Messianic I And Rastafari In New Testament Dialogue

Anyone familiar with the Rastafari movement and its connection with the Bible is struck by the prevalence of messianic I-locution found in both. As the phenomenon is important in the canonical Testaments, more so within the New Testament, this study seeks to investigate its significance in certain epistolary pieces (Romans 7:14-25: 15:14-33), the bio-Narratives and the Apocalypse in their historical and cultural milieu. The next stage of the investigation then compares the findings of the aforementioned New Testament books with corresponding statements of the Rasta community, in order to determine their relevance for the ongoing Anglophone theological enterprise. In sum, this study seeks to bring into critical dialogue the permutative messianic 'I' of the New Testament with the self-understanding of Rastalari. Book jacket.

This book discusses the prevalence of messianic I-locution found in the Rastafari movement and the Bible. Because the phenomenon is important in the canonical Testaments, this study investigates its significance in epistolary pieces (Romans 7:14-25 ; 15:14-33), the bio-Narratives and the Apocalypse in their historical and cultural milieu.

The project of developing a contextual theology for the Caribbean was first articulated in the early 1970s in Trinidad and Jamaica. In the years since, many evangelical churches and theologians in the Caribbean have been ambivalent about the validity of this project, assuming that an emphasis on context was somehow antithetical to the pure gospel. But the crisis of the times, along with a more mature hermeneutic, has led to a re-evaluation of this assumption. Here a group of evangelical Caribbean theologians enter the discussion, with substantive proposals for how the gospel addresses the Caribbean context. They are joined by other theologians from mainline Protestant and Catholic traditions in the Caribbean. The result is an ecumenical dialogue on the diverse ways in which orthodox Christian faith may provide both challenge and hope for the Caribbean context. Half the essays in this volume were originally presented at the Forum on Caribbean Theology held in 2010 at the Jamaica Theological Seminary; the rest were invited especially for this volume.

Drawing on literary, musical, and visual representations of and by Rastafari, Darren J. N. Middleton provides an introduction to Rasta through the arts, broadly conceived. The religious underpinnings of the Rasta movement are often overshadowed by Rasta’s association with reggae music, dub, and performance poetry. Rastafari and the Arts: An Introduction takes a fresh view of Rasta, considering the relationship between the artistic and religious dimensions of the movement in depth. Middleton’s analysis complements current introductions to Afro-Caribbean religions and offers an engaging example of the role of popular culture in illuminating the beliefs and practices of emerging religions. Recognizing that outsiders as well as insiders have shaped the Rasta movement since its modest beginnings in Jamaica, Middleton includes interviews with members of both groups, including: Ejay Khan, Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah, Geoffrey Philp, Asante Amen, Reggae Rajahs, Benjamin Zephaniah, Monica Haim, Blakk Rasta, Rocky Dawuni, and Marvin D. Sterling.

Using crucial chapters from Paul's magnum opus as points of theological departure, Delano Palmer provides in-depth discussion on important themes like the role of first-century women in pastoral work and the nature and duration of spiritual endowments. Romans in Context is divided into three parts. Part one reviews the career and legacy of the apostle Paul against the backdrop of his cultural milieu and history. Part two takes up the knotty problem of what exactly does the apostle mean by justification by faith in its exploration of the declarative/demonstrative proposal of modern theologians. The section also explores what Paul has to say concerning the status of the justified in Romans 5-8. It is the final section that wrestles with matters of spiritual gifts, the role of female pastors, as well as the apostle's best-documented thoughts on Christian mission.

As the twentieth century passed its midpoint and was rushing toward its end, a growing number of Majority World theologians came to realize that they could in fact do theology in their own contexts for the benefit of their own people. Thus, from the1960s onward, theologians in the global South have embarked on a form of theological construction that has sometimes been described as 'contextual' reflection or 'contextualized theology'. This volume is motivated by the conviction that these efforts have resulted in theological work that is also beneficial for Christians in other parts of the world. The editors have invited Majority World theologians to share their reflections on several themes of Christian faith from their own socio-historical perspectives but with an unswerving commitment to the authority of Scripture. It is hoped that these fresh reflections will help Christians in the West to engage and benefit from the perspectives of fellow believers in the global South.

This volume presents a tapestry of narratives in which the lived experiences of eight racially minoritized theologians and biblical scholars are woven together to present an interdisciplinary exploration of the direct impact that ethnocultural traditions have in shaping the way people read and interpret the biblical text. Moving beyond traditional approaches to biblical hermeneutics steeped in Euro-normativity, Canadian scholars from Latino/a, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Cree, and AfriCaribbean backgrounds draw on their respective locations to articulate how their communities engage the Bible. Together they show that ethnicity and cultural tradition enrich how different communities weave their life stories with the biblical text in hope of finding wisdom within it. By focusing on questions rooted in their particular traditions, these diverse hermeneutical engagements show narrative to be central to the interpretive task within diverse ethnocultural communities.

The "Testament of Rastafari" is a controversial, yet compelling and timely approach to reading and interpreting the contents of the King James' Version. It is an amazingingly plausible and inspirational discourse on the requirements for righteous "livity", and establishing knowledge of our Creator, HIS NAME & NATURE, HIS great plan for humankind, for renewal of the Earth & Universe, the destruction of DEATH, and the elevation of LIFE! All backed up by the "prophecies of the ancients" and the revealing facts of history. It identifies all the major players in this "silly season of prophecies", the "time of the end"....and the "lost sheep" of the Most High, YAWH RASTAFARI!