This volume addresses the problematic relationship between colonialism and the Bible. It does so from the perspective of the Global South, calling upon voices from Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The contributors address the present state of the problematic relationship in their respective geopolitical and geographical contexts. In so doing, they provide sharp analyses of the past, the present, and the future: historical contexts and trajectories, contemporary legacies and junctures, and future projects and strategies. Taken together, the essays provide a rich and expansive comparative framework across the globe.

This volume addresses the problematic relationship between colonialism and the Bible. It does so from the perspective of the Global South, calling upon voices from Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The contributors address the present state of the problematic relationship in their respective geopolitical and geographical contexts. In so doing, they provide sharp analyses of the past, the present, and the future: historical contexts and trajectories, contemporary legacies and junctures, and future projects and strategies. Taken together, the essays provide a rich and expansive comparative framework across the globe.

About the Contributor(s): Eleazar S. Fernandez is Professor of Constructive Theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Some of his published works include Burning Center, Porous Borders: The Church in a Globalized World; New Overtures: Asian North American Theology; Reimagining the Human; Realizing the America of Our Hearts; A Dream Unfinished; and Toward a Theology of Struggle. In June 2013 he assumed his new post as President of Union Theological Seminary, Philippines.

What is the current state of Asian American theology? Fumitaka Matsuoka's lifetime work has circled around this question. In numerous books and throughout his leadership, he has offered an answer that he encapsulates here: "Theology is uniquely accountable to the past and to the future, not simply to the present. Theology encompasses both memory and hope. The creation of a larger memory is at the same time our pursuit of hope, or for Christians, our faith in and living out the signals of the promised humanity that was revealed in the Christ event. Theological construction is about learning that molds a lifetime, learning that transmits the heritage of millennia, learning that shapes the future in light of this promise. Asian North American theological communities are stewards of this living tradition where learning and knowledge are pursued because they define what has over centuries made the faithful pursue a larger memory of who we are as human." In honor of Fumitaka Matsuoka, this book is visionary in its direction and audacious in its moves. It aims not only to take account of the accomplishments and continuing struggles of Asian North Americans but also articulates strategic and creative responses to new challenges. Because the sociopolitical-religious space that Asian North Americans navigate is wide, involving multiple forms of negotiation and subject-agents and demanding interfaith and interdisciplinary approaches, this book addresses a wide range of topics: contextualization, empire and geopolitics, diaspora and racial minority formation, sexuality, class, gender, Asian North American theologies, postcolonialism, biblical studies, mission and ministry, pedagogy, interfaith relations, transnationalism, and more. In the spirit of companionship and dialogue, this book also has a section devoted to African American, Latino/a, and Native American voices. Contributors include Patrick S. Cheng, Miguel A. De La Torre, Eleazar S. Fernandez, Wonhee Anne Joh, David Kyuman Kim, Nami Kim, Kwok Pui-lan, Boyung Lee, James Kyung-Jin Lee, Fumitaka Matsuoka, Anthony B. Pinn, Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, J. Jayakiran Sebastian, Jonathan Y. Tan, Sharon Tan, James Treat, and Amos Yong.

Exploring theological anthropology, the doctrine of what it means to be human and to be created in God's image, Fernandez argues that our life in the image of God is damaged and frustrated by the systemic evils of society, particularly classism, racism, sexism, and naturism (destructive practices against the ecosystem). At the heart of these four evils are matters of faith and idolatry, idols that demand the sacrifice of our souls, bodies, time, and anything that we cherish most. In response, Fernandez constructs an alternative anthropology that is nonanthropocentric. He proposes an anthropology that seeks connections while respecting the integrity of the individual, that moves beyond patriarchy, and that makes possible the development of an integrated self. His alternative anthropology transgresses class privileges and restores the humanity of all; it is not "color-blind" nor indifferent to difference, but sees difference as a principle of interdependence and life.