Kwok Pui-lan - Postcolonial Politics and Theology: Unraveling Empire for a Global World

Kwok Pui-lans Postcolonial Politics and Theology expands the horizons of political theology that are steeped in Eurocentric theories and Western colonial legacy by shifting theological locus to the geopolitical and social realities of the Global South. This comprehensive book could not come at a more relevant time. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in what radically reimagined contours of political theology have to offer from postcolonial and transnational perspectives.

Nami Kim, Professor of Religious Studies, Spelman College

A stunningly accessible and comprehensive map of postcolonial thought and global theology. With this text, Kwok Pui-lan gives us the gift of nourishing and insightful analyses of postcolonial geographies of race, class, gender, and sexuality that challenge the Eurocentric preoccupation of political theology. Essential reading for those interested in anti-imperialist ways of thinking about and doing theology.

Traci C. West, Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies, Drew Theological School

Kwok shows how theology is deeply entwined with politics and vice versa, whether in the Black Lives Matter and ecological movements, the struggle for democracy in Hong Kong, or the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Deeply rooted in wide-ranging scholarship yet lucidly written, this book also brings theoretical reflections to bear on theological pedagogy, preaching, and interreligious dialogue. This book, which represents the culmination of Kwok Pui-lans theological scholarship, is a must-read for anyone interested not only in following her theological journey and development but also in understanding how postcolonial Asian feminism can contribute to the construction of a just society. I enthusiastically recommend it to the widest circle of readers.

Peter C. Phan, The Ignacio Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Georgetown University

In the midst of political upheaval caused by the authoritarian tendencies of global superpowers, Kwok asks how one does theology in the shadow of colonialism. Is it even possible to separate Christianity from its colonizing roots? Kwok leads us in an exploration of how to reimagine theology through the political lens of the Global South, interrogating the dominating views of both Make America Great Again and a China Dream. This book is a must-read for those wishing to expand and build on the political theology discourse while paying close attention to the changing geopolitical situation in Asia Pacific and its impact on Sino-American competition.

Miguel De La Torre, Professor of Social Ethics and Latinx Studies, Iliff School of Theology

As much of theology is trying to figure out its relation to the political, Kwok moves the discussion forward by substantially expanding the horizons of the conversation. As the political engages the colonial and postcolonial, imperialism, as well as race, gender, sexuality, and class in global perspective, fresh theological insights emerge here in conjunction with specific practices that are bound to make a difference.

Joerg Rieger, Distinguished Professor of Theology, Cal Turner Chancellors Chair in Wesleyan Studies, Vanderbilt University Divinity School

Postcolonial Politics
and Theology

Postcolonial Politics
and Theology

Unraveling Empire
for a Global World

K WOK P UI-LAN

2021 Kwok Pui-lan

First edition

Published by Westminster John Knox Press

Louisville, Kentucky

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Geneva Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396. Or contact us online at www.wjkbooks.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.

Excerpt from Call Me by My True Names (1999) by Thich Nhat Hanh is used with permission of Parallax Press.

See , Acknowledgments, for other permissions information.

Book design by Sharon Adams

Cover design by Lisa Buckley

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kwok, Pui-lan, author.

Title: Postcolonial politics and theology : unraveling empire for a global world / Kwok Pui-lan.

Description: First edition. | Louisville, Kentucky : Westminster John Knox Press, 2021. | Includes index. | Summary: The book invites readers to recognize both the inherent political nature of theological study and how it has propped up the values of domination and the necessity of reimagining political theology through a postcolonial lens Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021046362 (print) | LCCN 2021046363 (ebook) | ISBN 9780664267490 (paperback) | ISBN 9781646982301 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Postcolonial theology. | Christianity and politics. | Christianity and culture.

Classification: LCC BT83.593 .K96 2021 (print) | LCC BT83.593 (ebook) | DDC 261.7dc22

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021046362

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021046363

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To the teachers and students of the Theology Division (now Divinity School), Chung Chi College,

the Chinese University of Hong Kong,

where I began my theological journey

Contents

This book was brought to fruition in the midst of the Hong Kong protests, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the U.S. in 2020. Public protests and social movements in many parts of the world in 2019 and 2020 convinced me that political theology must take into consideration changing geopolitics in the world, especially in Asia Pacific. I would like to thank Pacific, Asian, and North American Asian Women in Theology and Ministry for providing a forum for the exchange of ideas for more than thirty-six years.

I had the privilege of sharing some of the contents of this book at the Korean Association of Christian Studies in Seoul, Korea; Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany; Boston University School of Theology; St. Marys College in Notre Dame, Indiana; and an annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion. I want to thank the hosts at the various institutions, including Kim Jeong Joon, Volker Kster, David Schnasa Jacobsen, and Arlene F. Montevecchio for their hospitality during my visits. I learned from conversations with the group of scholars who collaborated to produce the book Teaching Global Theologies: Power and Praxis. I want to thank Federico Settler, Lilian Siwila, and Charlene van der Walt for their kind invitation to speak at the Religion, Gender, and Sexuality in Africa conference at University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, in 2018. The conference sharpened my thinking on postcolonialism, racism, and sexuality. I benefitted from dialogues at the De-provincializing Political Theology: Postcolonial and Comparative Approaches conference at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany, in 2019. I am very grateful to the organizers Vincent Lloyd and Robert Yelle for delicious food and wonderful conversations.