What part of ‘No’ don’t you understand? —Talking the Tough Stuff of the Bible: A Creative Reading of the Rape of Tamar

Abstract

The Bible is full of stories. Many are read each week as part of the liturgy of the Service of the Lord’s Day. They are reflected on during personal and group Bible studies—even in Sunday school. They are stories that inspire, challenge, encourage and nurture our journey of Christian faith. However, there are also stories in the Bible we would prefer were not re-told. These particular stories confront, offend and profoundly challenge our understanding of God. We ask where God is in this story. Why is it in the canon of Holy Scripture? What can we learn from the re-telling of this story in our context? Where is the Good News? These are the‘tough stuff stories of the Bible —their subject matter embarrassing to our thinking, faith and theology in the 21^st century. What part of ‘No’ don’t you understand? is one of those stories. It is a story that must always be re-told.

Keywords

Bible stories creative reading domestic violence forgiveness good news hermeneutic of suspicion incest rape of Tamar shame ‘tough stuff’

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What part of ‘No’ don’t you understand? —Talking the Tough Stuff of the Bible: A Creative Reading of the Rape of Tamar—2 Sam. 13:1-22

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