Troubling (Public) Theologies

This book argues that all theologies are public measures — they disclose as well as gauge the publics (near and far) on which they stand, sit, lie, or fall. Because publics shift and mingle, theologies require reimagining and relocating, incorporating fresh insights and energies, and troubling.

Theologies, no matter their designations, are public measures—they disclose as well as gauge the publics (near and far) on which they stand, sit, lie, or fall. Because publics shift and mingle, theologies require reimagining, relocating, and embracing fresh insights and energies. The insights and energies embraced in this work are in three clusters: spaces, bodies, and technologies. The spotlighted spaces are in Africa, Asia, Black America, the Caribbean, and Pasifika—beyond the eyes of mainline theologies; the privileged bodies have survived, with scars from empire and missionary positionings; and the welcomed technologies include Dalit, indigenous, art, poetry, cyborg, and the novel. This collection is troubling in several ways: first, reimagining and relocating are troubling acts upon their subject matter—here, public theologies. On that note, what theology is not public? Second, this work takes theologies in general, and not just the theologies that carry the “public” designation, to be public theologies. Third, this work takes theologies in general to be inherently troubling. In other words, theologies that are not troubling are not public enough.

1.Haunting Lazarus: John 11:1–12:11

Jione Havea

2.Dare to Hear

Aruna Gogulamanda, Anna Jane Lagi, John Robert Lee, Chad Rimmer, Karen Georgia A. Thompson

rereading (from) public spaces

3.The Bible in Public Places: A Zambian Pentecostal Woman’s Critique of Rev Sumaili’s Use of the Bible

Mutale Mulenga-Kaunda

4.Quest for Life: A Postcolonial Dalit Feminist Reading of Qoheleth

Jasmine Devadason

5.Engaging Death Publicly: Rereading John 11:38–44 in the Philippines

Maria Fe (Peachy) Labayo

6.Uncovering Mālie in the Bible: Humoring Public Spaces

Brian Fiu Kolia

rereading (with) missioned bodies

7.Reimagining Mission in the Context of British Colonial Rule in Mizoram

Lalmuanpuii Hmar

8.Deposing “Massa Jesus”: “Magnificat” Moments Amongst a Colonial Mission Archive

Peter Cruchley

9.Brit(ish) Public Liberation Theology: An (Im)migrant’s Proposal

Raj Bharat Patta

10.Rising to Life: A Syrophoenician Woman Invites Jesus to Do Public Theology

Ericka Shawndricka Dunbar

rereading (across) broad technologies

11.Technology, Caste-bodies and Labour: Thinking with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on Leisure

Shiju Sam Varughese

12.Political Theology of Inter-carnation: Being-Human in the Development of Science and Technology

Park, Iljoon

13.Aboriginal Mural of Atayal and Ethics of Sight

Su-Chi Lin

14.Does the Wind Speak? An Aeolian Listening to Ruach in Exodus 1–18 with Fairoz Ahmad’s Interpreter of Winds (2019)

LIM Chin Ming Stephen

unending

15.Rise Up and Stir: Doing Theology in Public Spaces

Michael N. Jagessar