Biblical Text and God's Character

The character of God as revealed in the Biblical text
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Goal of this research 2
Research question 2
Definition of terms 2
Literature review 2
Liberationist hermeneutics 2
Principles guiding hermeneutic liberationist 3
Methodology 4
Search procedure 4
Analysis of the literature 5
Expected outcomes 5
Influence by third-parties 6
Timeline 6
References 7
Introduction
In Judaism and Christianity, the Bible is attributed to a sacred status upon which rests the conviction that the Word is the receptacle of revealed divinity. However, among humanity, the knowledge that the Bible is the Word of God has not served to generate a common, uniform, and universal hermeneutical principle for its interpretation. Across human history, the Bible has been interpreted diversely, with some arguing that interpretation of the Bible must be literal because, by being the Word of God, it is explicit, express, and complete[footnoteRef:1]. Others have argued that the Words in the Bible bear a deeper spiritual meaning because the message of God and his truth are self-evidently profound. Hermeneutic liberationist is one of the ways of interpreting the Bible. [1: William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr. Introduction to biblical interpretation. Zondervan Academic, 2017.]
Throughout history, the Bible has been used to oppress those perceived to be weak, poor, or inferior. One of the best examples being slavery during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade were slaves were required to submit to their Masters, for they were superior based on their White skin color. To help maintain slavery, the white slave masters developed white supremacists' theories, which were founded on a biased interpretation of the Bible[footnoteRef:2]. The superiority story has always been drawn from the Noah story in the Bible, where he cursed Ham and declared Shem to be able all[footnoteRef:3]. In this sense, the Bible and its Euro-centric, male-dominant, White supremacist interpretation have been the source and cause of privilege and prejudice across the globe. However, through hermeneutic liberationist, the reader of the Bible develops a completely different understanding of the Word of God as revealed in the Bible, and as a consequence, a different understanding of the nature of God. [2: Gerald O. West. "Locating 'Contextual Bible Study' within biblical liberation hermeneutics and intercultural biblical hermeneutics." HTS Theological Studies 70, no. 1 (2014): 1-10.] [3: Genesis 9:20-27]
The goal of this research
This study is meant to determine the character of God as revealed in the biblical text, under the hermeneutic liberationist lenses of reading the Bible. This research seeks to explore how contextual biblical hermeneutics, in general, can be put in conversation with the historical-critical (original context) of the approach.
Research question
To help in meeting the study goal, this research will seek to answer the question: How could read the Bible (or specifics biblical texts) with a liberationist biblical hermeneutic impact a reader's understanding of the character of God?
Definition of terms
Hermeneutics: the interpretation of the biblical text to make sense and be useful to the reader[footnoteRef:4]. [4: Anthony C. Thiselton. Hermeneutics: an introduction. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009.]
Exegesis: the critical explanation of bible scripture[footnoteRef:5]. [5: John H. Hayes, and Carl R. Holladay. Biblical exegesis: a beginner's handbook. Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.]
Liberationist theology: the synthesis of the bible text within social, economic, and political circumstances concerning persons who are oppressed[footnoteRef:6]. [6: Supra, note 2, at 1-10.]
