ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK

RICOEURIAN HERMENEUTICS, QUEER HERMENEUTICS, AND SCRIPTURE

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Ibralin Abralan is a postgraJuate researcl stuJent in tle Sclool of olitical anJ Social
Inquirx at Monasl Uniiersitx.
CorresponJence to Ibralin Abralan: Ibralin.AbralanCarts.nonasl.eJu.au
This article explores Ricoeurs rhetorical question, if I make believers scribes, will it be long before I make
them literary critics? by analysing Ricoeurs three-stage biblical hermeneutics through the perspective of
queer theory and queer criticism of the Bible and the Quran. The article offers an overview of the state of
queer theory in the context of scriptural criticism and an analysis of Ricoeurs hermeneutic system, before
engaging with queer readings of scripture from scriptural scholars and theologians. Acknowledging the
tension between queer theorists in the academy, activists and individuals, this article also draws on the
scriptural hermeneutics of the queer activist organisations, QUIT, Queer Jihad and the Rainbow Sash
movement, suggesting that their creative scriptural appropriations can enliven Ricoeurian hermeneutics.
In lis airicle. 'aming Gou` Paul Ricoeui (199/1995a: 219) oseu rle ileroiical quesrion 'i]
I make Lelieveis sciiLes. vill ir Le long Leoie I make rlem lireiaiy ciirics` Wlen le askeu rlis.
Ricoeui vas nor ieeiiing seciically ro rle emeiging ielu o queei ciiricism. anu yer rlis quore
sers rle srage iemaikaLly vell. Ioi unril veiy iecenrly. oenly gay anu lesLian eole. like orlei
maiginaliseu eole. veie nor eimirreu ro inreiier rle sciiruie oi rlemselves. Insreau. rley
encounreieu sciiruie seconu lanu. rliougl vlar LlizaLerl Sruair er al (199: 41) iuenriy as
'rle inreiierive ielu o orleis`. I ve ieau a rexr seaicling oi meaning anu coleience. rlen ir
is nor suiiising rlar sucl oiessive inreiierive iacrices aileu ro give sucl meaning anu co-
leience ro eole`s lives. 1lus. oi roo long. maiginaliseu eole iemaineu ro ieueloy an im-
oiranr Ricoeuiian liase 'on rle uooisre o rle voik` (Ricoeui 19S5/1991: 402).
1le rask o rlis airicle is ro navigare some o rle cuiienrs o queei inreiierarions o rle BiLle
anu rle Ouran. urilising rle lens o Ricoeui`s leimeneurical aioacl. I vill Le sloving vleie
Ricoeuiian leimeneurics anu queei leimeneurics aie comariLle. as vell as exloiing some o
rle inreisecrions vleie one aioacl can assisr in iemeuying ueiciencies in rle orlei. Wleie
rle rvo leimeneuric aioacles aie comariLle. rlis is laigely a case o seienuiiry. Lecause
Ricoeui limsel uiu nor ueal virl queei issues. anu queei rleoiy lau lirrle ro uo virl Ricoeui.
1
In arremring ro airially iemeuy rlis. rle ocus o rlis airicle is on Lorl convenrional (rlar is.
acauemic) LiLlical sruuies anu rleological aioacles ro queei ciiricism. sucl as rle conriiLurions
ro rle collecrion Oueer Criticisn anJ tle Hebreu ible (Srone 2001a). anu also exlicirly acrivisr
leimeneurical aioacles. sucl as rlose o rle lirrle-knovn oiganisarions QUI1 anu Queei |ilau.
Iiisrly. rlougl. I vanr ro auu a nore on rle conresreu use o rle voiu 'queei` anu rle srarus
o 'queei commenraiy` oi ciiricism. 'Queei`. as las Leen vell uocumenreu. moveu iom Leing
one o many reims o ueiision uiiecreu ar gay men anu lesLians. orlei sexual minoiiries anu
lereiosexual-iuenriying men consiueieu insuicienrly masculine oi orleivise socially anu
olirically susecr: ro emeige. in a signiicanr vay in rle acauemy in rle 1990s. as a reim o
olirical anu culruial alliance oi rlese maiginaliseu iuenriries anu communiries (Srone 2001L:
161: |agose 1996: 25). Ar rle same rime. rle reim 'queei` emLiaces anu analyses rle ui-
eiences virlin rlese communiries anu moves ro rle oLvious enu oinr o Leginning ro queiy
ARTICLES
THE BIBLE AND CRITICAL THEORY, VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1, 2007 MONASH UNIVERSITY EPRESS 04.1
anu 'ioLlemarize esraLlisleu sexual caregoiies sucl as gay. lesLian oi lereiosexual' (ue
Lauieris 1991: v).
