Sara Stone, “Oh Poor Jephthah: Jephthah, Jephthah’s Daughter, and Himpathy,” 1–22.
KEYWORDS:Judges 11, Jephthah, Jephthah’s Daughter, sympathy, himpathy, herasure
This article will explore how the story of Jephthah and his daughter in Judges 11 provides us with a biblical example of himpathy. Himpathy is a concept put forward by feminist philosopher Kate Manne which sees how sympathy is diverted away from the female victim(s) and is instead projected onto the male perpetrator(s). This article will look at himpathy in contemporary cases and in Judges 11 in order to draw parallels between the text and in our own culture and society. Ultimately, the aim of this article is to demonstrate the prevalence of himpathy and to show the dangers of a himpathetic mentality. Once we learn how to spot himpathy, it is hard not to see it everywhere.
Sarah F. Porter, “Writing to Paul: Using Interactive Fiction to Explore Early Christian Worlds,” 23–47
KEYWORDS: Pedagogy; Paul; interactive fiction; ethics of teaching
“Bringing early Christianity to life” is a worthy goal, but it is worthier when buttressed by more specific learning objectives. A text-based choose-your-own-adventure-style game, Writing to Paul, invites students to explore the first decades of earliest Christianity. In this article, I present the learning objectives achieved by the game: introducing the rich historical context of 50 CE; introducing key teachers and teachings of earliest Christianity; and introducing crucial historiographical questions like “How does one tell history?” I present ethical considerations in both designing and playing the game, such as taking seriously the agency of disenfranchised populations, presenting varieties of early Christianities, and developing historical empathy. Finally, I offer other use cases for using interactive fiction in the religious studies classroom.
Robert Revington, Hannah Fonseca Becar & Merrill G. Greene, “The Psychological Impact of Ostracism and the Silent Treatment and their Application to the Psalms,” 48–81
KEYWORDS: Psalms; psychology; ostracism; silent treatment; lament; prayer
This study applies psychological research on the effects of ostracism and the silent treatment to interpret the psalms of lament—drawing especially on the work of the psychologist Kipling D. Williams. Studies show that receiving the silent treatment affects the same part of the brain that detects physical pain (the anterior cingulate cortex) and there are passages in the psalms that describe the psalmists being shunned by their communities. Yet these negative psychological effects can also happen when the other party is not physically present, such as when one’s texts or social media messages are ignored. This insight can be used to understand the psalmists’ experiences of unanswered prayer, where God is not physically present. Studies show that the pain of ostracism and the silent treatment can affect readers and audiences second-hand as well. To that end, there is evidence that members of faith communities will be less likely to give generously after hearing Scripture passages where God ignores the psalmist or other biblical writer. Nonetheless, these negative effects are counterbalanced by the positive social aspects of gathering in community and by the fact that even psalms that include ostracism often have positive conclusions.