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Unexpected News: Reading the Bible With Third World Eyes
In Unexpected News , Robert McAfee Brown looks at ten biblical texts through a new lens. Brown's analysis is concerned with how our reading of the Bible is dependent on our experiences and worldview. Brown sets out to understand how "third world Christians," that is, Christians who live in poverty and powerlessness, interpret the Bible. Brown argues that by reading the Bible in new ways, we can learn more about other cultures as well as gain a new understanding of the biblical message.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
14 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Robert McAfee Brown
56 books5 followersRobert McAfee Brown was a minister in the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, a theologian, and an activist.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Amherst College in 1943 and was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1944. Brown earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1945, and served as a United States Navy chaplain from 1945 to 1946. The recipient of a Fulbright grant, Brown studied at the University of Oxford before completing a doctorate in the philosophy of religion at Columbia University in 1951. He married Sydney Thomson, and had four children.
Initially, Brown taught at his alma mater, Union Theological Seminary, before accepting an appointment as Professor of Religion at Stanford University in 1962. There he became an international leader in civil rights, ecumenical and social justice causes. Brown campaigned against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and was a co-founder of the group "Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam". He was also a Protestant observer at the Second Vatican Council.
Brown left Stanford in 1975 to return to Union as Professor of World Christianity and Ecumenism, but quickly found his new post unfulfilling. He resigned and moved back to the Bay Area, where he taught at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley until his retirement in 1984. Brown was the author of 29 books, and his papers are now held at the Graduate Theological Union. Brown died on 4 September 2001, survived by his wife. A lecture series is named in his honor.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Amherst College in 1943 and was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1944. Brown earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1945, and served as a United States Navy chaplain from 1945 to 1946. The recipient of a Fulbright grant, Brown studied at the University of Oxford before completing a doctorate in the philosophy of religion at Columbia University in 1951. He married Sydney Thomson, and had four children.
Initially, Brown taught at his alma mater, Union Theological Seminary, before accepting an appointment as Professor of Religion at Stanford University in 1962. There he became an international leader in civil rights, ecumenical and social justice causes. Brown campaigned against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and was a co-founder of the group "Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam". He was also a Protestant observer at the Second Vatican Council.
Brown left Stanford in 1975 to return to Union as Professor of World Christianity and Ecumenism, but quickly found his new post unfulfilling. He resigned and moved back to the Bay Area, where he taught at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley until his retirement in 1984. Brown was the author of 29 books, and his papers are now held at the Graduate Theological Union. Brown died on 4 September 2001, survived by his wife. A lecture series is named in his honor.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 23, 2020
Your interpretation of the Bible will be turned upside down when you read this book. Thought-provoking and eye-opening to those of us who have the privilege of being white and living in the USA. We definitely interpret the Bible differently from those living in third world countries and minorities living in the USA. Reading this book has changed my perspective.
[This book is from 1984, so references to Russia are a bit outdated, but it is amazingly spot on given the issue of racism that has come to a head (once again).]
[This book is from 1984, so references to Russia are a bit outdated, but it is amazingly spot on given the issue of racism that has come to a head (once again).]
February 26, 2009
The title of the epilogue appropriately reads, "For those who feel personally assaulted"--speaking to western Christians that will probably feel "resentful and angry" after being attacked "from a different direction in every chapter." I resonate with the title, but also think that this book needs to be read by those of us in the American church to challenge us to be accountable for our actions, live justly, and love God.
February 5, 2008
A really good one - helps you to understand God's heart for the poor.
May 22, 2016
an exceptional intro to the biblical basis of the liberation theology movement and its profound insights and broad usefulness
August 26, 2019
I wanted to like this book, but I can't get past it's political agenda, nor the author's convenient (albeit faulty) interpretation of scripture. One example is in his chapter on Matthew 25:31-46. He takes the position that since the nations are gathered, this refers to governments, and that it is nations as a whole (a collective group of individuals under one social banner) which are being judged by the deeds of kindness they do or do not do.
This position is faulty from a number of perspectives, not the least of which is the questionable definition of "nation," which arguably refers to much smaller cultural units or communities. The biblical definition of "nation" would not recognize the United States (for example) as one nation, but as a large collection of many nations with diversity of language, tribal identity, and culture.
Additionally, and perhaps more easily grasped, is the enormous problematic judgement and reward. If nations are to be judged as a unit, this means that no matter if you are a Christian, and no matter the personal level of your deeds, you will be judged by what your government does, and this will determine eternal damnation or paradise. That simply does not coincide with the "whosoever" of John 3:16, nor countless other scriptures which emphasize the individual accountability and judgement.
It is an unfortunate and all-too common example of how political conviction colors the integrity of an author. Unfortunately, even though this book is three decades old, it will still impact many who will fail to use basic hermeneutics to read scripture with integrity.