Hovevei. as is no uouLr aaienr ro rlose voiking oi ieauing in rlis aiea. rlis Lullisl 1990s
orimism rle Lelie rlar ve veie all somelov maicling inro a Lolu. queei nev voilu seems
leau-slakingly nave rlese uays. Wirl rle aumirreuly voirly goal o queei rleoiy ro allov
aLiuingly aluenr vlire vesreineis ro somelov rleoiise Leyonu rlemselves i nor Leyonu rleii
iivileges laving ar Lesr a ruigiu ielarionsli virl acrual exisring uiveisiry. anu rle ielucrance
o inuiviuuals oursiue acauemia ro emLiace eisonal queei iuenriries (Waires 2005). queei rleoiy
is in iarlei ooi slae ro ueal virl rle cuiienr srare o sexual olirics. anu seciically. rle ieruin
o assimilarion as rle aLiuing sriaregy oi olirical moLilisarion. 1lis conremoiaiy sexual assim-
ilarion las raken a iarlei (neo-)conseivarive ruin. leau Ly inuiviuuals sucl as rle Carlolic con-
seivarive Anuiev Sullivan (1995). virl rle iecognirion Leing maue rlar a small gay anu lesLian
elire lave ai moie in common virl aluenr. conseivarive vesrein lereiosexuals rlan anyone
else. anu a ueinire inreiesr in mainraining rleii iivileges (Duggan 2002). Ulrimarely one can
viev rlis as a ailuie o rle queei rleoiisrs` norions rlar a nev olirical eisremology. a queei
olirical iuenriry. voulu emeige ro eclise olu-aslioneu class. In keeing virl rle neo-conseivarive
rones o rle nev ueLare. lovevei. iace anu ieligion aie veiy mucl cenrial ro vlar Duggan (2002)
anu orleis aie laLelling 'lomonoimariviry`. virl ^uslims in airiculai emeiging as rle uemoniseu
rlougl iionically also rloiouglly queeieu Orlei. againsr vlicl vesrein liLeial cairalism
can ueine irsel (Puai anu Amir 2002: Aionuekai 2005: Puai 2006). 1lis is vleie conrinuing
uiscouise o queei sciiruial ciiricism emeiges as a necessaiy. alLeir limireu. counreioinr ro
conseivarive sexual olirics o oui uay. Ioi alrlougl queei sciiruial ciiricism is as guilry o
mainraining rle rexrual. iarlei rlan social. ocus o queei rleoiy as any o rle mosr oLscuie
voiks o queei lireiaiy ciiricism. anu ir is srill slovly inuing irs vay our o rle aiioganr vesrein
excerionalism o rle ielu (see Buins 2002). ir can neveirleless ciirically engage virl rle eivasive
sciiruially Laseu olirical myrls o oui uay. Alrlougl ir is Leyonu rle amLir o rlis airicle ro
analyse rle rensions Lerveen acauemic anu olirical queei ciiricism. rle uieiences vill aeai
aaienr.
^oving on. ve can see rlar rle acauemic slir avay iom rle iuenriries 'gay anu lesLian` ro
rle moie conionrarional 'queei`. coinciues virl rle move avay iom exlicirly apologetic
rleology anu sciiruial inreiierarion. ro an exlicirly queer rleology anu queei commenraiy.
1le iisr gay anu lesLian (as rley vas calleu rlen) rleologies anu LiLlical commenraiies veie
iouuceu in rle eaily 190s anu veie auuiesseu aLiuingly ro lereiosexuals. aiguing rle ieason-
aLleness o incluuing sexual minoiiries virlin rle lie o rle cluicl (Sruair 2002: 15). One can
oLseive rlar rle aologeric aioacl is essenrially rle sriaregy Leing raken Ly mosr queei ^uslim
commenrarois anu oiganisarions rouay. Queei ^uslim nervoiks sucl as al atila in rle Unireu
Srares.
2
Inaan in rle Unireu Kinguom. Salaan in Canaua. 1le Innei Ciicle in Sourl Aiica anu
rle Yosef Iounuarion in rle erleilanus. aie all auvocaring rle ieasonaLleness o rle inclusion
o oenly queei eole in rle lie o rle unna. In lis orleivise imiessive sruuy o (as rle aurloi
aumirreuly ioLlemarically ieeis ro rlem) 'non-lereiosexual` Cliisrians anu ^uslims in rle UK.
Anuiev Yi eiioneously. in my oinion. oines rlar rle aLsence o 'ciearive` aioiiarions o
sciiruie Ly queei ^uslims ielecrs rle 'signiicanr uiscieancy in rleological anu culruial iesouices
Lerveen rlem anu rleii Cliisrian counreiairs` (Yi 2005: 5). Yi`s aioacl. like many liLeial
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.2
arremrs ar inreiairl uialogue oi comaiison. riears Cliisrianiry as noimarive. anu suLrly oi
even unconsciously aumonisles Islam oi irs Lackvaiuness. virlour raking inro accounr. oi
examle. rle iicl riauirions o same-sex eioricism in ^uslim rlouglr.
3
noi rle uieiing lireiaiy
sriucruie o Cliisrian anu Islamic sciiruies. vlicl ve slall see. limirs rle sciiruial inreiierarions
rlar can Le maue.
eveirleless. vlar one may consiuei a queei aioacl ro sciiruie anu sexualiry uieis iom
an aologeric aioacl. Inoimeu airly Ly rle emeiging uiusion o liLeiarion rleologies. gay
anu lesLian LiLlical sclolais Legan ro see rlar vlar vas cleaily neeueu. as ve slall see in rle
uiscussion o rle anri-lisroiicism iesenr in Lorl Ricoeuiian anu queei leimeneurics. vas
ro ruin iom a leimeneurics inoimeu Ly an aologeric srance rlar riies ro ius-
riy queei eole`s] lace in rle cluicl ro engage in rle ieconsriucrive rask o
leimeneurics rlar enlisrs rle BiLle as a iesouice oi queei] liLeiarion anu
clallenges rlose vlo seek ro excluue anu oiess (Sencei 2001: 195).
