Raquel St. Clair, “Womanist Biblical Interpretation”
posted to D2L Discussion Questions: This Far by Faith, New Testament (THEO 1000) Brief summary:
This reading is to introduce you to one of the ways that scholars in theology and religious studies view Jesus in relation to feminism. The first part of Prof. St. Clair’s article provides an overview (pages 54-58) in which she defines Womanism, refers to the importance of Alice Walker for the definition, and situates womanism historically in relation to both feminist and black liberation movements
. In the section on “Womanist Christology” (pages 58-59), she identifies two primary reasons for Jesus’ critical role in the theological understanding of African American women. In her final section, “Hermeneutics of Wholeness” St. Clair lists four tenets for womanist biblical interpretation. Definition of terms:
Hermeneutics is just the fancy word for “interpretation.” Christology is the word for an understanding of Jesus. There are many different christologies. Preparation questions: (1)
What are some of St. Clair’s key points in th
e overview section (pages 54-58)? How specifically does she define Womanist and Womanism? How did Alice Walker have an important role in the definition? How does St. Clair situate womanism historically within the feminist movement? (2)
In the section on “Womanist Christology” (pages 58
-59), St. Clair identfies two primary reasons for Jesus’ critical role in the theological understanding of African American women. What are those two reasons? What are the four basic Christological principals that womanist interpretation keeps in mind in order not to perpetuate the suffering of African American women? What points about Jesus’ suffering does St. Clair emphasize in the third and fourth principals respectively? (3)
In her final section, “Hermeneutics of Wholeness” (pages 59-60), St. Clair lists four tenets for womanist biblical hermeneutics. What are these four tenets? What concern does womanist interpretation have regarding the wholeness of people who are not African American? (4)
What role does a person’s social location play for creating meaning vis
-à-vis the biblical text? Does the text constrain meaning to some extent? How so? (5)
Does Prof. St. Clair discuss the matter of depictions of Jesus, that is, what Jesus looks like? If so, what is her view as a womanist about that matter?
