Shame in the Individual Lament Psalms and African Spirituality

Description

The book explores how the rhetorical function of «bôš» («shame») and its cognates within twelve Individual Lament Psalms (ILP) reflect persuasive responses aimed at enhancing the relational spirituality of the psalmist. It argues that the Hebrew terminology of «bôš» is used as a response to enhance a spirituality of relatedness. The author argues that the plea for positive shame is to enhance positive spirituality that leads to changes of attitude, repentance, faithfulness, self-knowledge, and wholeness. Negative shame influences negative spirituality that leads to destruction and unworthiness. The volume reflects African Christian spirituality elucidating the psalmist’s perception of positive shame. Cover Table of Contents Acknowledgements Abstract Abbreviations I. Introduction 1. The Issues at Stake 2. A Motivation for Shame Studies 3. Shame and Biblical Spirituality 4. Methodological Considerations II. Shame in Context: Encountering the Phenomenon of Shame in the Hebrew Bible, Anthropology, and Psychology 1. Introduction 2. בושׁ in the Old Testament 1) Positive and Negative Shame 2) Objective and Subjective Shame 3) Shame and Guilt 3. Shame in Anthropology 4. Psychological Emotional Affect of Shame 1) Shame and Narcissism 2) Discretion-Shame and Disgrace-Shame 5. Conclusions III. Positive Petitions for Shaming: The Rhetoric of Praying Against the Enemy 1. Introduction 2. Psalm 6 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 3. Psalm 35 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 4. Psalms 40 and 70 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 5. Psalm 53 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 6. Psalm 86 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 7. Psalm 109 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 8. Conclusions IV. Negative Petitions Concerning Shaming: The Rhetoric of the Righteous Avoiding Shame 1. Introduction 2. Psalm 22 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 3. Psalm 69 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 4. Conclusions V. The Rhetoric of Shifting between Positive and Negative Shaming 1. Introduction 2. Psalm 25 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 3. Psalm 31 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 4. Psalm 71 1) Structure 2) Situation 3) Strategy 5. Conclusions VI. Creative Theological Consciousness in the Effectiveness of Shaming Rhetoric 1. Introduction 2. The Credibility of the Psalmist 3. The Audience of the Psalmist 4. The Emotional Appeal of the Petitions 5. Evaluative Claims of the Psalmist 6. Conclusions VII. Shaming toward Spirituality – An African Cultural Perspective 1. Introduction 2. Shame and African Spirituality as Relatedness and Renewal 3. Building Bridges between the Psalmist’s Spirituality and African Spirituality 4. Shaming and the Mission of the Contemporary African Church 5. Conclusions VIII. Conclusion 1. Summary of the Present Study 2. Implications for Further Studies Bibliography