In orlei voius. only a LiLlical oi. oi rlar marrei Ouranic leimeneurics rlar rakes rle lives
o. oi oui uioses. queei eole iusr as seiiously as ir uoes rle sciiruial rexr anu rle voilu
Lelinu ir. vill allov maiginaliseu eole ro move Leyonu rle uooisre o sciiruie so rlar 'rle
voilu o rle text. ioeily unueisroou. may inally. 'exloue rle voilu o rle autlor` (Ricoeui
193/1991: S3).
Ricoeui`s leimeneurical sriaregy las arriacreu many suLrle. anu suLrly incomariLle inrei-
iereis. anu rle uisagieemenrs Legin virl vlar ro laLel eacl o rle sres in lis rliee-sre aioacl.
Levis ^uuge (19S0: 1S2). oi examle. seaks o 'resrimony in rle making`. rle 'ciirical mo-
menr` anu rle 'osr-ciirical momenr`. vlile Daviu 1iacy (19S1: 124. 151152) ieeis 'unuei-
sranuing-exlanarion-unueisranuing`. Peilas Gusravo Gurieiiez` (19S3: 91) Liring commenr
aLour rleologians lusring arei a rleology rley can call rleii ovn. iusr as rle erire Louigeoisie
uisue rleii uieam o ovning rleii ovn louse lolus riue oi commenrarois as vell. oi ulrimarely
rle uisrincrions aie a marrei o meie euagogical geomeriy. Aie ve uealing virl a leimeneurical
ciicle. as 1iacy ieeis. oi ^uuge`s aicl Ir is a quesrion o vlerlei oi nor one sees enougl
uayliglr Lerveen rle iisr oinr anu lasr oinr oi ir ro consrirure somerling nor quire ciiculai.
Ricoeui limsel vaues inro rlis geomeriic ueLare anu ieeis ro a leimeneurical aic oi aicl (Ricoeui
190/1991: 63). vlicl is rle unueisranuing rlar I vill Le eisisring virl. Ioi. as ve slall see.
vleie ve enu u ar rle 'enu` o Ricoeui`s aic can Le ai iom vleie ve Legin.
Ricoeui`s leimeneuric sriaregy is Laseu aiounu lis iecognirion o rle ioLlems anu ossiLil-
iries inleienr in lis aLiuing rleme. 'uisranciarion` rle uisrancing o a rexr iom irs aurloi anu
rlus aurloiiry. Ricoeui (196: 43) nores rlar uisranciarion vill exisr vlenevei uriting is suLiecr
ro irs 'comlemenraiy ole`. reaJing. Wiiring is alvays alieauy uisranciareu anu slarreis oui
Lelie rlar 've airiciare in rle lisroiical iealiry rlar ve claim ro consriucr as an oLiecr` (Ricoeui
196: 5). 1angenrially. rle elevenrl cenruiy Ouranic sclolai o Coiuova. ILn Hazm. ienovneu
Ly loveis oi lis evocarive riearise on love (anu sex). Tle Bing of tle Doie anu also Ly iglreis
oi allegeuly ieiguiing Vallabist unuamenralism. aigueu rlar alrlougl rle Ouran may seak
o lisroiical evenrs. ir is nor meiely lisroiical. Lur may allov oi rle longeu-oi rexrual ieclamarion
anu ieeririon o rle asr (Saiu 19S3/1991: 33S). Anu ir is in rlis longing rlar uisranciarion
iouuces vlar Ricoeui oerically calls rle 'mouining o rle immeuiare` (cireu in Reagan 1996:
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.3
100). Disranciarion oices uon us rle iealisarion rlar oui ielarionsli ro iealiry is airial anu
ioLlemaric. Disranciarion neveirleless liLeiares rle rexr oi nev conrexrualisarions anu unuei-
sranuings. as i iecognising 'oui neeu. ro oveicome culruial esriangemenr` (Ricoeui 196: 43).
1lus. conremoiaiy ieinreiierarion anu unueisranuing iequiies rlar ve seek arei 'nor rle
leering evenr.` Ricoeui vains us (196: S). 'Lur iarlei rle meaning rlar enuuies.` As Ricoeui
(196: 44) nores. 'inreiierarion. lilosolically unueisroou is norling else rlan an arremr ro
make esriangemenr anu uisranciarion iouucrive.` anu rlis is Lesr aclieveu ceirainly oi queei
leimeneurics 'Ly rle ieauei seeking ro aly rle rexr ro lie` (Ricoeui 19S1/1995: 146).
