we feel less guilty than ever before and more ashamed than ever before anthropologists,...
TRANSCRIPT
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WHAT IS SHAME? We feel less guilty than ever before
and more ashamed than ever before Anthropologists, psychologists
e.g. Brené Brown, Dan Allender Western ‘shame’
Inner sense of unworthinessLow self-esteem vs high self-esteem
Eastern ‘shame’Public sense of unworthinessShame vs Honour
Andy Crouch, “The Return of Shame”, Christianity Today 59:2
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HONOUR-SHAME IN
ESTHER
Deb Hurn
26 April 2015
Mt Hawthorn Community Church
PURIM 2015
“… the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the
poor.” (9:22)
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ESTHER, THE BOOK Authentic Persian names
Ishtar (Esther), Marduk (Mordechai) Not one fragment of Esther in the DSS Almost NO theology, doesn’t mention God 2nd C rabbis did not accept Esther in canon Maimonides (12th C) Esther “most
important book” after the Torah (Pentateuch)
Jewish survival manual for Diaspora “secret Jewish business”
Robert Alter, Esther podcast, Tablet Magazine, 040315, http://tinyurl.com/lzehllu
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ESTHER: THE STORYLINE
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ESTHER: THE STORYLINE
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STRUCTURE OF THE STORYA Greatness of Ahasuerus. His chief advisers -- wise men of Persia (1.1-22)
B Rise of Esther to become Queen of Persia (2.1-23)
C Rise of Haman. He casts Pur (the sacred lot) with aim to destroy Jews (3.1-11)
D 1st decree written, sealed, sent out. Fasting & mourning by Jews. People of Susa perplexed (3.12-4.17).
E Golden sceptre held out to Esther, she is invited to express her will (5.1-3).
F 1st banquet. Esther proposes another. Haman exultant, prepares gallows for Mordecai (5.4-14).
G Haman seeks honour for himself, has to grant honour to Mordecai (6.1-14).
F 2nd banquet. Esther makes her appeal, Haman is hung on gallows prepared for Mordecai (7.1-10).
E Golden sceptre is again held out to Esther, she declares her will (8.1-6).
D 2nd decree is written, sealed, sent out. Joy & celebration by Jews. People of Susa rejoice (8.7-17).
C Fall of house of Haman. Establishment of Purim by Jews as casting of Pur had failed, destruction avoided (9.1-28).
B Authority of Esther revealed in the confirmation of Purim (9.29-32).
A Greatness of Ahasuerus. His chief adviser -- Mordecai the Jew (10.1-3).
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HONOUR-SHAME CULTURES Individualist cultures: Innocence-Guilt
Values are conscience driven Control is internal What ‘God’ thinks
Collectivist cultures: Honour-Shame Values are status driven Control is external What people think
Tribal cultures: Power-Fear Values are survival driven Chaotic? What I think?
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ESTHER: HONOUR-SHAME In patriarchal Honour-Shame cultures:
male ‘shame’ female ‘shame’
Female ‘honour’ only through ‘shame’ female ‘shame’ is submission and modesty
Female ‘shame’ contributes to male ‘honour’ If not submissive or modest she is
‘shameless’
Lillian Klein “From Deborah to Esther: Sexual Politics in the Hebrew Bible”, 2009
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AHASUERUS … וש ר� ו� ש� ח� א World’s most powerful ruler Rules from India to Ethiopia His word is immutable law Richer than Gates, scarier than Putin YET Hardly speaks throughout the book Doesn’t think for himself Agrees with whatever people tell him to
do Doesn’t know what he wants
“if it please the King”
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VASHTI … י ת ש� ו� Forgotten heroine of the Esther story Early feminists admired Vashti’s courage
“First stand for women’s rights” Harriet Beecher Stowe
“Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God” Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Vashti had an Honour-Shame dilemmaSubmission or ExploitationAutonomy or Modesty
“The day the wives of the Persian and Mede officials get wind of the queen's insolence, they'll be out of control. Is that what we want, a country of angry women who don't know their place?” (1:18 MSG)
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MORDECHAI … ������KLכIי� ד NרPמ כ��
Man of ‘honour’ – Jewish genealogy Neither offers nor protects Esther
Preserves his honour, risks her shame Group survival trumps female shame
cp. Lot’s daughters, Levite’s concubine Mordechai risks life to shame Haman Male honour trumps male survival Mordechai ‘shames’ himself in grief
Sackcloth, ashes, public lamentEsther sends clothes to restore his honour
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ESTHER … ה ס�� ד� ה Esther probably wore modest clothes
Hegai knew the king’s preferencesVashti was not ‘shameless’, king misses herHe was drunk, probably acted out of
characterHe wants a queen with proper decorum
Natural resourcesBeauty, intelligence, social grace
Spiritual resourcesCourage, cooperation, consistency
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HOW DOES SHE DO IT? Navigates honour-shame to her
advantage Elaborate and manipulative plan Dresses up, sex appeal (‘shameless’) Alternates appeals to honour and shame
"If it pleases the king [shame], and if I have found favour in his sight [shameless], and the thing is right before the king [shame], and I am pleasing in his sight [shameless]”
Directs proceedings, withholds informationCourageous, clever, creative… captive
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ESTHER’S HONOUR Esther makes several autonomous decisions! She ‘communalises’ (national fasting/prayer) She involves Haman in his own prosecution
everything said about him is said in his presence empowers and informs while exposing her enemy
Esther was educated as a son “wrote with all authority” “the decree of Esther”
Full honorific title: “Esther the queen” Her own genealogy (father’s name)
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HOW DO WE INTERPRET IT? Not as a manual for marital
manipulation Honour-shame critiqued by guilt-
innocence The narrative self-critiques by satire Esther maximises her autonomy Suppressed people use guile and
deception We cannot merge primitive patriarchy
with Christian values
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I WAS TAUGHT AS A GIRL… Ahasuerus was God, glorious Vashti was ‘natural Israel’, rebellious Mordechai was Jesus, righteous Esther was ‘spiritual Israel’, submissive Haman was Satan, subversive
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JEWS IN DIASPORA Captive, compromised Reduced to the position of a woman
Can only seek honour through ‘shame’ Must rely on their appeal, talents
Make themselves too useful to lose Must still resist anti-Semitic agents Mentored by their ‘macho’ past
Symbolised by Mordechai Exploit the weaknesses of dominant
culture Above all, they must survive!
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THE MEDIA AND SHAME The media create both types of ‘shame’
Inner unworthiness, outer inadequacyPublic humiliation (e.g. cyber-bullying)Especially in youth culture
Fame-Shame Internet ‘trolls’ use ‘shame’ languageLacks community structure and support
Can God work within such a culture?Scripture was delivered in two shame
culturesThe gospel speaks into a world preoccupied
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THE REMEDY FOR SHAME It is not
Becoming cool or famous!being affirmed
It isBeing in a community with better ideas of
honourWeakness valued, not excludedBoasting repudiated
The Gospel addresses both guilt and shame Jesus was ‘shamed’ but not guilty In his honour we are honouredAndy Crouch, “The Return of Shame”, Christianity Today
59:2