Description

About the Book

In the present volume, author ventures into the challenging task by identifying and unveiling the ideological underpinnings operative in the construction and deconstruction of the Adamic myth in the Judeo-Christian scenario. He delves deep into the intricacies of the literary forms of myths, metaphors and Midrash involved in interpreting, legitimizing, or reinforcing later-day ethno-historical claims of a particular group of people against the prevailing amicable or inimical background. The ideological assertions of these literary forms, enforcing the consciously chosen traditional or hereditary authority, seek to overpower the currently popular, rational, legitimate or democratic authority. At this juncture, one cannot turn a blind eye to the legitimate or questionable political transactions on the ideological sites by the powers vying with each other to gain the dominant space. In exposing these ideological interplays, the author deploys the tools from the world of the biblical, mythological, theological, literary, historical, anthropological, linguistic, and hermeneutical disciplines.

About the Author

Ignatius Jesudasan is a senior Jesuit priest currently residing at the Arul Kadal Jesuit regional theology centre at Chennai and engaged in inter-disciplinary theological reflection. His academic background includes an under-graduate degree in history and post-graduate diplomas or degrees in philosophy, English language and literature and Catholic theology. He did his doctoral studies at the Marquette University inter-disciplinary program of Theology and Society with course work in sociology as his optional subject. His dissertation, entitled A Gandhian Theology of Liberation, was published in the USA and India in English and in Italian and German in the respective linguistic lands. More recently he brought out a topical book titled Roots of Religious Violence: A Critique of Ethnic Metaphors. He is presently working on a few more Bible-related studies relating to history narration in metaphors.