Wlile in rle conrexr o rlis essay. ve vill Le raking 'rle ieauei` ro Le a queei eison oi
communiry. seeking ro use rle BiLle anu rle Ouran as a souice oi liLeiarion. as Daniel Sencei
(2001) suggesrs aLove. ir is essenrial ro nore rlar an imoiranr elemenr o a rexr`s uisranciarion
is rlar irs ieauei can Le 'anyone vlo can ieau` (Ricoeui 193/1991: S3-4: 1iacy 195: 5). 1lis
is ceirainly rle case oi queei rleoiy. vlicl. as ve slall see. is nor meiely o inreiesr oi alicarion
ro rle lives o sexual minoiiries. Hovevei rle emeigence o leimeneurics ro enlisr sciiruie as a
souice oi liLeiarion las Leen essenrial oi queei eole anu communiries as vell as ro all mai-
ginaliseu eole. as rle LiLlical rexr vas nor alvays uiiecreu rovaius rlem. 1oo oren queei anu
orlei maiginaliseu eole veie simly rle oLiecrs o LiLlical uiscouise. yer a moie comlere
unueisranuing o rle ooiruniries maue availaLle ro rlem Ly uisranciarion las leleu rlem
Lecome rle subjects o LiLlical inreiierarion. 1le same rling musr Le saiu o rle Ouran. Wlile
ir is uisrincr amongsr ieligious rexrs in seciically auuiessing vomen in laces. I voulu aigue
rlar rle acknovleugemenr o Ouranic uisranciarion somerling rloiouglly engiaineu in Islamic
culruie rliougl rle aLiuing necessiry ro ie-esraLlisl anu ie-examine Ouranic aurloiiry is ie-
quiieu Leoie. in rle liLeiaring momenr o uisranciarion. queei ^uslims vill ioeily see rlem-
selves in rle rexr. 1lus. uisranciarion is ulrimarely aLour Lelonging (Lavloi 1992: 54). As Sulay-
man X. rle ounuei o rle Queei |ilau movemenr asks o queei Lelonging. 'i nor Islam. rlen
vleie` (Sulayman X 1999). In rlis vay. a communicarive evenr Legins Ly Lelonging ro rle aurloi.
Lecomes uisranciareu iom rlem. anu enus u. ulrimarely. as meaning cieareu Ly anu Lelonging
ro a quire ossiLly enriiely uninrenueu oi even inconceivaLle inuiviuual oi communiry.
I lave iusr menrioneu rlar queei anu orlei maiginaliseu eole aie Lecoming rle suLiecrs.
nor iusr oLiecrs. o sciiruial inreiierarion. Ir is in rlis similai vein rlar queei leimeneurics slies
avay iom an ovei-ieliance on lisroiicisr anu ciirical-lisroiical inreiierarion o sciiruie. as
uoes Ricoeui`s leimeneurics. Ioi Ricoeui (199/1995L: 6S). rle iocess o oier-analysing rle
LiLlical rexr in rle lisroiicisr mannei las rle iesulr o ienueiing ir sacieu only ro sclolais. Lqually.
Ly uvelling solely on rle lisroiical conrexr o rle iouucrion o rle rexr. ve enu u looking oi
norling Lur a syclological unueisranuing o rle aurloi`s inrenrions. Ricoeui (196: 90) aigues
rlar rle lenomenological inreivenrion rook meaning avay iom an iuea in a single eison`s
Liain. ro 'an iueal oLiecr rlar can Le iuenriieu anu ieiuenriieu Ly uieienr inuiviuuals ar uieienr
rimes.` ovauays. rleieoie. Ricoeui insisrs rlar 'ro seek meaning is no longei ro sell our rle
consciousness o meaning. Lur ro uecilei irs exiessions` (Ricoeui 190: 33).
An examle o rle ailings o rle uiely lisroiicisr aioacl seeking rle aurloi`s inrenrion
is rle inaLiliry o lisroiicism ro ioeily ueal virl rle lenomenon o inreirexrualiry. In seeking
only rle aurloi`s inrenr. naiiov lisroiicism misses rle uouLle-meanings o rexrs. oi rle mulrile.
eilas sclizoiu souices rlar ueveloeu rlar iisr meaning. oigerring rle meaning`s 'ancloiage
in anorlei naiiarion` (Ricoeui 196: 150). 1lis is uirlei comlicareu vlen rle meaning(s) o
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.4
a rexr ueiive iimaiily iom inreirexrualiry. sucl as in rle sroiy o rle uesriucrion o Souom in
rle HeLiev BiLle anu rle Ouran. As ^iclael Caiuen (2001) aigues. since rle Souom naiiarive
nevei inreiiers irsel. irs meaning can only come iom ieauings o orlei rexrs. sacieu anu orlei-
vise. 1lis is equally rle case in rle Ouran. virl all Lur one i irs possible ieeiences ro lomo-
sexualiry ielaring ro rle Souom naiiarive.
4
Inreiierarions o rlese assages also iesr on inreirex-
rualiry. seciically rle |evisl anu Cliisrian inreiierarions o vlar vill iemain an amLiguous
naiiarive.
ov. rleie aie many nev ieauings o sciiruie ro Le unueiraken anu a signiicanr iesulr o
rle iocess o uisranciarion is rle liLeiarion o rle rexr ro allov mulrile inreiierarions. so rlar
a rexr Lecomes 'inexlausriLle in reims o ieauing` (Ricoeui 19S5/1991: 401). Anu vlar ve slall
see. as ve uevelo Ricoeui`s rliee-srage leimeneurical aic is rlar oi rle uesiieu comLinarion o
iesecring rle rexr`s iouucrion vlile alloving iee lay (Ricoeui 19S1/1995: 146)
5
rlen vlar
is iequiieu is oi rle rexr ro Le oeneu u rliougl enreiing inro uialogue anu uialecric virl rle
lie o rle ieauei. Ricoeui (190/1991: 5) rells us 'ro ieau is. ro conioin a nev uiscouise ro
rle uiscouise o rle rexr.` 1lis is exacrly rle leimeneurical rask unueiraken in queei sciiruial
leimeneurics. vleie uialogue virl rle rexr is inoimeu Ly lie exeiience (Comsrock 1993: 4.
11).
