A Concubine's Rape, an Apostle's Flight, and a Nation's Reconciliation: Biblical Interpretation, Collective Trauma Narratives, and the Armed Conflict in Colombia

This article applies collective trauma theory to biblical interpretation in order to respond to a 21st-century humanitarian crisis. Utilizing recent advances in social-scientific theory, the article examines how the books of Judges and the Acts of the Apostles can function in distinct and complement...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Hays, Christopher M. 1983- (Author) ; Acosta, Milton (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill [2020]
In: Biblical interpretation
Year: 2020, Volume: 28, Issue: 1, Pages: 56-83
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Rape / Concubine / Apostle / Nation (university) / Trauma / Conflict / Colombia
IxTheo Classification:HA Bible
KBR Latin America
Further subjects:B Colombia
B collective trauma narratives
B Judges
B Trauma Hermeneutics
B Acts
B Displacement
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Description
Summary:This article applies collective trauma theory to biblical interpretation in order to respond to a 21st-century humanitarian crisis. Utilizing recent advances in social-scientific theory, the article examines how the books of Judges and the Acts of the Apostles can function in distinct and complementary fashions as “collective trauma narratives.” Judges 19-21 is interpreted as narrating the Levite’s “polarizing” trauma narrative and subverting it with a reconciling narrative. Acts 6-8 and 12 are also examined as trauma narratives speaking to the loss of early Christian leaders, promoting a vision of forgiveness and hope of divine justice. The article applies trauma theory to biblical interpretation for the purpose of addressing the armed conflict in Colombia. We propose that the theological visions of the trauma narratives of Judges and Acts (regarding forgiveness, resistance, flight, and reconciliation) are poignant for Colombian religious communities seeking peace and healing in the wake of violence and displacement.
ISSN:1568-5152
Contains:Enthalten in: Biblical interpretation
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15685152-00281P04