Peace talks : towards an intercultural Bible study on 1 Samuel 25

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study has the goal of constructing an Intercultural Bible Study on the story of Abigail in 1 Samuel 25, with an accompanying workbook, that has its goal the flourishing of communities. The point of departure of this study is the fragmented and culturally isolated communities of South African society, where the church is an important role player. Using a specific congregational context of Blaawbergstrand, the context is described, which forms the background of the study. By recounting the demographic, socio-economic and ecclesiastic circumstances of residents from this community, the contextual integrity of the study is maintained. The description provides insight in this community, which is a sufficient exemplar of a typically South African one. It illustrates the effects of rapid urbanization, the prevailing gap between rich and poor, and the church’s failure to contribute to concrete and lasting reconciliation in a country with a racial and racialist past. The description, in line with the feminist approach applied throughout this study, also underlines the plight of women in a patriarchal society. This study moreover offers an in-depth description of the nature and significance of an Intercultural Bible Study that builds on s the Contextual Bible Study as applied by the Ujamaa Centre for Community Development and Research. In particular the contribution of Intercultural Bible Study hermeneutics is considered, namely the value of intercultural, interpersonal contact between people, and the benefits of transformative reading, of which cultivating compassion is paramount. The Biblical text chosen for the development of an Intercultural Bible Study is the story of Abigail, as told in 1 Samuel 25. The female hero of the text, her prophetic words and proactive deeds of generosity, provides the reader with relevant topics for “peace talks”: she halts a war with provisions and diplomacy; she intercedes on behalf of others, showing genuine compassion; she acts outside of the demarcated borders expected of a woman of her time. The text is read with close attention to both literary criticism and feminist appreciation. The accent on food as instrument of inclusion is confirmed with the reading, and this is also appropriated in the workbook provided.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die doel om ‘n Interkulturele Bybelstudie oor die storie van Abigail in 1 Samuel 25 te ontwikkel, met ‘n bruikbare werkboek, wat die doel het om die welwees van gemeenskappe te bevorder. Die navorsingsprobleem van hierdie studie is die gefragmenteerde en kultureel geïsoleerde geemeenskappe van Suid-Afrika, waar die kerk nog ‘n belangrike rol speel. ‘n Spesifieke gemeentekonteks van Bloubergstrand word gebruik as voorbeeld om die konteks van die gemeenskap te beskryf, en hierdie beskrywing vorm die kontekstuele agtergrond vir die studie. Die demografiese, sosio-ekonomiese en kerklike omstandighede van hierdie gemeenskap word beskryf, en hierdie agtergrond dra by tot die kontekstuele integriteit van hierrdie studie. Die insig verwerf, verskaf‘n verantwoordbare voorbeeld van die breër Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing. Dit verskaf illustrasie vir die gevolge van verstedeliking, die steeds groeiende gaping tussen ryk en arm, en die kerk se mislukking om ‘n reële bydrae te lewer ten opsigte van versoening in ‘n land met ‘n omstrede verlede ten opsigte van rassekwessies, asook die voortgaande stryd om menseregte in kerk en samelewing. Die beskrywing, parallel met die feministiese benadering van die studie as geheel, verreken ook die betreurenswaardige situasie van vroue in ‘n patriargale samelewing. Die studie bied verder ‘n in-diepte beskrywing van die aard en belangrikheid van ‘n Interkulturele Bybelstudie wat voorbou op ‘n Kontekstuele Bybelstudie, soos toegepas deur die Ujamaa Sentrum vir Gemeenskapsontwikkeling en Navorsing. Spesifiek word die bydrae van Interkulturele Bybelstudie-hermeneutiek ook verreken, naamlik deur die klem op die waarde van interkulturele, interpersoonlike kontak, asook die voordele van transformatiewe leesprosesse, waar veral die kweek van meelewing uitstaan. Die Bybelteks wat gekies is om die Interkulturele Bybelstudie te ontwikkel, is die storie van Abigail, in 1 Samuel 25. Verskeie faktore van hierdie verhaal verskaf aan die leser relevante materiaal vir “samesprekings vir vrede”: die held is vroulik, haar woorde is profeties en haar dade proaktief. Sy verhoed ‘n oorlog met proviand en diplomasie; sy tree in vir ander op ‘n meelewende manier, en sy beweeg sonder vrees buite die voorgeskryfde grense vir vroue van haar tyd. Die teks word op twee maniere van naby bekyk: literêre kritiek word gebruik, asook ‘n feministiese lens. Die klem op kos as metode ter wille van inklusiwiteit word bevestig in die lees van die verhaal, en hierdie element word herhaal in die werkboek wat verskaf word