Tribals, Empire and God: A Tribal Reading of the Birth of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel by Zhodi Angami

Abstract

Reviewed by: Tribals, Empire and God: A Tribal Reading of the Birth of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel by Zhodi Angami Olugbenga Olagunju Angami, Zhodi. 2017. Tribals, Empire and God: A Tribal Reading of the Birth of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. London: T&T Clark. Hardback. ISBN 978-0567671318. Pp. 332. $135. This book represents a developing area of biblical hermeneutics that is concerned with reading the NT from the perspective of tribal people. The book differs from other examples of biblical interpretation in that it uses an eclectic methodology to offer a coherent and concise worldview relevant to the tribal people of North East India, who still see themselves as living under colonial rule. Angami advances his method of NT interpretation to make these tribal people appreciate Matthew's infancy narrative as one that was written to subvert and resist imperial rule. In the same way, he encourages the marginalised people of North East India to rise up and subvert the colonial rule in their domain. The book comprises seven chapters. The first chapter describes the methodology adopted for the research project. The author provides a vivid description of his research method from the outset. He explicitly defines the word "tribal" from different perspectives and ends up focusing on its operational definition in the context of North East India. The method of [End Page 198] research is clearly spelled out, which he terms "eclectic." It is a combination of methods, which in this project includes contextual reader-response criticism and intertextuality that links biblical narratives with the tribal context. The location of the project is identified as North East India. Chapter two elucidates the method of research further. Angami discusses biblical interpretation from various social and cultural locations. He argues that cultural studies take into consideration the social and historical context of the text, while at the same time recognising the importance of the context of the real reader in the interpretation of the text. Angami observes that in cultural and contextual studies, engagement with the text happens with a passion that sharply contrasts reading it from a distance. The latter has long been equated with objective research. He concludes this chapter by noting that the tribal context belongs to the margin and that North East India "continues to be in the shadows of the consciousness of people" (72). The author traces the origins of Jesus the Messiah in chapter three. He does so by conducting an explorative study of the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew's birth narratives, which starts with Abraham and ends with Joseph. The genealogy is read as "a subversive text, a counter-imperial narrative" (79). This approach reveals that Jesus was born within the margins of Jewish society, which also applies to the community in which Jesus was born. As one might expect from someone who comes from a community that is riddled with flaws, the genealogy of Jesus does not by any means form a perfect line of descent. Angami also juxtaposes the birth narratives of Jesus with the tribal birth practices in North East India. He finds a number of surprises in the genealogy of Jesus, including the "language of beginning" and the inclusion of women from Jewish Scripture. The author acknowledges the impact of the presence of women in the genealogy, which culminates in the ultimate disclosure that it is Mary who brings forth the Messiah. He concludes that the birth narratives of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel are synonymous with the birth of a new creation, that is, an inclusive world that places the marginalised within the realm of redemptive discourse. In chapter four, the author discusses the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Paying detailed attention to the Jewish background of the text, Angami rereads the birth narratives in Matthew's Gospel. He notes that Joseph would naturally have accused his wife Mary of infidelity were it not for the intervention of the angel, who gave instruction on how to save the baby. According to Joseph's Jewish culture, he would have been justified in [End Page 199] divorcing Mary given the stigma and reproach that would have resulted from the pregnancy. During the pregnancy, Joseph disciplined himself by...