Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation

by Cain Hope Felder

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 1991

Overview

A hallmark of American black religion is its distinctive use of the Bible in creating community, resisting oppression, and fomenting social change. What can critical biblical studies learn from the African American experience with the Bible, and vice versa?

This singular volume marks the emergence of a critical mass of black biblical scholars. Combining sophisticated exegesis with special sensitivity to issues of race, class, and gender, the authors of this scholarly collection examine the nettling questions of biblical authority, blacks and African in biblical narratives, and the liberating aspects of Scripture. Together they are reshaping and redefining the questions, concerns, and scholarship that determine how the Bible is appropriated by church, academy, and the larger society today.

Key Features

• Contains a collaborative work of African American scholars
• Survyes the history and current state of African American biblical interpretation
• Examines the role of the Bible in African American religious traditions

Contents

Part I: The Relevance of Biblical Scholarship And The Authority Of The Bible

• Interpreting Biblical Scholarship for the Black Church Tradition - Thomas Hoyt, Jr.
• The Hermeneutical Dilemma of the African American Biblical Student - Renita J. Weems
• Reading Her Way through the Struggle: African American Women and the Bible - Renita J. Weems

Part II: African American Sources For Enhancing Biblical Interpretation

• The Bible and African Americans: An Outline of an Interpretative History - Vincent L. Wimbush
• “An Ante-bellum Sermon”: A Resource for an African American Hermeneutic - David T. Shannon

Part III: Race And Ancient Black Africa In The Bible

• Race, Racism, and the Biblical Narratives - Cain Hope Felder
• The Black Presence in the Old Testament - Charles B. Copher
• Beyond Identification: The Use of Africans in Old Testament Poetry and Narratives - Randall C. Bailey

Part IV: Reinterpreting Biblical Texts

• Who Was Hagar? - John W. Waters
• The Haustafeln (Household Codes) in African American Biblical Interpretation: “Free Slaves” and “Subordinate Women” - Clarice J. Martin
• An African American Appraisal of the Philemon-Paul-Onesimus Triangle - Lloyd A. Lewis

Contributors

• Thomas Hoyt, Jr.
• Renita J. Weems
• Vincent L. Wimbush
• David T. Shannon
• Cain Hope Felder
• Charles B. Copher
• Randall C. Bailey
• John W. Waters
• Clarice J. Martin
• Lloyd A. Lewis

Product Details

• Title: Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation
• Editor: Cain Hope Felder
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 272
• Resource Type: Collected Essays
• Topic: Biblical Interpretation

Benefits of Logos Edition

In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

About Cain Hope Felder

Cain Hope Felder is Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at the School of Divinity, Howard University, Washington, D.C., and editor of The Journal of Religious Thought. He is also author of Troubling Biblical Waters: Race, Class, Family.

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