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Advancing Biblical Studies: II. Diversifying Perspectives and Practices
Wongi Park
ISBN
9781918358025
Status
Available
Price
$110.00
Publication Date
September 2026
Hardback

$110.00

The primary objective of this second of two volumes is to assist in diversifying the field of biblical studies through a multiplicity of multiracial perspectives and practices. In combination these objectives serve the ultimate goal of advancing the field of biblical studies. The push to diversify biblical studies is not new, but there are a few distinctive features of this project worth noting.  

The first is the inclusion of Euro American and European scholars. Unlike previous efforts that intentionally exclude White scholars, this project follows a different strategy. Systemic change cannot take place apart from a collaborative, collective, and communal effort. If the field remains siloed, the problem is exacerbated. A second distinctive feature is the foregrounding of the identify and location of each reader and their reading community. All of the readings presented in this project are partial to, inflected by, and grounded in the reader and reading location. 

A third feature is the 85% challenge: if the field of biblical studies is 85% White, then the goals of decentering and diversifying must not only be measurable, but also modeled through the project. Therefore, contributors were challenged to have 85% of secondary sources from scholars of color. Some contributors accepted the challenge and others have not—as the introductory chapter of Volume 1 demonstrates, the challenge, while difficult, is possible.

The primary task of Volume 2, then, is to imagine biblical studies afresh in two ways. On a theoretical level, it is necessary to posit new sources and starting points for a contextual and multiracial approach to biblical studies. On a practical level, it is also necessary to implement alternative paradigms and models of biblical interpretation. Both goals are in service to current and future generations of Africana, Asian, Euro American, European, Indigenous, Islander, and Latinx scholars.

 SBL Press is the North American distributor for Sheffield Phoenix Press. Individual scholars or students may purchase the hardback edition of any SPP book at a 50 percent discount, whenever a paperback edition is not available.

SBL Press is the North American distributor for Sheffield Phoenix Press. Customers outside of North America can purchase this book directly from Sheffield Phoenix by clicking here.

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