Feminist Analysis of Biblical Interpretation Using Schussler Fiorenza's Hermeneutic Model

Subject Areas : Christianity

nazanin  kianifard ¹ (Phd Student of Women and Family Department, Religion and Denomination University of Qom , Iran)
mahdi  lakzaei ² (Assistant Professor of University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran.)

Received: 2022-11-06 Accepted : 2022-11-06 Published : 2022-08-23

Keywords: Archetype and Prototype, Patriarchy in the Scriptures, Liberation feminist theology, text and intertext, Fiorenza's seven hermeneutic p,

Abstract :

Although committed to Christian principles, Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza seeks to provide a different interpretation of the sacred texts by presenting her seven hermeneutic paradigms; the hermeneutics of Experience, Domination, Suspicion, Critical Evaluation, Creative Imagination, Re-Membering and Reconstruction, and Transformative Action for Change. By employing the hermeneutics of Suspicion, she casts doubt on the androcentric reading of the sacred texts. Then she reveals the rhetorical features of the misogynistic texts and strives to restore the transformed writings to their original version. Furthermore, Fiorenza employs the hermeneutics of the Proclaimed to reveal the omitted, distorted, or altered facts. Then, using the hermeneutics of Remembering, she narrates all applicable past experiences, to infuse creativity. Throughout these seven hermeneutics, Fiorenza insists on the necessity of the transition from the concept of the archetype to the prototype, to dislodge the sacred text and its interpretations, permitting new readings. In addition, the gender dominance system (Kyriarchy), throughout the pyramid of power should be scrutinized  and simultaneously,  after deconstruction, it is necessary to consider rhetoric reconstruction to make women aware of the “false consciousness” embedded and internalized by the patriarchy in the androcentric text  and help them in their efforts to free themselves from it.

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