Dr. Israel Kamudzandu
Associate Professor of New Testament Studies and Biblical Interpretation, Lindsey P. Pherigo Chair
Phone: 913-253-5016
Email:
Curriculum Vitae
Education
PhD, Biblical Interpretation in New Testament, Brite Divinity School
MATS, United Theological Seminary
MDiv, Africa University
Diploma in Education, University of Zimbabwe
"Passion begins with understanding others world views, and listening to other people's stories, and consequently inspiring each other with our stories. In my research as well as teaching, my goal will be to create a forum where people have opportunity to see in others the common identity which we are called to embrace when we accept Jesus Christ."
Denomination
United Methodist Church (UMC), Elder
Affiliations
Black Methodist Church Renewal
Discipline or Specialty
Over the years I have developed a strong passion for peace and justice issues in both church and social life coupled with a deep sense of cross-cultural Hermeneutic(s)as a methodology for effective biblical interpretation in the 21st century. With the wars and turmoil in the African continent, the call for justice is an urgent issue for the church and students training for ordained ministry. Paul's letter to the Romans has been a source of interest and motivation for me with its call for a "New Israel," or a Godly nation. No one can deny that the church is faced with a new challenge, especially in the post September 11, 2001 world. Our interpretation of the Bible in our era will determine whether Christians are ready to welcome and respect other people whose faith is different from ours. Thus, my profession as an academic practitioner is shaped by the demands of the 21st century multicultural world. My approach to writing is that I teach to write and I do not write to teach because my work is a response to the metannaratives of other cultures.
Representative Courses Taught
Advanced Praxis Seminar: Ethics of Biblical Interpretation
Biblical Visions of Love and Justice
Introduction to the New Testament
Peace, Justice and Reconciliation
Reading Romans
Women in the New Testament
Recent Publications/Writings
"Biblical Interpretation and Criticism in Neocolonial Africa: Challenges, Conceptualizations, and Needs in the Twenty-First Century" in The Future of the Biblical Past: Envisioning Biblical Studies on a Global Key (Semeia Studies), by Roland Boer and Fernando F Segovia (2013)
Translation(s) as Incarnation: A Global South Reading and Interpretation of the Bible and Hymns. Wipf & Stock, 2023
Commentary for WorkingPreacher.org: https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/maundy-thursday/commentary-on-1-corinthians-1123-26-16
Abraham Our Father: Paul and Ancestors in Postcolonial Africa, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2013.
“Hermeneutics - Biblical Interpretation, Ancient and Modern Methods: A Wesleyan Understanding of Scripture in the 21st Century Church” in Wesleyan Dictionary of Theology (2013).
“Jesus of Nazareth: A Historical, Birth/Life/Death/Resurrection/Ascension” in Wesleyan Dictionary of Theology (2013).
Multiethnicity and the Gospel: A Postcolonial Interpretation of Romans (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, forthcoming).
Abraham as a Spiritual Ancestor: A Postcolonial Zimbabwean Reading of Romans 4 (Leiden: Brill, 2010).
"The Nature and Identity of Jesus in Mark 7: 24 - 37: A Zimbabwean Interpretation," A Contextualized Reading of Mark, Daniel Patte, ed. in Mark: Texts @ Contexts (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2010).
"The Holy - Spirit as the Negotiator of Boundaries in Luke - Acts: A Postcolonial Interpretation," SBL Contextualized Readings, Daniel Patte, ed. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2010).
"Exile as a Place of New Vision and New Birth," in The African American Lectionary (February 2010).
"Claim the Miracle - Tell/Sing the Story," in African American Cultural Resource Lectionary (February 2010).
"2 Thessalonians: Biblical Scholar Notes for Lay People," in The Wesley Study Bible, Joel B. Green and William H. Willimon, eds. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009).
