The Rev. Dr. Cain Hope Felder: Called for reading the Bible "through new glasses" that have racially inclusive lenses.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 11, 2005) - The Rev. Dr. Cain Hope Felder passionately called for a "new context" for dialogue about scripture - a context that has the same "vision for racial inclusiveness" that the first-century writers of the canon had in mind. Author and writer Felder appeared at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia February 11 as part of the 21st anniversary of the Celebration of Black Writing, sponsored by the Art Sanctuary at the Church of the Advocate, Philadelphia.

Felder, professor of New Testament Language and Literature and editor of the Journal of Religious Thought at the School of Divinity, Howard University, spoke on "Telling Our Stories: Black Presence in the Bible."

Noting that the issue of the racial inclusiveness of the Bible "burns in my heart," Felder began by noting the claim Protestants have on the Bible, "celebrating what we have in common with the books and sacred texts" of scripture. He said that despite such affirmations, "in actual practice we are divided by walls of hostility that accentuate our differences rather than by our commonality. We read scripture through our own biases rather than capturing the original vision." The result of such biased readings have, for example, led to religious art featuring only European images, and such art "reinforcing one group's story at the expense of others gives a negative view," he said. "The problem is that many of us who are people of color had the Bible introduced to us through the lens of slavery and the slavery experience, and no evidence was offered of the real ancient African connection, of the people of African descent who were part of the old readings."

Felder speaks with seminarian Ann L. Colley after his presentation.

Felder noted that the Bible "represents the world before the constructs of racism," which are only about 500 years old. "If you go back to ancient times," he said, "you will not find any ideas expressed in the first or second centuries about the inferiority of Blacks." Such attitudes of hostility probably began when Western powers centuries ago beat back the Islamic threat to Europe. Felder cited many biblical texts with an African context, noting, for example, that Eden in the Old Testament is not a fictional place and that it comprised "a vast area that included the blue and white Nile." He said that the teaching academy frequently has been "obscure" about the reality that the context for scripture includes areas of North Africa, with hundreds of scriptural references to African lands. He called for reading the Bible through "new glasses."

Felder acknowledged that the biblical world "knew prejudice and bias." He said the biblical world was "a man's world." Certain ethnic differences were highlighted, such as between Jews and Samaritans. "The Bible has a social context that has to be challenged," he said. And he indicated he gets emotional when such biblical interrogation is subverted or is espoused as unnecessary or inappropriate.

Felder said that by calling for a reading of the Bible that is "racially inclusive," he is not calling for an "afro-centric" view, but rather a view that is "afro-sensitive. It is not a view that is attempting to establish a new chosen people," he said. "It is a view that is theo-centric and Christo-centric. It is a call for us to be reconciled to each other in our studies, to learn from each others' stories and to celebrate the variety of those stories. It is an approach to the Bible that is invitational."

He said the notion of God's "chosen people" has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone's race or background. "Are you trying to live according to the will of God?" he said. "That is what makes God's people chosen."

During the reception, Felder, second from left, is shown with Lynette L. Harrison, left, associate director for recruitment and advancement for the Urban Theological Institute, the Rev. Dr. Katie Day, professor of Church and Society, who introduced the speaker, and Dr. Erik M. Heen, associate professor of New Testament and Greek.

During a book-signing following his presentation, Dr. Felder, left, converses with seminarians Edward L. G. and Emily Ann Livingston. The seminary couple and Felder are United Methodists.