time in the Hebrew Bible, very little ... more Even though a number of studies have probed the concept of time in the Hebrew Bible, very little has been said about night as a unit of time. This article investigates the conceptions and theology of night in Isaiah and in the Book of the Twelve (Minor Prophets). Whereas strong existential correspondence between day and night is found in Isaiah featuring both negative and positive associations with nocturnal activities, the concept of night is absent in parts of the Book of the Twelve. It is argued that the conceptions of night as depicted through the night-time activities and actors (which include God, prophets, watchers, the people of Israel, etcetera.) have implications for the theology and the worldviews expressed in these prophetic books.
This article examines the role of women in caregiving in the Old Testament and the outcomes/impac... more This article examines the role of women in caregiving in the Old Testament and the outcomes/impact of the task on them. It relies on a literature review of related topics to engage in a textual analysis of passages in which women are portrayed as caregivers and to relate this to the responsibility of caregiving on women today. To a large extent, the approach is interdisciplinary as it draws insight from social medicine and healthcare resources but because in the discussion both gender and health intersect (with religion), its findings may have implications for gender and feminist studies.
Do the images of women in popular culture correspond to the description of women in data on socia... more Do the images of women in popular culture correspond to the description of women in data on social reality? This article attempts to answer this question by investigating the influence of patriarchy on the portrayal of women Yorùbá in popular culture. To understand the predominant Yorùbá worldview and images of women, the women’s portrayal in popular texts is examined vis-à-vis the description of their position and role in the society. The primary assumption is that Yorùbá popular texts portray women negatively and in a way which contradicts real life roles and positions of Yorùbá women. On a secondary note, these popular texts neither promote human dignity as far as women are concerned nor do they take cognizance of the biblical view that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God.
This article shows that indigenous resources could serve as a complementary mode of enriching and... more This article shows that indigenous resources could serve as a complementary mode of enriching and expanding existing discourses in knowledge production and use, especially in Old Testament interpretation. Specifically, it argues that, as an indigenous resource, storytelling could be employed as a powerful tool in the interpretation of Old Testament ethics. This is because Old Testament ethics itself is rooted principally in story and because storytelling is universal, it offers a medium to which everyday people can easily relate. Because interpretive parallels abound between indigenous African stories and Old Testament narratives, on an ethical level, these stories could be explored for their hermeneutical value.
Woman Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is viewed as an enigmatic figure who performs multifaceted r... more Woman Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is viewed as an enigmatic figure who performs multifaceted roles of a teacher, builder, and nourisher, among other things. Drawing on Proverbs 9:1-6, this paper looks at the depiction of Woman Wisdom as a hospitable woman who beckons to others to come and share of her bounty. The association of the seemingly affluent Woman Wisdom with hospitality calls to mind the image of the African woman who carries out her own hospitality and accommodativeness often in the midst of aggravating poverty. The paper therefore urges the wealthy to take a cue from Woman Wisdom and be more ready to share freely of their overflow and of their space as a way of alleviating poverty in Africa and upholding the dignity of all. It also calls on women and women groups to emulate Woman Wisdom (and the lyI x; tv, ae) by offering alternative strategies to the chronic poverty on the continent.
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