In analysing Ricoeui`s leimeneurical aic ir is imoiranr ro nore rlar eacl o rle rliee srages
iesuoses rle orlei rvo. 1lis is esecially rle case oi rle iisr srage in rle aic vlicl musr
rake rle oim o a guess ro illusriare ro rle ieauei rlar rle rexr no longei seaks in a iesenr
voice (Ricoeui 196: 5). Once rle rexr`s uisranciarion is iecogniseu. rlen rle acr rlar rle rexr
las mulrile inreiierarions necessaiily ollovs. arei an inirial momenr o ciisis vlen rle ieauei
uiscoveis rlar le oi sle is alone virl rle rexr anu rlar. as Ricoeui (196: 6) says. 'rle ioLlem
o rle coiiecr unueisranuing can no longei Le solveu Ly a simle ieruin ro rle allegeu siruarion
o rle aurloi` (as rle 1aliLan ounu our). 1lus. any inreiierive rleoiy 'vlicl ar rle ourser iuns
sriaiglr ro rle momenr o uecision moves roo asr` Ricoeui (196S/19S0: 6S) caurions. oi ir ails
ro allov esecially in rle conrexr o queei leimeneurics auequare rime oi rle sense o ieeuom
(anu iesonsiLiliry) ro eimenr. so rlar one may ueciue ro viev sciiruie as an equal. nor as a
aienral aurloiiry. as Comsrock (1993: 12) aigues. Lqually. ^uslim sclolai Glazala Anvai
encouiages queei ^uslims ro 'iacrice susicion virlour giving u on rle Ouran anu HaJitl].
1o] ieau rlem seiiously: leain iom rlem: Lur also reacl rlem somerling` (cireu in Ciev 1999).
Since rle 'guess` iouuceu in srage one o rle leimeneurical aic is nor ar all merlouologically
innocenr (Wallace 1990: 60) ir oens rle vay oi rexrual examinarion o Lorl rle lisroiically-
oiienreu anu ciirical rleoiy-oiienreu vaiiery in rle seconu srage. Sriucruial analysis is imoiranr
leie. Lecause as srage rvo alieauy ieiguies rle coming o srage rliee. ir is claigeu virl
Lioauening our rle rexr ro Lesr eluciuare rle soir o quesrions rlar rle rexr vill ask. ro Le ansveieu
in srage rliee. '1le limirs o rle quesrion imly also rle limirarion o rle ansvei`. Ricoeui aigues
(cireu in Reagan 1996: 104). vlicl is ro say rlar oim limirs conrenr anu conrenr is meuiareu
rliougl naiiarive oim anu genie (Ricoeui 19S6/1991: 90). Wlar rlis means oi leimeneurics
is rlar one cannor ignoie rle sriucruie anu rle iouucrion o rle rexr. In rlis sense. I inu rle
Ricoeuiian leimeneurical sriaregy ro Le iarlei aioiiare oi queei LiLlical leimeneurics. insoai
as ir avoius Lorl rle veiglr o lisroiy anu eigneu oLiecriviry o rle lisroiical-ciirical ciiricism.
as vell as osrmouein ciiricism rlar renus. in rle voius o ^aik Wallace (1990: 51). ro 'cur rle
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.5
neive coiu Lerveen rle BiLle`s inreinal lireiaiy enviionmenr anu rle exrialinguisric voilu o
meaning oursiue rle rexr.` I inu rlis essenrial oi queei leimeneurics. Lecause ir sloulu nor Le
so easy ro escae rle Linus o sciiruial sriucruie. virlour uealing virl rle uangeious rexrs rlar
lave Leen anu srill aie useu ro excluue anu oiess. Queei leimeneurics sloulu nor iemain
cauglr in an aologeric Larrle vlar 1imorly Kocl (2001: 102) quire iiglrly laLels a issing
conresr Lur ouglr insreau seek ro ueconsriucr exclusionaiy oi violenr rexrs anu engage in a
necessaiily mareiialisr aioacl ro rle iouucrion o rlar rexr. iarlei rlan seeking ieuge in a
alse navere (as ooseu ro a seconu navere. vlicl ve slall come ro). Ricoeui`s leimeneurical
sriaregy seeks ro rake seiiously sciiruie`s inreinal merlous o eisuasion (Wallace 1990: 235)
as a necessaiy limirarion on sciiruial meaning. anu queei leimeneurics sloulu rake rlis seiiously
roo. oi a ueconsriucrive ieauing musr slov vleie rlese sriaregies o eisuasion anu conrainmenr
ail anu all inro incoleience. An examle may Le ounu in rle case o rle Ouran. a rexr rlar
may conuemn lomosexualiry ueenuing on inreiierarion anu yer iomises (ar S:19-20 anu
52:24) rlar in Paiauise rle airlul vill Le arrenueu Ly ereinally yourlul Loys. vlose Leaury is
likeneu ro eails. 1lose vlo look uon rlar scene. sura 6 conrinues. aie iomiseu sucl a
Llissul siglr rlar is also eilas iusr a vee Lir queei.
