Postcolonial Anxieties and Biblical Criticism in (South) Africa
Journal Article
2009
Permanent link to this Item
Authors
Journal Title
Neotestamentica: Journal of the New Testament Society of South Africa
Link to Journal
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Publisher
University of Cape Town
Department
Faculty
License
Series
Abstract
Using Francis Watson's metaphor of a "three-way conversation," this article undertakes an analysis of Paul's recourse to Deuteronomy in light of the Temple Scroll and its own engagement with Deuteronomy. After a brief introduction to the Temple Scroll, the article first explores the question of hermeneutical stance toward Deuteronomy, suggesting that both Paul and the Temple Scroll interpret scriptural passages from Deuteronomy in light of other scriptural loci and rewrite Deuteronomy with a certain amount of actualizing interpretation as a word to the present. Second, the Temple Scroll's well-known stress on halakhah is compared with Paul's letters, and several key areas of Paul's ethical engagement with Deuteronomy are shown to be engaged in similar questions, though not always with the same answers. Finally, a concluding comparison sets forth their similarities and differences as each engages in a very different act of correlation between Deuteronomy and the present.
Description
Reference:
England, F. (2009). Postcolonial anxieties and biblical criticism in (South) Africa. Neotestamentica, 43(1), 27-48.