Reading Ruth from South Asia

#bookofruth #southasian #oldtestament #widow #childlessness
For the South Asian reader, especially for the female South Asian reader, the book of Ruth roils with emotions. It stirs up strong feelings on practices and perspectives that are intricately enmeshed within the fabric of Indian society.
No other biblical book deals so extensively, and in painful detail, on widowhood. Not many other books present as persistently as Ruth the theme of childlessness.
No other book is so enthusiastically prescribed to young Christian women for emulation-prescriptions that seem to be less exegetically faithful and more culturally convenient.
We explore these three themes to see if we can read this familiar book in unfamiliar, and perhaps even, subversive ways, so as to better appreciate the Christian faith and challenge ourselves in its practice.
If you'd like to hear more from Dr. Dharamraj on this topic, here's the link to her visit on The Stone Chapel Podcast. www.laniertheologicallibrary....
If you'd like to watch Mark Lanier interview Dr. Dharamraj, here's the link. • Special Event - Conver...
Dr Havilah Dharamraj, an alumnus of SAIACS (MA, Christian Studies), is Head of the Department of Biblical Studies. She previously served as Head of the Department of Old Testament (2008-20), and then as Academic Dean (2012-20). Two of her research interests are Intertextuality and Comparative Literature, which several of her students have used with skill in their MTh and PhD dissertations. Her interest in Biblical narrative has led her to invest in narrative preaching and storytelling workshops, both undertaken with the intent to re-introduce into Christian ministry the Indian cultural heritage of stories as a didactic oral medium.
Her recent publications include A Prophet Like Elijah?: A Narrative-Theological Reading of the Elijah Cycle. Paternoster Biblical Monographs Series. UK: Paternoster, 2011; South Asia Bible Commentary (editor and contributor). Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2015; Altogether Lovely: A Thematic Intertextual Reading of the Song of Songs. Minneapolis, Minn: Fortress Press, 2017, and Ruth. Asia Bible Commentary Series. Langham Global Library, 2019. Her ongoing writing projects include South Asia Study Bible (editor and contributor) and Contribution to Five Views on Jesus in the Old Testament. Counterpoints series, Zondervan.
Besides writing for both academia and the Indian church, she enjoys her dogs and garden. Havilah is married to Pandu Dharamraj, and they have two married children and a grandson.
Areas of Focus:
• Biblical Narrative
• Old Testament Poetry
• Narrative Preaching
• Storytelling for Ministry
Education:
• PhD in Old Testament, University of Durham, UK
• MSc in Biochemistry, University of Bangalore
• MA in Christian Studies (SAIACS)
Books by Dr. Dharamraj
www.amazon.com/Altogether-Lov...
www.amazon.com/Ruth-Pastoral-...
Lanier Theological Library- www.laniertheologicallibrary.org
The Stone Chapel Podcast- www.laniertheologicallibrary....
Biblical Literacy- biblical-literacy.org
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