Introduction

The idea for examining the theme of decolonizing the Bible is rooted in the author's (yours truly) desire to maintain intact the belief in the sacredness of the text, while at the same time acknowledging the human element in it with all its flaws, short-comings, and weaknesses. In addition, I wish to stress the liberating element in the biblical message.  This I propose to do by taking the approach of utilizing the biblical hermeneutics of Liberation Theology.

Liberation Theology focuses on the issues of human rights, oppression, and suffering in the countries of the so-called "Third World" of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America.  Liberation theology represents a paradigm shift in terms of how these socio-economic and political issues are addressed within the framework of theology.  Liberation Theology reverses the hermeneutical approach of the Western countries relative to how they utilize the Scriptures and traditions of the Christian faith in order to deal with these issues.  While classical Western theology approaches these issues by examining them in the light of Scripture and tradition, Liberation Theology does just the opposite, i.e. it examines the Scriptures and the traditions in the light of the experiences of suffering and also in the light of the issues generated by that suffering.