“Keener Than Any Two-Edged Sword”: Three Elderly Christian African-American Women Living in Poverty Interpret the “Living Word”

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fifty elderly Christian African-American women living in poverty were qualitatively interviewed for a research project titled “Chronic Poverty and the Self in Later Life,” Part of the study focused on the women's spiritual and religious beliefs and the importance of these beliefs in the women's lives. Using three case studies from the 50 respondents, this article explores how each woman, in her unique interpretation of the Bible, found present meaning for a painful, impoverished past, enhanced her sense of self-esteem, and engendered hope for an improved future either in this life or the next. The major thesis of this paper is that the women created a personal hermeneutic (mode of interpretation) of scripture based on their life stories. Their interpretation of the Bible reflected a concrete relationship with a God who spoke to them through His living word at the juncture of their individuality.