Navigating the threshold : an African-feminist reading of the Hagar narrative in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

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dc.contributor.advisorJonker, Louis C.en_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorDavids, N.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorThabede, Slindileen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-08T15:24:24Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:47:51Z
dc.date.available2022-11-08T15:24:24Z
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:47:51Z
dc.date.issued2022-11
dc.descriptionThesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the experiences of Hagar/Hajar, as depicted through the three monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The scriptures from these traditions locate her in remarkably different ways, bringing into conversation profound considerations of who Hagar/Hajar is, not only concerning the specific faith traditions but what these varying traditions can offer for interreligious dialogue and sense-making. In this regard, the study first provides three vantage points, each couched in a monotheistic milieu, and argues for reconsidering the Hagar/Hajar traditions. Secondly, and more importantly, by focusing on Hagar/Hajar’s geopolitical positioning, the study adopts an African-feminist perspective, which opens new possibilities for the significance of her story. Finally, by emphasising her liminality, this bifocal framework lays bare Hagar/Hajar’s body as a site of multiple oppressions and as hope and transcendence. As a slave woman gifted to the monotheist Abraham, her body adopts an intersectional portrayal of oppression regarding sexuality, gender, culture, race, class, and ethnicity. While centrally located across the three Abrahamic traditions, her story reveals remarkably different contextually-bound interpretations, opening rich deliberations and debates for the position and positioning of women along a historical trajectory. Subsequently, this research aims to create a critical space within which the multiple oppressions exerted on black women in South Africa can be articulated. The study also reveals the structures that continue to oppress and subjugate black women. Hagar/Hajar’s memory is kept alive through the liminal identities of South African women who share similarities with her experience. Therefore, in telling their story through Hagar/Hajar as an African matriarch, her story offers new modes of survival and resistance for South African black women. Consequently, the story of Hagar/Hajar becomes an excellent “threshold” or “third space” where authentic engagement within the three religious traditions can also occur. The study constitutes an attempt to create a conversational space where all three Abrahamic traditions could potentially act as each other’s reflective space. Here they could hold one another accountable through the Hagar/Hajar story and together identify the life-giving or life-denying modes that their respective Hagar/Hajar narratives have established in their worlds of origin.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die ervarings van Hagar/Hajar, soos uitgebeeld deur die drie monoteïstiese tradisies van Judaïsme, die Christendom en Islam. Die geskrifte uit hierdie tradisies stel haar op merkwaardig-verskillende maniere voor. Dit vra vir diepgaande oorweging oor wie Hagar/Hajar is, nie net met betrekking tot die spesifieke geloofstradisies nie, maar ook wat hierdie verskillende tradisies vir inter-godsdienstige dialoog en singewing kan bied. In hierdie verband bied die studie eerstens drie perspektiewe, elk in 'n spesifieke monoteïstiese milieu, en dit pleit vir ’n heroorweging van die Hagar/Hajar-tradisies. Tweedens, en nog belangriker, deur te fokus op Hagar/Hajar se geopolitiese posisionering, neem die studie ’n Afrika-feministiese perspektief aan wat nuwe moontlikhede vir die betekenis van haar verhaal open. Deur haar liminaliteit te beklemtoon, stel hierdie bifokale raamwerk Hagar/Hajar se liggaamlikheid voor as ’n veelkantige plek van onderdrukking, maar ook van hoop en transendensie. As ’n slavin wat geskenk is aan die monoteïstiese Abraham, weerspieël haar liggaamlikheid die interseksionele onderdrukking in terme van seksualiteit, geslag, kultuur, ras, klas en etnisiteit waaraan sy onderwerp is. Alhoewel haar verhaal sentraal staan in aldrie Abrahamitiese tradisies, bring haar verhaal merkwaardig-verskillende kontekstueel-gebonde interpretasies na vore. Deur hierdie interpretasies met behulp van ’n historiese trajek met mekaar in verband te bring, skep dit die moontlikheid om debatte oor die posisie van vroue aansienlik te verryk. Vervolgens het hierdie navorsing ten doel om ’n kritiese ruimte te skep waarbinne die veelkantige onderdrukking van swart vroue in Suid-Afrika verwoord kan word. Die studie dien ook om die strukture bloot te lê wat steeds swart vroue onderdruk en onderwerp. Die herinnering aan Hagar/Hajar word lewend gehou deur die liminale identiteite van Suid- Afrikaanse vroue wie se lewens ooreenkomste met haar ervarings toon. Daarom, deur hul storie via die herinnering aan Hagar/Hajar as ’n Afrika-matriarg te vertel, bied haar verhaal nuwe maniere van oorlewing en weerstand vir Suid-Afrikaanse swart vroue. Gevolglik word die verhaal van Hagar/Hajar ook ’n uitstekende “drumpel” of “derde ruimte” waar outentieke interaksie binne en tussen die drie godsdienstige tradisies kan plaasvind. Die studie is ’n poging om ’n gespreksruimte te skep waar al drie Abrahamitiese tradisies reflekterend op mekaar kan inspeel, mekaar deur die Hagar/Hajar-verhaal aanspreeklik kan hou, en saam met mekaar kan kyk na die lewegewende of lewensverloënende moontlikhede wat hul onderskeie Hagar/Hajar-narratiewe in hul onderskeie wêrelde van oorsprong gevestig het.af_ZA
dc.description.versionDoctoralen_ZA
dc.format.extentx, 233 pages
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126057
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectHagar (Biblical figure)en_ZA
dc.subjectFeminismen_ZA
dc.subjectIslam -- Relations -- Christianityen_ZA
dc.subjectChristianity and other religions -- Islamen_ZA
dc.subjectBible. Galatians, IV, 4:21‐31 - Criticism, interpretation, etc.en_ZA
dc.subjectHadithen_ZA
dc.subjectBible. Genesis, XVI -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.en_ZA
dc.subjectBible. Genesis, XXI -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.en_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleNavigating the threshold : an African-feminist reading of the Hagar narrative in Judaism, Christianity, and Islamen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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