The Postcolonial Biblical Reader

This wide-ranging reader provides an extensive survey of the interaction between postcolonial criticism and biblical studies. The readings illustrate the relevance of postcolonial criticism to biblical studies. They examine how various past empires such as those of Persia and Rome affected the narratives of the Bible, how different biblical writers handled the challenges of empire, and show how such modern empires as those of Britain, Russia, and America have affected interpretation. They also include illuminating examples of the practical application of postcolonial criticism to biblical texts, and explore major preoccupations of post colonialism, such as migration, representation, and the politics of translation. The volume will be essential reading for those interested in the contemporary debate surrounding the Bible and critical theory, and for those interested in empire.

R. S. Sugirtharajah is Professor of Biblical Hermeneutics at the University of Birmingham. Prior to his current appointment, he was Senior Lecturer in Third World Theologies at Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham. His previous publications include Postcolonial Reconfigurations (2003), Postcolonial Criticism and Biblical Interpretation (2002), The Bible and the Third World (2001), and The Bible and Empire: Postcolonial Explorations (2005).