I Am Onan: Rereading the So-Called Transgression of Wasting Seed
In this article, I aim to read Onan’s action in Gen 38 not simply as an act of transgression but also as a form of resistance to oppressive structures. I will demonstrate that Onan is resisting the dominating structure of levirate marriage that was strongly connected with patriarchy, heteronormativi...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2023
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| In: |
Biblical interpretation
Year: 2023, Volume: 31, Issue: 2, Pages: 135-157 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bible. Genesis 38,6-11
/ Masculinity
/ Resistance
/ Masturbation
/ Queer theology
/ Postcolonialism
|
| IxTheo Classification: | FD Contextual theology HB Old Testament |
| Further subjects: | B
Resistance
B Masculinity B Queer B Postcolonial B Onan B Masturbation |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | In this article, I aim to read Onan’s action in Gen 38 not simply as an act of transgression but also as a form of resistance to oppressive structures. I will demonstrate that Onan is resisting the dominating structure of levirate marriage that was strongly connected with patriarchy, heteronormativity, and hegemonic masculinity. To support this argument, I divide this article into three parts. First, I revisit the earlier interpretations of Onan’s narrative. Then, I explain Onan’s situational context and discuss the possibility of reading his narrative through the postcolonial, queer, and gender-critical lenses. Finally, I conclude that Onan’s action is an act of resistance toward oppressing systems of culture and that his act takes into account Tamar’s interest in achieving proper livelihood. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5152 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Biblical interpretation
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685152-20221656 |