My first visit to Cuba a few years after this book was written, showed me an enormously different picture of the "benevolent" nation that torremented and spied on their own citizens and intimidated them into compliance while forcing them to live on starvation rations and not having the basic supplies to stock their "free clinics."
This position is faulty from a number of perspectives, not the least of which is the questionable definition of "nation," which arguably refers to much smaller cultural units or communities. The biblical definition of "nation" would not recognize the United States (for example) as one nation, but as a large collection of many nations with diversity of language, tribal identity, and culture.
Additionally, and perhaps more easily grasped, is the enormous problematic judgement and reward. If nations are to be judged as a unit, this means that no matter if you are a Christian, and no matter the personal level of your deeds, you will be judged by what your government does, and this will determine eternal damnation or paradise. That simply does not coincide with the "whosoever" of John 3:16, nor countless other scriptures which emphasize the individual accountability and judgement.
It is an unfortunate and all-too common example of how political conviction colors the integrity of an author. Unfortunately, even though this book is three decades old, it will still impact many who will fail to use basic hermeneutics to read scripture with integrity.
My first visit to Cuba a few years after this book was written, showed me an enormously different picture of the "benevolent" nation that torremented and spied on their own citizens and intimidated them into compliance while forcing them to live on starvation rations and not having the basic supplies to stock their "free clinics."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 20, 2020We see life differently based on where we come from and the stories we partake in. The God of countries under a dictator or an oppressive regime is going to look different than my God. We read the same book but garner different conclusions/perspectives. The God of an oppressed people is a liberator. The God I serve, inside a materialistic society, is a provider. One of the quotes I liked in here is, " I should like to love my country and still love justice." We tie our beliefs to our patriotism. The States have backed up many oppressive leaders in L.A in order for their own benefit. We need to be reading the Bible from the perspective of the oppressed perhaps. But then again, we live such comfortable lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2020
Brown so successfully takes passages from the Old and New Testament into contemporary English then takes them one step further and applies the underlying meaning to contemporary life. His writing is smooth; his logic carries you through an always stimulating thought path.
I found the references to Latin American dictatorships and the unfortunate role the US plays(ed) in propping them up somewhat repetitive. Brown makes his point, though; we hold the keys to changing misguided government policies.
I found the references to Latin American dictatorships and the unfortunate role the US plays(ed) in propping them up somewhat repetitive. Brown makes his point, though; we hold the keys to changing misguided government policies.
February 13, 2011
Liberation themes echo throughout the Bible. Believers are called to challenge material oppression, side with the ‘least’ among us, and work to empower the downtrodden. Christianity is inherently a matter of politics, economics, and power.
Through an iterative process of worship and action, Christians live this practice. Our natural tendency is to hang out at the feel-good pinnacle & build tabernacles (Luke 9:33), but God calls us to come down from the mountaintop & love through action (vs. 37 and following).
Western Christianity has mistakenly framed liberation as an individual spiritual freedom, framed through acceptance of a “personal Savior.”
Chapter 7 was a favorite~
‘Jesus’ Story: From Head Trips to Foot Trips (Changing the Question)’
The author unpacks the well-known Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25).
In this passage, a lawyer poses an abstract & definitional question to Jesus, attempting to use thought and avoid action: “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replies with a concrete illustration and reframes an action-oriented question: “Which of these three, referring to the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan, do you think proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”… “Go and do the same!”
Other highlights:
*Not acting is acting.
*Knowing the truth must lead to DOING the truth.
I have a better grasp on the goals of my faith as a result of this book, but feel challenged when I ask myself: Now what? Policy and structural changes are huge. How can I be most effective in my efforts to protect the oppressed? How do I best extend my faith’s application beyond individual charity to address systemic injustice? Is financially supporting organizations whose missions are targeting these efforts enough? Is writing the occasional advocacy letter to a legislator enough?
I somehow don’t think so… but I hope the Lord will help me understand how my talents and resources can be used in His great plan.
Through an iterative process of worship and action, Christians live this practice. Our natural tendency is to hang out at the feel-good pinnacle & build tabernacles (Luke 9:33), but God calls us to come down from the mountaintop & love through action (vs. 37 and following).
Western Christianity has mistakenly framed liberation as an individual spiritual freedom, framed through acceptance of a “personal Savior.”
Chapter 7 was a favorite~
‘Jesus’ Story: From Head Trips to Foot Trips (Changing the Question)’
The author unpacks the well-known Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:25).
In this passage, a lawyer poses an abstract & definitional question to Jesus, attempting to use thought and avoid action: “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replies with a concrete illustration and reframes an action-oriented question: “Which of these three, referring to the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan, do you think proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”… “Go and do the same!”
Other highlights:
*Not acting is acting.
