We’re honored to learn from Dr. Lisa M. Bowens about her new book “African American Readings of Paul: Reception, Resistance & Transformation” published by Eerdmans Publishing.
Dr. Bowens provides a historical, theological and biblical analysis of early interpretations of Paul by African Americans from the early 1700s to the mid-twentieth century, especially the passages from Paul directing slaves to obey their masters.
These scriptures were tragically used by American churches and pastors to justify slavery and oppress our Black communities. Churches even developed theological positions that doubted the humanity of Black people or even the idea that African Americans had souls.
Dr. Bowens reveals ways the African American community during this period understood Paul’s writings and used his words to fight oppression, racism and argue for their freedom.
Her detailed research includes an analysis of countless autobiographies of ex-slaves, slave petitions, sermons, biographies and powerful conversion stories. Her fantastic book also includes radical stories of how Jupiter Hammon, Lemuel Haynes, David Walker, Jarena Lee, John Jea, James Pennington, Julia Foote and Harriet Jacobs resisted the oppressive readings of Paul and found power and liberation.
Dr. Lisa M. Bowens is associate professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary and author of “An Apostle in Battle: Paul and Spiritual Warfare” in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Her research interests include Paul and apocalyptic literature, Pauline anthropology, Pauline epistemology, aspects of discipleship in the gospels, African American Pauline Hermeneutics, and New Testament exegesis and interpretation.
You can subscribe or download this show on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe to the video series on YouTube.
Here’s an overview of our conversation:
EP15: African American Readings of Paul: Reception, Resistance & Transformation
In this podcast, Dr. Bowens discusses the moving story of Howard Thurman’s grandmother, Nancy Ambrose, and why she was resistant to Paul’s writings. She discusses how the Bible was used by churches to oppress African Americans — especially Paul’s words that slaves should obey their masters. She discusses how literacy led to liberation — and how African Americans developed a Pauline hermeneutic to reclaim these texts (and use the Bible to resist oppression and fight for freedom).
She shares bold stories from how Jupiter Hammon, John Jay, James W.C. Pennington, Lemuel Haynes, and many others were empowered by scripture. She also discusses how Paul’s texts suggesting that women should remain silent and not teach over a man further oppressed Black women, but how amazing preachers like Zipha Elaw and Jarena Lee resisted those interpretations and followed Paul to preach the gospel, even if it meant going to jail or even being killed.
Listen or download the podcast here:
Topics covered:
Howard Thurman’s Grandmother
Nancy Ambrose
African American Pauline Hermeneutics
Literacy & Liberation
Jupiter Hammon Story
John Jay
Race & Gender
Jarena Lee
Zilpha Elaw
David Walker
Lemuel Haynes
Anti-Slavery Petitions
Harriet Jacobs
Humanity & Soul
Enslaved Conversion Experiences
James W.C. Pennington
Frederick Douglas
Book Recommendations
On Reading Slave Narratives
Video conversation:
Lisa M. Bowens, PhD
Lisa Marie Bowens, PhD ’14, associate professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, earned a BS (cum laude), MSBE, and MLIS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and an MTS and ThM from Duke Divinity School. She received her PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Her research interests include Paul and apocalyptic literature, Pauline anthropology, Pauline epistemology, aspects of discipleship in the gospels, African American Pauline Hermeneutics, and New Testament exegesis and interpretation.
She is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Society of Pentecostal Studies, and a past Fund for Theological Education fellow. She is also editor of the Oxford Online Bible and Race Project, a member of the editorial team for the Bulletin for Biblical Research Journal, co-chair of the Ethics and Biblical Interpretation Group (SBL), and a member of the Steering Committee for the African American Biblical Hermeneutics Group (SBL).
She is a recipient of the Wabash Early Career Teaching Fellowship and the Louisville Institute First Book Grant for Scholars of Color. Some of her current courses are Paul and Apocalyptic Thought, Introduction to New Testament Greek, Greek Exegesis of 2 Corinthians, African American Pauline Hermeneutics, and Introduction to New Testament Exegesis.