Heie ar srage rvo. queei leimeneurics ouglr ro Le examining sciiruial sriucruies anu oims
ro oen u rle rexr as viue as ossiLle. vlile ar rle same rime uismanrling rle 'rexrs o reiioi`
anu Liinging sciiruie inro uialogue virl rle lie o rle ieauei. as LlisaLerl Sruair er al (199:
43) suggesr. A goou examle o rlis is vlar Iaiis ^alik (1999). vlo is Sulayman X`s inrellecrual
inreiner leii in rle Queei |ilau. uoes virl rle Ouran anu HaJitl. 1le Ouran. in sura 42. ieeis
ro eole vlo aie sexually 'ineecrual` anu vlo aie. rleieoie. neirlei male noi emale iom
rle eisecrive o rle genuei ioles anu leiiacly o rle rime. In vlar coiiesonus ro rle seconu
srage o Ricoeui`s leimeneuric. ^alik aigues (aumirreuly iarlei uniquely). rlar rlis assage is
acrually aLour rle Gou-given uiveisiry o sexual uesiies anu oiienrarions. iarlei rlan aLour rle
Liirl o cliluien anu ineiriliry. ^alik also ieeis ro seveial sroiies in rle HaJitl conceining e-
eminare men (nullannatl) anu eunucls (llasixx). In one sroiy a suoseu nullannatl vlo
vas alloveu ro vair uon ^ulammau`s vie. Ayesla anu orlei vomen. ker in purJal iom
rle orlei men o rle communiry. vas iieu iom lis iole oi making some suggesrive commenrs
aLour a voman vlicl leau ro susicion rlar le may lave iusr Leen ierenuing ro Le nullannatl
ro ger close ro rle vomen. 1lus. ^alik nor only oens u sciiruie ro mulrile inreiierarions.
eisecrives anu consiueiarions. Lur also inriouuces us ro anorlei ioneeiing aclievemenr o Is-
lamic civilisarion rle meriosexual.
An examle iom rle ev 1esramenr is voirl examining. roo. ielaring ro rle norion o
assiviry. 1le iuea o a man Leing assive in Roman anu orlei culruies incluuing. I voulu aigue.
oui ovn. Lur I`ll ger ro rlar larei is rloiouglly uisrasreul. esecially (Lur nor exlausrively) in
reims o sex. Ir vas mosr uisrasreul ro Le rle assive airy in same sex inreicouise. Lur no slame
oi linr o queeiness arracleu ro rle actiie airicianr (Iiillingos 2003). Lqually. in orlei sleies.
assiviry oi suoseu covaiuice oi veakness vas consiueieu rloiouglly un-masculine. Ar rlis
seconu srage o rle Ricoeuiian leimeneurical aic. I vanr ro use LiLlical sclolaisli ro oen u
LiLlical rlemes. In ^arrlev 5:39. |esus rells anyone sriuck on rle iiglr cleek ro. as ve all knov.
ruin rle orlei cleek. As RoLeir Iunk (1996: 155) oinrs our. a ler-lanueu sla ro rle iiglr
cleek vas nor inrenueu ro iniuie: ir vas iarlei a common lace insulr meanr ro lumiliare anu
suie u lieiaiclies: iicl slas ooi. Roman slas |ev. man slas voman. 'SuLiecr veiL oLiecr`
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.6
as Carleiine ^cKinnon (19S2: 541) voulu say. Wlar. rlen. o rle uislay o assiviry aboie
anJ bexonJ rlar ruining rle orlei cleek ro enioin somerling else enriiely ieiesenring a ossiLle
acr o assive iesisrance Ler`s leave rlar langing oi a momenr Lecause rle imlicarions o rlis
anu rle orlei ieauings aie vlar srage rliee o rle leimeneurical aic inrenus ro uiav our.
Heie. rle insiglr gaineu iom rle ciirical anu sriucruial analysis o rle sciiruie in srage rvo
imloies rle ieauei ro aioiiare rle rexr oi lis oi lei ovn lie. Iolloving rle nev ciirical anu
sriucruial knovleuge ve lave gaineu. aLour rle oiigins o meriosexualiry anu orlei marreis. ve
aie ler in somevlar o a quanuaiy. We can ieriear inro a soir o leimeneurical nililism. oi move
oivaiu ro ciearive aioiiarion: 've may eirlei iemain in a kinu o srare o susense as iegaius
any kinu o ieeiieu iealiry` Ricoeui (196: S1) remrs us. 'oi ve may imaginarively acrualise.
rle rexr in a nev siruarion. rlar o rle ieauei.` 1o aioiiare rle LiLlical rexr. is ro make vlar
vas once alien vlar ve once sroou on rle uooisre o amiliai (Ricoeui 192/1991: S9). Ir
is rle acr o ruining rle sciiruie iom an auveisaiy inro a iienu anu o ruining queei eole
anu communiries iom oLiecrs o sciiruial iniuncrion. ro airicianrs in sciiruial (ie)inreiier-
arion (Sruair er al 199: 4445).
1le voilu iooseu Ly rle rexr oeis 'rle uisclosuie o a ossiLle vay o looking ar rlings`
(Ricoeui 196: 92) oi. moie airiculaily. vlar is 'unolueu in front o rle rexr` as ooseu ro
rle aurloi`s voilu belinJ rle rexr (Ricoeui 193/1991: S6). So rle acr o unueisranuing rle
rexr. ulrimarely. is ro unueisranu onesel anu rle voilu one is living in. vlile seeking rle 'iooseu
vay o exisring rlar mosr aioiiarely iesonus ro rle iooseu voilu oeieu Ly] rle rexr`
(Ricoeui 196/19S0: 10S). Ir is vlen rle voilu o rle ieauei anu rle oerically imagineu voilu
o rle rexr aie lelu in uialecric rlar rle erlical anu suLveisive ovei o rle Ricoeuiian leimen-
euric is Lesr ievealeu (Ricoeui 19S1/1991: 300). Bur rovaius rle enu Ricoeui equivocares ovei
rle exlicirly olirical imlicarions o lis leimeneuric. vlicl is vleie rle (loeully) moie
olirically-engageu naruie o queei ciiricism may voik ro iemeuy Ricoeuiian leimeneurics.
