Understanding Powerlessness
How Biblical interpretation from the perspective of the powerless is more accurate and matters for a white, middle-class female
It seems so logical that people read the Bible from their own cultural lens but, when thinking more about it, it isn’t obvious to many people in the Church today. I remember hearing many sermons that try to state that they are looking at the Bible completely literally and yet, even though not explicitly stating they are reading the Bible without bias, implies that those pastors believe they do not have a bias when they read the Bible. After reading this, though, it has become clear that everyone reads the Bible from their own bias, which is why dialogue with others is so key. In his three works What Is Liberation Theology?, The Forgotten Interpretations, and Some Pointers on Biblical Interpretation, Gonzalez argues that the best perspective of Biblical interpretation is through the perspective of the traditionally powerless. This is the case due to the Bible being mostly written by those in that position and that more understanding of that perspective and dialogue with people in that position should occur for those in the traditionally powerful position.
After reading his various works, I can clearly see Gonzalez’s point of view that the interpretation of the Bible from those in traditionally powerless traditions is more sound. He offered many examples of interpretations from those perspectives. One of these that was especially striking was of Jesus’ response to the people asking him whether or not they should pay taxes (Some Pointers, 74). I have heard this interpreted before as showing the importance of doing one’s duties as a citizen of the United States as well as showing separation of government and state. Gonzalez shows a different interpretation though- that Jesus was rejecting the entire monetary system as not being from God so one should not value it at all and instead give it back to Caesar and toss it aside. While this is definitely a different perspective and quite striking, when I think about it more, it makes a lot more sense than those “traditional” interpretations, especially in the fact that Jesus did not give into either argument (have to pay taxes or should reject them), as many of the “traditional” arguments do exactly that. This is just one perspective from the traditionally powerless that differs from the powerful perspective and seems much more spot-on than the latter, but he cites many other examples that show the same thing. Understanding that powerless perspective as well as having dialogue with those in that position would truly help someone like me, who is overall in a more powerful position, understand what Jesus is truly saying and the people He really came here to help.
As stated above, I am in more of a powerful position than a powerless one. This is not completely the case, of course, since I am female, but being a white person from a middle-class background does, I think, put me in more of a powerful than a powerless position. When addressing what those in more powerful positions should do to try and understand liberation theology, he states that one should try and understand the other perspective, imagining a Biblical passage in different circumstances as well as trying to put it in a setting close to the original, and understanding how oneself has played a role as the oppressor. Specifically, to white females, he states that one should sympathize with the feminist liberation theology cause but also understand how oneself has played a role as the oppressor to those in third world countries (The Forgotten, 60). Coming from my own perspective as a white female in the 21st century, it can be hard to see both of these, as much of the oppression can seem to be either something of the past or hardly visible to me in day-to-day life while the oppression of women can seem not that visible, especially as I sit here getting a good college education. However, the reality is is that I buy products every day willingly that contribute to much of the oppression in the world through terrible factories in other countries making the products cheap for me as well as the fact existing that women still do not earn the same amount of money men do for the same job. Understanding these two perspectives, how I am both the oppressed and the oppressor, would help me understand the Bible from the perspective of the powerless and see the importance of liberation theology as it relates both to myself and the world as a whole.
It can be hard to see the Bible from the perspective of the powerless. Much of my upbringing and place in society, from being middle class and white as well as growing up in a big, predominately white, middle-class Church with almost exclusively male leaders, have taught me that the Bible speaks to the suburban businessman who has to deal with things like personal sin and those who do not believe in Jesus just as much as those living on a dollar a day who have to walk five miles to get water, all of which is mostly due to people like the suburban businessman. However, it is not hopeless for that kind of person to understand the Bible from a powerless perspective as well- like how Paul, as an educated Roman citizen was able to become a leader in the early Church who clearly understand the struggles of the powerless, one can understand that same perspective through seeing their own position as one of the powerless if possible (such as as a woman for me) and doing things like understanding their position as an oppressor, reading the Bible from its original setting, having dialogue with people from other perspectives, and more.