*Knowing the truth must lead to DOING the truth.
I have a better grasp on the goals of my faith as a result of this book, but feel challenged when I ask myself: Now what? Policy and structural changes are huge. How can I be most effective in my efforts to protect the oppressed? How do I best extend my faith’s application beyond individual charity to address systemic injustice? Is financially supporting organizations whose missions are targeting these efforts enough? Is writing the occasional advocacy letter to a legislator enough?
I somehow don’t think so… but I hope the Lord will help me understand how my talents and resources can be used in His great plan.
April 3, 2011
In this book, the author takes ten well known stories from the Bible and asks his readers (who are, generally speaking, white, affluent, educated Americans) to imagine how a person in the third world might hear them. It is a remarkable exercise, to say the least. The more I read and learn about religion in general, and Christianity in particular, the more I come to realize how far from the actual message of Jesus Americans (and Westerners) have wandered. I read today that in the year 1900 there were 1,700 Christian sects in the world. Today, there are more than 42,000!
When people like Joel Olsteen, the Westboro Baptist Church, and the Koran burning lunatic in Florida are the public face of Christianity, it's no wonder so many people find the whole thing ridiculous, insulting, and toxic. Christianity has become almost completely co-opted by our culture: megachurches with cafes inside of them, a 'Christian-Industrial Complex' of books, dvds, cds, software, and other bric-a-brac, insane television shows on twenty different cable channels, the mixture of politics and religion...it's all so incredibly removed from what it actually began as (and I suspect, was meant to be) that I can't help but wonder how much of it is worth saving.
There were some actual startling revelations for me in this book. I need to think about them more, but my view of what it means to be a Christian is still very inchoate, even after all of this time. Books like this--there are others, too--challenge me, which is good. The conclusions I draw from these challenges?
That's where things get difficult.
When people like Joel Olsteen, the Westboro Baptist Church, and the Koran burning lunatic in Florida are the public face of Christianity, it's no wonder so many people find the whole thing ridiculous, insulting, and toxic. Christianity has become almost completely co-opted by our culture: megachurches with cafes inside of them, a 'Christian-Industrial Complex' of books, dvds, cds, software, and other bric-a-brac, insane television shows on twenty different cable channels, the mixture of politics and religion...it's all so incredibly removed from what it actually began as (and I suspect, was meant to be) that I can't help but wonder how much of it is worth saving.
There were some actual startling revelations for me in this book. I need to think about them more, but my view of what it means to be a Christian is still very inchoate, even after all of this time. Books like this--there are others, too--challenge me, which is good. The conclusions I draw from these challenges?
That's where things get difficult.
May 7, 2014
After reading this I hesitated a little, not being quite sure whether to put it in the "religion" or "politics" category, but this is ultimately about religion, and how religion cannot be separate and neutral about politics, no matter what time we live in.
This book is about how third world countries interpret certain Bible texts (though continent-wise this one concentrates on Latin America the most). Its politics-examples and such show clearly when it was written, but just a few changes of names and other things can put it quite easily into our times.
I felt the author was very insisting, but he clearly and simply drove the point home: us first world people must do better in helping the less fortunate both in our countries and in the third world - it was this book where I learned what the 'second world' really was (the Russians) - and also try to get involved in political matters, directly or indirectly. We also should look hard on our other values and check how well we do as Christians when it comes to acting as Christians and not just doing the 'basic routines' motions here and there (and not necessarily even reading the Bible; or not reading it well enough).
This is clearly left-leaning, but even if you're not, you could still take a look and ponder on your position in this world. It might be 30 years now from when this book was released, but there's still a lot to do, even when doing just our small bit - and thinking what our actions (or lack of) can do to our afterlife.
This book is about how third world countries interpret certain Bible texts (though continent-wise this one concentrates on Latin America the most). Its politics-examples and such show clearly when it was written, but just a few changes of names and other things can put it quite easily into our times.
I felt the author was very insisting, but he clearly and simply drove the point home: us first world people must do better in helping the less fortunate both in our countries and in the third world - it was this book where I learned what the 'second world' really was (the Russians) - and also try to get involved in political matters, directly or indirectly. We also should look hard on our other values and check how well we do as Christians when it comes to acting as Christians and not just doing the 'basic routines' motions here and there (and not necessarily even reading the Bible; or not reading it well enough).
This is clearly left-leaning, but even if you're not, you could still take a look and ponder on your position in this world. It might be 30 years now from when this book was released, but there's still a lot to do, even when doing just our small bit - and thinking what our actions (or lack of) can do to our afterlife.
March 18, 2010
The title to this book set it up to fail. I was very excited by the idea of looking through scripture with Third World Eyes, but it came up short. But I still think the ideas of the book and the author's general point are worth chewing on.
