Toward a postcolonial reading of the Epistle of James : James 2:1-13 in its Roman imperial context / by Ingeborg Mongstad-Kvammen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mongstad-Kvammen, Ingeborg.

Series:

Biblical interpretation series ; v. 119.

Biblical interpretation series, 0928-0731 ; volume 119

Language:

English

Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Latin

Subjects (All):

Bible. James II, 1-13--Postcolonial criticism.

Bible.

Postcolonial criticism of sacred works.

Physical Description:

xiv, 252 pages ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden : Brill, 2013.

Language Note:

Includes text in English, Greek, and Latin.

Summary:

Toward a Postcahnial Reading of the Epistle of James offers an interpretation of Jas 2:1-13 putting the text in the midst of the Roman imperial system of rank. This study shows that the conflict of the text has more to do with differences of rank than poverty and wealth. The main problem is that the Christian assemblies are acting according to Roman cultural etiquette instead of their Jewish-Christian heritage when a Roman equestrian and a beggar visit the assembly. The members of the assemblies are accused of having become too Roman. From a postcolonial perspective, this is a typical case of hybrid identities. Additional key concepts from postcolonialism, such as diaspora, 'othering', naming of oppressors, and binarisms such as coloniser/colonised, centre/margin, honour/shame and power/powerless, are highlighted throughout the study. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part 1 Introduction and Background

Introduction 3

Theoretical Perspective-A Postcolonial Optic on James 2:1-13 3

Prelude 3

Postcolonialism and Biblical Studies 5

Obstacles to Applying a Postcolonial Optic to Biblical Research 8

The Application of a Postcolonial Optic to the Interpretation of James 2:1-13 10

Methodology 12

Inner Texture 13

Intertexture 14

Social and Cultural Texture 15

Ideological Texture 16

1 The Epistle of James-Preliminary Considerations 17

Author and Time 18

Early Dating and James the Brother of the Lord as Author 19

Late Dating and a Pseudonymous Author 23

Conclusion: Date and Authorship 27

Location of the Author 28

Addressees 29

Inner Texture, Genre and Theological Background 31

Inner Texture 31

Genre 38

Theological Background 39

The Epistle of James in a Graeco-Roman Context 43

James 2.1-13 in Its Jamesian Context 44

Propositio 46

Ratio 46

Confirmatio 47

Exornatio 48

Conplexio 49

Summary 50

2 Situating the Present Investigation within Recent Jamesian Research 51

Introduction 51

Martin Dibelius 52

Poor and Rich in Jamesian Research 55

Elsa Tamez 55

Pedrito U. Maynard-Reid 59

Matthias Ahrens 60

Wesley Hiram Wachob 61

David Hutchinson Edgar 63

Martin Hengel 64

Summary 66

Interpretative Needs and Interpretative Conditions Concerning James 2:1-13 67

Part 2 A Postcolonial Interpretation of James 2:1-13

3 Social and Cultural Texture: A Short Overview of Roman Political History and Markers of Social Affiliation 73

Introduction 73

Government of the Republic 74

The Assemblies and the Magistracies 74

The Ordines 75

Government of the Empire 76

Transition from the Republic to the Empire 76

The Equestrian Order in the Government of the Empire 79

Markers of Social Affiliation in the First-Century C.E. Roman Empire 82

Introduction 82

Centres and Margins in the Empire 83

Signs of Rank 85

A Sketch of First-Century Civic Life within the Roman Empire 94

Social Mobility? 97

πρ οσωπολημψ ια in the Empire? Partiality and Social Rank 99

4 Exegesis of James 2:1-13 101

Textual Basis and Translation 101

The Textual Basis of the Epistle of James-General Considerations 101

Possible Text Critical Problems 102

Translation 103

Structure of the Exegetical Analysis of James 2:1-13 103

Verse 1-Propositio 104

Inner Texture 105

Intertexture of Sibling Terminology 105

The Intertexture of προσωπολημψ ια 111

The Cultural Texture of προσωπολημψια 112

Ideological Texture of προσωπολημψια 114

The Inner Texture of πιωτις του χνριου ημων 'Ιηωου Χριωτου της δοξης 115

The Intertexture of δοξα 117

Summary of v. 1 117

Verses 2-4-Ratio 118

Inner Texture 118

Reflections on the Conditional Sentence of vv. 2-4 119

Intertexture of συναγωγη υμων (v. 2) 124

Identity and Cultural Texture of the ανηρ Χρυωοδαχτυλιος (v. 2) 126

Identity and Cultural Texture of the πτωχος (V. 2) 128

Ideological Texture 135

The Nature of the Gathering (v. 2) 136

Cultural Texture of the Assembly (v. 2) 142

Cultural Texture of the Scenario of vv. 2-4 143

Inner Texture of v. 4 145

Intertexture of διεχριθητε εν εαυτοις (v. 4) 146

Intertexture of χριται διαλογισμων πονηρων (v. 4) 148

Summary of vv. 2-4 150

Verses 5-7-Confirmatio 152

Inner Texture 152

Intertexture of εχλεγομαι andχληρονομος της βασιλειας (v. 5) 153

Intertexture of οι πηωχοι τω χοσμω (v. 5) 156

Intertexture of πλουσιοι εν πιστει (v. 5) 158

Cultural Texture of ατιμαζω (V. 6a) 162

Intertexture of ατιμαζω (v. 6a) 165

Ideological Texture-The Absolute Poor Are Not the Powerless 167

Cultural Texture of χαταδυναστευomega; (v. 6b) 167

Ideological Texture of χαταδυναστευomega; 171

Intertexture of το χαλον ονομα επιχληθεν εφ' υμασ and βλασΦημεω (v. 7) 171

Summary of vv. 5-7 17 5

Verses 8-11-Exomatio 176

Inner Texture 177

Intertexture of νομος (v. 8) 179

Intertexture of αμαρτια and παραβατης (v. 9) 188

Intertexture of the Single Commandments in vv. 10-11 189

Ideological Texture: αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ωζ σεαυτον 192

Summary of vv. 8-11 193

Verses 12-13-Conplexio 194

Inner Texture 194

Intertexture of χρινομαι (v. 12) and χρισις (v. 13) 196

Intertexture of ελεος and ανepsilon;λος (v. 13) 198

Ideological Texture: ελεος - ανepsilon;λος 202

Summary of vv. 12-13 202

Interpretative Results 202

5 Ideological Texture: Toward a Postcolonial Reading on James 2:1-13 205

Introduction 205

The Precondition of the Epistle of James-Diaspora 206

Imperial Presence in James 2:1-13 308

Hybrid Identities in James 2:1-13 210

Oppression in James 2:1-13 211

Binarism in James 2:1-13 213

Portrayal of The Other1 in James 2:1-13 216

The Consequence of James' Strategy in James 2.1-13 216

Part 3 Conclusions

6 Conclusions 221

Introduction 221

The Structure and Genre of the Epistle of James 222

The Complex Issue of Rich and Poor-in Relation to Rank and Power 223

Colonial Subjects, Processes of Colonialism and Texts 224

Further Research Needs 227.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 229-237) and indexes.

ISBN:

9789004251861

9004251863

OCLC:

841516086