Aryeh Cohen

American Jewish University,
Los Angeles, California

A Journal of Bible and Theology

The task of this essay is to offer a Jewish interpretation of Hagar and Ishmael. To write a Jewish interpretation supposes or implies writing within the tradition of Jewish interpretations. 

What is it to write within a tradition? Gerald Bruns writes of the Renaissance practice of quotation as creating a tradition. That is, authors would quote prodigiously from earlier, and especially, classical works in order to place themselves and their own work physically in relation to that earlier work, thereby creating a tradition. Denise Kimber Buell has documented the practice among the early church fathers of claiming authenticity by way of filiation, or intellectual descent from one of the apostles. In the Muslim hadith tradition, authenticity is a function of a reliable line of tradition going back as close as possible to the companions of the Prophet. [DOWNLOAD COMPLETE]

[ABSTRACT] This article examines how the availability of Big Data, coupled with new data analytics, challenges established epistemologies across the sciences, social sciences and humanities, and assesses the extent to which they are engendering paradigm shifts across multiple disciplines.

In particular, it critically explores new forms of empiricism that declare ‘the end of theory’, the creation of data-driven rather than knowledge-driven science, and the development of digital humanities and computational social sciences that propose radically different ways to make sense of culture, history, economy and society. It is argued that: (1) Big Data and new data analytics are disruptive innovations which are reconfiguring in many instances how research is conducted; and (2) there is an urgent need for wider critical reflection within the academy on the epistemological implications of the unfolding data revolution, a task that has barely begun to be tackled despite the rapid changes in research practices presently taking place. After critically reviewing emerging epistemological positions, it is contended that a potentially fruitful approach would be the development of a situated, reflexive and contextually nuanced epistemology.

[Abstract]

Should missiology seek the status of a theological discipline? After a brief account of the history of academic missiology it is argued here that a trinitarian missiology is at the heart of all of theology. Missiology should both permeate theology and exist as a subject area to accompany missionary praxis, making theological education at least missiological to the core, if not itself missional. Missiology is part of practical theology, praxis-based and oriented to specific contexts. It draws on both theological and other disciplines (particularly the social sciences) as an interdisciplinary enterprise rather than as a discipline in its own right. 

Ross Langmead [Whitley College Melbourne Australia]

[DOWNLOAD HERE]

[Abstract] This article aims to explore the common grounds and the differences between Marxism and liberation theology, which both focus on ‘‘hope’’ as a convergence for profound dialogues. On the one hand, both in Marxism and in liberation theology, hope is firstly an orientation for a better quality of life within one’s lifetime than in the afterlife which is beyond the reaches of humankind. The eschatology, according to both Marxism and liberation theology, is a form of optimism in which ‘‘hope’’ plays a crucial role. Hope is oriented toward the liberation and freedom of the poor, the marginalized, the exploited, the oppressed, the insignificant, or the despised in capitalist society. Hope is a marvelous impetus for humankind to achieve the future success promised by both Marxism and liberation theology. The need of this impetus is due to the unfulfilled hope in capitalist societies where economic exploitation and political oppression have been sanctified by the capitalist system of private property. Although the actualization of hope is not yet witnessed as a fact but still an ‘‘as if ’’ ideal, the belief both in Marxism and liberation theology is persistent on the realization of hope through human actions. So both their action and effort demonstrate the commitment to human rights and social justice. [Download Here]

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[Li Zhixiong] Xiangtan University, Yanggu Tang Road, Yuhu District, Xiangtan 411105, China

[Christopher Rowland] University of Oxford, High Street, Oxford, OX1 4AW, UK