Unexpected News posits that we, in the west, have developed a skewed reading of scripture, that our individualistic culture misses major themes that our brothers and sisters in the Third World can enlighten for us. This I agree whole-heartedly with and was happy to see some of that in the book .
However, the book also felt like a thinly veiled apologetic for Liberation Theology, of which I have some uncomfortability with. And some of the scriptural exegesis was not very strong. This was frustrating for me because I felt he could have come to his conclusions in a much stronger fashion than he did in the book.
Another difficulty was the fact that he was speaking into his context of the Cold War world. Though I would have been very interested in what it would be like to read this book the year it was published. It might have hit me much stronger.
This book tries to do good things with broadening our theological lenses, but I do believe there are better books out there for the same purposes.
Unexpected News posits that we, in the west, have developed a skewed reading of scripture, that our individualistic culture misses major themes that our brothers and sisters in the Third World can enlighten for us. This I agree whole-heartedly with and was happy to see some of that in the book .
However, the book also felt like a thinly veiled apologetic for Liberation Theology, of which I have some uncomfortability with. And some of the scriptural exegesis was not very strong. This was frustrating for me because I felt he could have come to his conclusions in a much stronger fashion than he did in the book.
Another difficulty was the fact that he was speaking into his context of the Cold War world. Though I would have been very interested in what it would be like to read this book the year it was published. It might have hit me much stronger.
This book tries to do good things with broadening our theological lenses, but I do believe there are better books out there for the same purposes.
February 12, 2014
Unexpected News is ok. It's prophetically bent and largely a criticism on the Western world (read: America)'s myopic reading and interpretation of Scripture. It relies heavily on Gutierrez' liberation theology. This used to be in the curriculum for the urban ministry internship I staff, but we've since found it a little outdated (its major examples are the Cold War - totally fair, given it was published in 1984!).
What is still relevant is that it alludes to the US involvement in a number of South American government overthrows, something which should not be glossed over. I'd recommend Noam Chomsky for more history details.
The strength of the book lies in the exegesis of a number of sections of Scripture from 'third world eyes;' the problem therein is that Brown is not from the third world, and though he has studied it a great deal, it still feels weird for him to speak on behalf of it.
What is still relevant is that it alludes to the US involvement in a number of South American government overthrows, something which should not be glossed over. I'd recommend Noam Chomsky for more history details.
The strength of the book lies in the exegesis of a number of sections of Scripture from 'third world eyes;' the problem therein is that Brown is not from the third world, and though he has studied it a great deal, it still feels weird for him to speak on behalf of it.
January 16, 2015
A great book written in the early 1980's. Some of the info is dated of course because the author is talking current events of the time. I don't remember where I got this book, but I've had it a long time, 'meaning to read it'. Brown gives a good analysis of what the times were like when Jesus and the apostles experienced the things later written about. He looks at how the Jewish/Christian people of the first century A.D. were living: poor, oppressed. Many people of Central and South America in the 80's and even today fit these categories. A good book to read again, now. What can we do to build God's kingdom on earth as Jesus requested? It seems pretty daunting, but if everyone could see their way to contribute, peace on earth would become a reality.
November 11, 2012
Reading "Unexpected News" took me longer than normal. I could only read a little at a time. It's like walking on pieces of glass. Very convicting! But I'm glad I read it through to the end. Chapter 9 especially, "Jesus' Vision: A Task For The Nations". In Matthew 25, we learn that we are not only personally responsible to the poor, hungry, thirsty, immigrant, imprisoned, etc., we are also responsible as a NATION! I'm going to make sure our President is made aware of this book. He is already working on our nation's responsibilities. He may not be aware he's following the Word! :)
February 2, 2015
Though this book is very dated in its application, the value of Brown's writing is how he uses prophetic imagination to apply the scripture to the issues and injustices of our modern world. I found his creative applications of scripture engaging, though at times he tone becomes a bit monotonous with his exclusive liberation theology perspective.
March 17, 2009
This book is hard to read (and I don't mean that the words are big or whatnot). I don't recommend it for everyone. I do recommend it for the Christian who has read Noam Chomsky, though. It's a book that makes you think, and that doesn't have any easy solutions tied up in a bow.
September 13, 2011
A little dated with a lot of Cold War analogies about power and the developming world but good interpretations of scripture. Draws from Gospel in Solentiname, which I will be putting on my to-read list.
August 15, 2007
What an eye-opener. I still don't quite know how to respond to this book in my own life.
November 14, 2014
I can't think of a single person I don't want to read this book - it should be mandatory Christian reading.
March 4, 2012
I enjoyed this but found it made the same point in almost every chapter. It would be a good study for some church groups to do, and I think it would ease a lot of people into liberation theology.
September 18, 2011
This is without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read. The end.
February 9, 2016
Best book I read in seminary, bar-none.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews