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Contextual Biblical Hermeneutics as Multicentric Dialogue
Towards a Singaporean Reading of Daniel
Series: - Biblical Interpretation Series, Volume: 175
Author:
In this book, Stephen Lim offers a contextual way of reading biblical texts that reconceptualises context as an epistemic space caught between the modern/colonial world system and local networks of knowledge production. In this light, he proposes a multicentric dialogical approach that takes into account the privilege of specialist readers in relation to nonspecialist readers. At the same time, he rethinks what dialogue with the Other means in a particular context, which then decides the conversation partners brought in from the margins. This is applied to his context in Singapore through a reading of Daniel where perspectives from western biblical scholarship, Asian traditions and Singaporean cultural products are brought together to dialogue on issues of transformative praxis and identity formation.
Stephen Lim, Ph.D. (2016), Kingâs College London is an adjunct lecturer at Hong Kong Sheng Kong Hui Ming Hua Theological College. His recent publications include The Impe(/a)rative of Dialogue in Asian Hermeneutics within the Modern/Colonial World System: Renegotiating Biblical Pasts for Planetary Futures (Biblical Interpretation, 2017).
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction: Reading the Bible in Asia Today
â1âContext and Contextualism
â2âBiblical Scholar as Public Intellectual
â3âThe Bible as Dangerous Other
â4âTowards a Singaporean Way of Reading
1 Challenges that Confront Any Attempt to Construct a Contextual Hermeneutic
â1âThe Public of Academy: Local Entanglements with the West
â2âThe Public of Church: Negotiating Fundamentalism and Its Excesses
â3âThe Public of Society: Friend or Foe?
â4âBringing the Three Publics Together
2 Reading and Nonspecialist Readers: Raising Consciousness
â1âReading Without: Excluding Nonspecialist Readers
â2âReading For: Nonspecialist Readers as Passive Recipients
â3âReading With: In Solidarity with Nonspecialist Readers
â4âReading From: A Necessary Intervention
3 Reading and the Other: A Framework for Conversation
â1âWho Defines Context?
â2âDangers of Territorialism
â3âDialoguing with An(-)Other
â4âSingaporean Biblical Hermeneutic as Multicentric Dialogue
4 Making Connections
â1âBuilding Bridges
â2âDynamics of Empires
â3âContextual Questions
5 Reading Daniel 1 in the Classroom of National Education
â1âDaniel 1: More than Food?
â2âBiblical Scholars: Piety or Protest
â3âDaniel the Confucian Gentleman?
â4âDaniel the Malay Muslim: Between Resistance and Oppression
â5âIn Conversation: Biblical Scholars, Confucius and Malays
6 Braving the Furnace of the Lionâs Den in the Lion City
â1âDaniel 3 and 6: Tales of Political Intrigue
â2âBiblical Scholars: Piety or Politics?
â3âGandhi: Politics of Piety
â4âSingaporean Political Prisoners: Piety and Politics
â5âIn Conversation: Biblical Scholars, Satyagrahi and Political Prisoners
7 Whose Dreams?
â1âDreams and Visions in the Stories of Daniel
â2âBiblical Scholars: Dreams of Falling Empires
â3âBuddhist Interpreters: Dreams of Transcending Empires
â4âMa: Dreams of Empires?
â5âIn Conversation: Biblical Scholars, Buddhist Interpreters and Ma
8 Daniel: From the Ancient Near East to Singapore
â1âRevisiting the Question of Religion and Politics in a Secular Society
â2âResponding to Capitalism: Logic of Purity to Logic of Impurity
â3âRelooking the Bible: Defamiliarising the Familiar
â4âWho is the Christian?
â5âA Debt Unpaid
Conclusion: Possible Futures for Bible and Asia?
â1âBiblical Hermeneutics and Contextualism
â2âConclusion
Appendix 1: Postcolonial and Decolonial: âSame Same but Differentâ
Bibliography
Abbreviations
Introduction: Reading the Bible in Asia Today
â1âContext and Contextualism
â2âBiblical Scholar as Public Intellectual
â3âThe Bible as Dangerous Other
â4âTowards a Singaporean Way of Reading
Part 1: A Singaporean Way of Reading
1 Challenges that Confront Any Attempt to Construct a Contextual Hermeneutic
â1âThe Public of Academy: Local Entanglements with the West
â2âThe Public of Church: Negotiating Fundamentalism and Its Excesses
â3âThe Public of Society: Friend or Foe?
â4âBringing the Three Publics Together
2 Reading and Nonspecialist Readers: Raising Consciousness
â1âReading Without: Excluding Nonspecialist Readers
â2âReading For: Nonspecialist Readers as Passive Recipients
â3âReading With: In Solidarity with Nonspecialist Readers
â4âReading From: A Necessary Intervention
3 Reading and the Other: A Framework for Conversation
â1âWho Defines Context?
â2âDangers of Territorialism
â3âDialoguing with An(-)Other
â4âSingaporean Biblical Hermeneutic as Multicentric Dialogue
Part 2: From the Abstract to the Concrete: Reading the Stories of Daniel in Singapore
4 Making Connections
â1âBuilding Bridges
â2âDynamics of Empires
â3âContextual Questions
5 Reading Daniel 1 in the Classroom of National Education
â1âDaniel 1: More than Food?
â2âBiblical Scholars: Piety or Protest
â3âDaniel the Confucian Gentleman?
â4âDaniel the Malay Muslim: Between Resistance and Oppression
â5âIn Conversation: Biblical Scholars, Confucius and Malays
6 Braving the Furnace of the Lionâs Den in the Lion City
â1âDaniel 3 and 6: Tales of Political Intrigue
â2âBiblical Scholars: Piety or Politics?
â3âGandhi: Politics of Piety
â4âSingaporean Political Prisoners: Piety and Politics
â5âIn Conversation: Biblical Scholars, Satyagrahi and Political Prisoners
7 Whose Dreams?
â1âDreams and Visions in the Stories of Daniel
â2âBiblical Scholars: Dreams of Falling Empires
â3âBuddhist Interpreters: Dreams of Transcending Empires
â4âMa: Dreams of Empires?
â5âIn Conversation: Biblical Scholars, Buddhist Interpreters and Ma
8 Daniel: From the Ancient Near East to Singapore
â1âRevisiting the Question of Religion and Politics in a Secular Society
â2âResponding to Capitalism: Logic of Purity to Logic of Impurity
â3âRelooking the Bible: Defamiliarising the Familiar
â4âWho is the Christian?
â5âA Debt Unpaid
Conclusion: Possible Futures for Bible and Asia?
â1âBiblical Hermeneutics and Contextualism
â2âConclusion
Appendix 1: Postcolonial and Decolonial: âSame Same but Differentâ
Bibliography
Mainly scholars in the margins of the West and the Global South who probe the boundaries of gender, class, and race in biblical texts, and anyone concerned with decolonising epistemology and ideas of context in general.