Ioi rle iimaiy uncrion o Ricoeuiian leimeneurics is nor ro clange rle voilu: oi ar leasr
nor Leoie ir las clangeu rle inuiviuual rliougl rle acr o 'uivesring onesel o rle eailiei me
in oiuei ro ieceive. as in lay. rle sel coneiieu Ly rle voik irsel` (Ricoeui 192/1991: 94). Bur
rle sel is nor alvays one`s ovn ro give avay. anu in any case. ir is nevei given comlere oi un-
iagmenreu. Rarlei. rle rexr esecially ieligious rexrs lay an imoiranr iole in ciearing anu
ieciearing rle sel anu communiries (Ricoeui 199/1995L: 6S0). As Srone (199: 14) aigues.
'rle suLiecr o LiLlical inreiierarion uoes nor only ieceue Lur is also oimeu. in air. rliougl
iacrices o ieauing. Anu rlis is vleie ve ieruin ro rle Queei |ilau.
I menrioneu rlar Iaiis ^alik`s (1999) queei Ouranic inreiierarion is ocusseu on rle iguies
o rle eeminare men (nullannatl) anu eunucls (llasixx). In rle laJitl sroiy I menrioneu
eailiei. ir is rle Pioler`s iecognirion rlar rle suoseu Mullannatl vieveu vomen in ^alik`s
voius 'as sexual oLiecrs` rlar gor lim iieu. 1lis iaises rvo oinrs oi queei ciiricism ar rlis
rliiu srage. Iiisrly. rlis is oLviously an aiimarive ieauing. aiguing rlar rleie aie examles o
queei sexualiry in rle sacieu rexrs: anu. rleieoie. i rleie vas ioom oi queei eole in rle
unna ar rle rime o rle Pioler. rlen rleie is ioom oi queei eole in Islam rouay again.
one iecalls Sulayman X`s (1999) lainrive quesrion. 'i nor in Islam. rlen vleie` Seconuly. rlis
ieauing o rle Mullannatl laJitl is similai ro vlar Gaiy Comsrock (1993: 142) uoes in lis
ieauings o rle BiLle. vlen le looks oi claiacreis vlo exliLir 'qualiries rovaiu vlicl le] uesiies
gay male ieaueis ro asiie.` A Mullannatl vas alloveu inro rle Pioler`s vie`s innei ciicle
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.7
Lecause a Mullannatl coulu Le riusreu. ^alik aigues. nor ro viev vomen as sexual oLiecrs.
anu rlis is unquesrionaLly somerling aumiiaLle. Ir also laens ro lave less ro uo virl vleie
one`s sexual ieeiences lie lomo. lereio. oi merio rlan ir uoes virl soliuaiiry. Women execr.
ro a uegiee. ro Le sexualiseu anu oLiecriieu Ly men. anu rlis can leau ro rle ieeience oi
mouesry. airly rliougl an inreinaliseu guilr. 1le iesonse o rle claiacrei ReLaya in ^iclael
^ulammau Kniglr`s ^uslim unk novel. Tle Taquacores ro men is aioiiarely succincr:
'Iuck rlar. vleie`s youi sel-accounraLiliry` (Kniglr 2004: 1). In rle conrexr o ^alik`s ieauing.
queei sexualiry can iesuose soliuaiiry anu Le iauically lumanising anu ue-oLiecriying
somerling oi eveiyLouy ro asiie ro.
I vanr ro analyse anorlei rliiu srage inreiierarion leie. anu rlis is vleie. as I iomiseu
eailiei. I vill ger Luvaiu Saiu Lack on siue. 1lis rexr is a ieauing o rle Lxouus naiiarive Ly an
acrivisr oiganisarion calleu QUI1. anu ir is a goou illusriarion o rle soir o imaginarive ieauings
rlar uevelo ar rlis rliiu srage o Ricoeui`s leimeneurical iocess. QUI1 ouglr nor ro Le misraken
oi rle anri-smoking auvocares. Rarlei. rle acionym sranus oi 'Queeis Unueimining Isiaeli
1eiioiism`: rley aie a San Iiancisco-Laseu nervoik. auvocaring Palesrinian iiglrs. 1le olloving
assage is exriacreu iom one o rleii lyeis. calleu 'Queei arion Beikeley`. We aie rolu rle
assage comes iom 'Tle ool of Beclanations anJ Bealitx. veision 4.0`:
Anu rle Loiu sav rlar rle queei eole veie laiiieu in rlis lanu. Anu rle Loiu
sake unro rle ioler Haivey.
6
You vill leau youi eole acioss rle viue
vareis unro a nev lanu. Anu rlis lanu vill Le calleu Beikeley. I say. Lo. I lave
iomiseu rle lanu o Beikeley ro rle lesLians anu ro rle gays. anu ro rle Lisexu-
als anu ro rle riansgenueis. Anu rlis lanu slall Le Llesseu virl iuirs anu
nurs. unro 50 genueiarions (QUI1 2003).
