Voices from the Margin: Interpreting the Bible in the Third World [Paperback]

R. S. Sugirtharajah (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1995

Professional scholars and ordinary people contribute to this book, which is written from the perspective of those in the Third World. Writing from an experience of injustice and oppression, hunger and exploitation, they explore issues of racism and sexism, class struggle and religious triumphalism.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 484 pages
• Publisher: Oriental Book Store (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570750467
• ISBN-13: 978-1570750465
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voices From the Margin: Listen to them!, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Voices from the Margin: Interpreting the Bible in the Third World (Paperback)

Western colonial governments and missionary movements over centuries brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to many parts of the world. At the turn of this new century, with most African, Asian, and South American countries having gained independence from their former colonists, Third World Christians struggle with a heritage of Western theology, expectations, and abuses. New generations in a maturing church are questioning the need for Christ's message to be filtered through, and approved by, Western scholarship. With some sense of hurt and resentment, yet with a desire to effectively bring the gospel to their own peoples, Third World theologians support creative biblical hermeneutics that fit their cultures. This book is a collection of thirty-four writings by authors from twenty-two countries.

The term "Third World" is used by editor Sugirtharajah as "a socio-political designation of a people who have been excluded from power and authority to mould and shape their future." He takes the original Western view of poor, underdeveloped countries and turns it around to define the people from their own position. Sugirtharajah also chose the word "margin" for his title and to describe Third World peoples not because he wishes to continue any negative impression; rather he finds the theologians at the fringes of acceptable Christian thinking to be doing the most lively and exciting work.

Some American Christians could be surprised by some articles. Re-write the Bible? Reject the liberation theology of the Exodus story as oppressive to his people? Question the biblical canon sealed long ago by Western church fathers, and add Asian scriptures to it? Many writers want to interpret Christ in ways that honor ancient, rich cultures that may have been crushed by colonization or rejected as evil by early missionaries. Others simply want the message of the Bible to be embraced by needy people of their country: the overwhelming theme of the book is that our God notices, loves, and defends the marginalized - that is, poor, oppressed, and powerless people.