Literature review
Liberationist hermeneutics
The theology of liberation began to gain ground as a theological movement in the early years of the 1970s[footnoteRef:7]. Hermeneutics liberationist is a complex phenomenon, and it should be oversimplified. The beginning of this approach of interpreting the Bible is to be found from two church events; the Second Vatican Council with the declaration of aggiornamento and the need to orient the work of clerics to the needs of the common man, and the Second General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin[footnoteRef:8]. These two events were focused on the economic, social, and political events of Latin America. The movement then spread to other areas of the globe, including Asia, Africa, and the Black population within the United States. [7: Pontifical Biblical Commission. The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church: Address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and Document of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993.] [8: Ibid]
Liberationist hermeneutics might not be defined into a single methodology, theology, or manner of reading the Bible. Still, its traditional approach was orienting the Bible to the needs of the community that is seeking spiritual nourishment for its life and faith[footnoteRef:9]. Liberation theology is not limited to the objective interpretation of the meaning of the Word in the original usage. Still, it seeks to read the Word as per the context of the people hearing the Word at that moment. This means that for an individual who is living in a situation of oppression, then their reading of the Bible is meant to provide nourishment capable of sustaining the person in his struggle and provide hope required to carry through. This means that the reality of the reader is not to be ignored, but it has to be met head-on and using the Word to shed light on it and, if possible, find a way out. Through this, Christian praxis is to be derived from the light of love and justice, which triggers the transformation of society and delivers the oppressed from the struggles of every day. [9: Ibid]
Principles guiding hermeneutic liberationist
The God of the Bible is present in the history of the people He created and brings them salvation. He cares and loves the poor, and He doesn't tolerate oppression and injustice.
Exegesis is not neutral, and, in the imitation of God, it must take sides for the weak, oppressed, and poor and supports the struggle for the liberation of the oppressed.
It is the participation in the struggle for liberation from the oppression that allows the interpretations to emerge. These interpretations only emerge when the Bible is read in the context of the oppressed.
The process and agitation for liberation for the oppressed is a communal event. Thus, the community of the oppressed is the one addressed by the Bible as Word of liberation. In this perspective, the Word as contained in the Bible is relevant because of the foundational events, for example, the Exodus from Egypt and resurrection and passion of Jesus Christ as well as fresh realization all through history[footnoteRef:10]. [10: John E. Elliott."Oppression, Exploitation and Injustice in the Old Testament: The View from Liberation Theology." International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 19, No. 10/11/12 (1992): 15-52.]
Elements of undoubtedly value support liberation theology; a deep awareness of the saving presence of God, faith and its communal dimension, the need for liberation that's rooted in love and injustice, and the nourishment provided by reading of the Word by oppressed. These values emphasize the power of the Word when reading in the context of today's living.
Methodology
The systematic literature review methodology will be used for this research. This method is considered appropriate for this research as it allows for a review of the materials that are available on the subject. Through analysis, derive common themes that emerge from the review[footnoteRef:11]. This method will allow for a search and review of the text that has been produced by various authors, commentators, and researchers on the topic of explanation, and in particular, how these authors have characterized God based on their readings of the Bible, and how these readings, interpretations, and understandings have been used to justify and support a particular viewpoint on any given issue. [11: Iman Tikito, and Nissrine Souissi. "Meta-analysis of systematic literature review methods." International Journal of Modern Education and Computer Science 11, no. 2 (2019): 17.]
Search procedure
This method began with a review of the available literature and the development of relevant phrases. These phrases will be used as keywords in searching for relevant materials. The search will be done in various databases and search engines. The databases to be used include; Pitt Reference Library, ATLA Religion Database, ProQuest, and EBSCOhost. Search Engines to be sued are Google (google.com) and Google Scholar (scholar.google.com). The inclusion of the two search engines is meant to target such materials like commentaries which are relevant for this research but are considered to be nonacademic material. The keywords to be used in this search are; "hermeneutic liberationists," "liberationist theology," "bible liberationist exegesis," and "nature of God under liberationists theory." For commentaries, the research will seek to focus more on established commentators and thinkers, e.g., Delores Williams, Katie Canon, Eboni Marshall, Traci West, James Cone, Michael Eric Dyson, and Cornel West.
The search research will then be examined to determine compliance or otherwise, with the inclusion/exclusion criteria established for this research. The inclusion criterion is as follows; literature that is published, materials that have been published within the last ten years, materials that are published within the USA, UK, Australia, or South Africa, and materials published in the English language. The exclusion criterion is as follows; materials published on personal blogs, materials that do not cite any external sources, and materials written by authors with no established writing reputation.
