MTh Theses

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    An Exegesis of Luke 5:12-16 and its Relevance for Shaping Christian Attitude towards People Stigmatized by HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa
    (South African Theological Seminary, 2015) Hoy, Barbara-Anne; Asumang, Annang
    All three synoptic evangelists narrate a miracle performed by Jesus in the earliest phase of His public ministry in which He was accosted by a leper requesting cleansing, to which He duly responded (cf. Mk 1:40-45; Mt 8:1-4; Lk 5:12-16). A key feature of the socio-cultural and religious experiences of the biblical leper is stigmatization, ostracism, and marginalization from full participation in the life of the community. Several scholars have examined the Synoptic Gospels’ account of the healing of the leper, seeking to identify their relevance and application in contemporary scenarios. Although these discussions have shed significant light on the modern relevance of the miracle, as far as I am aware, none have focused on the specific presentation of the miracle in Luke’s Gospel in relation to people living with HIV and AIDS, who, like the biblical leper, are also often stigmatized and marginalized from full participation in their communities, including church life. This is a significant scholarly omission, given Luke’s heightened interest in the poor, stigmatized, and marginalized. This mini-thesis exegetes the text of Luke 5:12-16 to determine its theological relevance for Luke’s first readers and, by reflective comparison, maps out some of its implications for shaping contemporary Christian attitudes towards people stigmatized by HIV and AIDS. To this end, a historical-grammatical method of exegesis, together with a literary-theological investigation, directed primarily towards historical and philological goals, is employed. In order to paint a broad social and cultural background for a closer study of the Lucan text, the purity laws of first-century Palestine and specifically how they resulted in the ostracism of those diagnosed with leprosy are examined. The study found that in this narrative Jesus gives concrete expression to the inclusive character of the gospel, the kingdom of God, and the Christian community as He deliberately reaches out and touches an ‘untouchable’. Instead of protecting Himself with the purity regulations, Jesus revealed a reformed idea of purity. Moreover, Jesus’ involvement of the priest in the restoration of the leper offers a challenge to the contemporary Church in Southern Africa. His attitude towards this social outcast has much to contribute to a greater understanding of the Christian attitude necessary in facilitating the eradication of HIV-related stigmatization.
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