Introduction to the Old Testament from a Dalit Hermeneutical Perspective is an innovative venture, first of its kind in the area of Old Testament studies. This book is an outcome of the long and sustained struggles of the millions of Indian and other Dalits who due to their caste and class stigma in the Indian society are relegated to a lowest position in their own land. Dalits have become aliens and strangers in their own land despite their hard work and sustained efforts towards their struggle for liberation from the bondage of caste oppression.

The basic theological assumption is that Yahweh always expressed solidarity with Israelite community on account of their vulnerable and marginalized situation. By claiming that the marginalized people are the most preferred partners of God in mission we can affirm God’s preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. The present book in every chapter explains the mission of God in and through Jesus Christ towards the poor and victimized people of God and in our contemporary situation, the Dalits and other such marginalized communities.

Contents

Preface
List of Abbreviations

Chapter 1: General Introduction

Chapter 2: The Origins of Israel and its Challenges for a Contemporary Dalit Communities in India

Chapter 3: The Role of God as Saviour of Humanity

Chapter 4: The Pentateuch and its Salient Features for Dalit Liberative Praxis

Chapter 5: Israel and their Formation in the Land of Canaan—few Insights for Dalits in India

Chapter 6: United-monarchic Israel and its Prophetic Activity—Implications for Dalits

Chapter 7: Monarchs of the Divided Kingdom of Israel and the Consequences of Monarchy and their Relevance to Dalits in India Today

Chapter 8: The Disaster of Monarchy and the Approach of Babylonian Exile: Prophetic Predictions and their Implications for Dalits in India

Chapter 9: Exile and Restoration and its Prophetic view with Special Reference to its Implications for Dalits in India Today

Chapter 10: Postexilic Israel and its Prophetic Activity—Relevance for Dalits in India Today

Chapter 11: The Maccabean Period and Related Developments and their Intersection Towards Dalits Today

Chapter 12: The Intricacies of Hasmonean Reign and its Relevance for Dalits in India

Chapter 13: Important Genres of the Old Testament Literature and their Contextual Implications for Dalits in India

Chapter 14: Old Testament Books in the Canon and their Theological Focus—Implications for Dalits

Chapter 15: The Hermeneutical Task of Academia and Ecclesia in India today towards Dalit Liberation and Emancipation

Chapter 16: General Conclusion

Selected Bibliography
Index of Biblical References
Index of Authors

Prof. Rev. Dr. Kondasingu Jesurathnam is currently Friedemann Golka Professor of Old Testament at the United Theological College, Bangalore, South India. He is also an ordained minister of Telugu Baptist Church. He serves as the President of the Society for Biblical Studies in India (SBSI). The current work is an outcome of his sabbatical project where he spent his research time at the University of Muenster, Germany and at the Princeton Theological Seminary at USA. This work is also the product of long time involvement of the author in teaching and reflecting as well as working with Dalit communities on Dalit-Bible interconnection for nearly two decades. Earlier the author has completed his PhD dissertation at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom and the same was published in 2010. The author has also published a Dalit commentary on the book of Jeremiah and general introduction to the Old Testament apart of numerous research articles on Dalit biblical hermeneutics. The current work also follows another research project entitled: Hebrew Prophets and Sages in relation to Dalit Prophets and Sages.