Once the search results have been examined for inclusion, those materials that are selected for inclusion will then be examined to determine their relevance to the research question. This examination will first be done on the title of the materials. Those that their title is not relevant will be eliminated. Next, materials that qualify will be examined at the abstract/preface level. Those that are not relevant will be dropped. That last examination will be at the full-content level. Only those materials that are considered relevant at this level will then be used in the research.
The search, examination, and analysis of the materials to be used in this research will be done by the Principal Investigator (PI) with advice from library staff.
Analysis of the literature
Given the aim of this research, thematic analysis is considered to be the best-suited method[footnoteRef:12]. Thematic analysis of the materials selected from the systematic review will be analyzed under a code that will be developed based on the principles of Hermeneutic liberationist. Also, any common themes that might emerge from the materials being analyzed, and are divergent from the principles will be included. The process of conducting thematic analysis will involve extensive reading of the materials from the systematic review, then summarizing the content as per the principles of liberationist theology. [12: James Thomas, and Angela Harden. "Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews." BMC medical research methodology 8, no. 1 (2008): 45.]
Expected outcomes
The Bible was introduced to non-European and non-Jew communities by missionaries who were part of the colonial delegation. As a result, the Bible was, in part, used to require submission to the colonial masters, by being the Authority then, and subsequently, by the master's whiteness. By act – a biased one, the Bible was used to support and augment white supremacist theories that were used to support colonialism and slavery. However, through the liberationist theology, which the Bible is replete of, the minority and oppressed community have come to understand the true value and character of God and his position on the oppressed[footnoteRef:13]. Therefore, the oppressed can see God through their circumstances. [13: Supra, note 10, at 15-52.]
For the Latino and Black Church in America, the Asian Christian community in Asia, and the Christian Church in Independent Africa, the ideas that will be generated in these findings will add to the resource that is helping congregations in better understanding the nature of God as depicted in the Bible. This will be possible by providing the Word through the liberationist perspective and though individual stories and their collective congregational stories. It is expected that this research will improve the practice of discipleship and help to create an intimate relationship between the formerly oppressed communities and the God of the Bible. The principal investigator will be able to learn and provide useful information to add to how Biblical text is read and how this reading has informed the individuals and the worshipping community. Expected outcomes include the sharpening of Biblical reading and interpretation and the ways to proclaim and live that interpretation. This will lead to overall thinking of the congregation(s) towards a more ethical understanding of God's character.
Influence by third-parties
Thus far, this research has been influenced by various third parties among them; the research supervisors, and library staff at the Pitt Library reference staff. This influence is expected to continue into the research and reporting phases of the project. The influence of supervisors has played a crucial role in streamlining the current study, especially in the determination of the appropriate research method for this study. The Pitts Library reference staff has influenced this proposal in pointing the researcher into the right references for this study. Secondly, in the determination of the appropriate databases to search, so far, materials provided by the library reference staff has been significantly resourceful.
Timeline
Event
Timeline (months)
2020
2021
July
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Topic/ study area selection
Review of literature
Consultations with project supervisor
Proposal writing
Proposal presentation
Literature search and review/Analysis
Research report writing
Report presentation
References
Elliott, John E. "Oppression, Exploitation and Injustice in the Old Testament: The View from Liberation Theology." International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 19, No. 10/11/12 (1992): 15-52.
Hayes, John H., and Carl R. Holladay. Biblical exegesis: a beginner's handbook. Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
Klein, William W., Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr. Introduction to biblical interpretation. Zondervan Academic, 2017.
Pontifical Biblical Commission. The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church: Address of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and Document of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1993.
Thiselton, Anthony C. Hermeneutics: an introduction. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009.
Thomas, James, and Angela Harden. "Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews." BMC medical research methodology 8, no. 1 (2008): 45.
Tikito, Iman, and Nissrine Souissi. "Meta-analysis of systematic literature review methods." International Journal of Modern Education and Computer Science 11, no. 2 (2019): 17.
West, Gerald O. "Locating 'Contextual Bible Study' within biblical liberation hermeneutics and intercultural biblical hermeneutics." HTS Theological Studies 70, no. 1 (2014): 1-10.