Cleaily rlis is an iionic aioiiarion Ly queei acrivisrs o rle Lxouus naiiarive. 1le LiLlical
naiiarive las. lovevei. Leen quire ueliLeiarely ieau rliougl rle lens o Zionisr uiscouise vlicl
is irsel. ar rimes. a rliiu srage ieauing o rle Lxouus sroiy. In rleii unique conriiLurion ro LiL-
lical sclolaisli anu rle Isiaeli-Palesrinian vai o iueas. QUI1 mock rle inamous Zionisr slogan
rlar Palesrine is. 'a lanu virlour eole. oi a eole virlour a lanu` claiming Beikeley as 'a ciry
virlour eole. oi a eole virlour a ciry` (QUI1 2003). 1ley rlen ask ar rle enu o rlis
amller. 'I rlis uoesn`r make sense in Beikeley. lov can ir make sense in Palesrine` 1lus ve
lave a sariiical queei aioiiarion o rle conseivarive-narionalisr Zionisr rliiu-srage aioii-
arion o a LiLlical rexr in vlar is nov rle 'osr-ciirical momenr` (^uuge 19S0: 2): 'a seconu
navere` (Ricoeui 190: 2S).
In rle name o rying u loose enus. I nov vanr ro suggesr a similai ieauing o rle 'ruin rle
orlei cleek` saying menrioneu eailiei. I ve knev ar rle seconu srage rlar a sla on rle iiglr
cleek vas an acr o uominarion anu lumiliarion. anu ruining rle orlei cleek ro allov anorlei
Llov is an exlicirly assive anu un-manly acr o iesisrance ro uominarion. rle quesrion rlen
aiises as ro vlar ro uo virl rlis knovleuge in rle rliiu srage. I suggesr a ieauing Lorl insisrenr
on rle aLiuing use o non-violence anu suLveisive mockeiy in rle rexr. Knoving you vill lose.
rlar you vill ger knockeu uovn: Lur uoing ir anyvay. Consiuei rle RainLov Sasl movemenr o
queei anu queei-iienuly Carlolics. ^emLeis anu suoireis o rlis nervoik uon iainLov sasles
vlen iequesring communion in mass. 1ley aie ieuseu. 1ley lnou rley vill Le ieuseu. I rley
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.8
uiu not veai rle sasl. rlen in all likeliloou leaving asiue rle quesrion o cleiical 'gayuai`
rley voulu ieceive communion virl eveiyLouy else. Lur ar rle exense o uenying rleii iuenriries
as queei Carlolics. oi queei-iienuly Carlolics. oring ro siue virl rle maiginal anu excluueu.
^emLeis o rle movemenr suei nor only rle eveiyuay. inreinaliseu lumiliarion o oicial cluicl
reacling. Leing rle iisr sla. Ly rley also rake rle nexr sre o ruining rle orlei cleek Ly making
rle uLlic iequesr. ovei anu ovei. in some cases. Since rley knov rlar rlis is going ro laen.
rley can see rle Llov coming. ir sriikes me as a iarlei iemaikaLle aioiiarion o rle ruin rle
orlei cleek naiiarive.
We lave seen rlar rle Ricoeuiian leimeneuric aic oeis mulrile inreiierarions o rexrs. all
siruareu in rle lie o rle ieauei anu lis oi lei communiry. I suggesr rlar rlis makes ir airiculaily
amenaLle ro queei sciiruial commenraiy anu leimeneurics. Hovevei. vlen Ricoeui (196:
9) insisrs rlar 'i ir is riue rlar rleie is alvays moie rlan one vay o consriuing a rexr. ir is nor
riue rlar all inreiierarions aie equal` ir is cleai rlar ve aie going ro neeu some vay ro ueciue
Lerveen inreiierarions. since eveiy acr o inreiierarion alreis iealiry. Le ir oi goou oi ill (Biuns
1993: 3). We neeu ro rake a sranu in rle Ricoeuiian sysrem. Ricoeui rells us rlar 'ir is nor ossiLle
ro live anu voik accoiuing ro roo many rleoiies ar once` (cireu in Haiiisville anu SunuLeig 2002:
2S2). rle Ouran rells us (ar 33:4) rlar Allal nevei maue rvo leairs oi one man. anu since rle
voilus iooseu Ly rexrs aie nevei erlically (oi olirically) neurial. 'ir Lelongs ro rle ieauei.
lenceoirl as agent. ro cloose Lerveen rle mulrile ioosirions o erlical iiglrness Louieu
oirl in ieauing` (Ricoeui. cireu in Vanloozei 1990:104). Ricoeui acknovleuges rlar rle rexr
comels acrion. rlar ir cieares in rle ieauei an 'imeiarive ro iesriucruie` (Claik 1990: 104) anu
rlar ieauing musr ulrimarely enu in rle voilu o iaxis (Reagan 1996: 10S) anu yer le oeis
lirrle Ly vay o ciireiia oi iuugemenr. Inueeu. rle oveiall imiession is rlar Ricoeui is eilas
moie inreiesreu in a airiculai inreiierarion Leing merlouologically sounu. rlan liLeiaring.
comassionare. oi olirically iogiessive. Cleaily rlen. one o rle rlings rlar queei ciiricism anu
leimeneurics can oei rle Ricoeuiian leimeneurical sysrem is rlar erlical comass. acknovleuging
rlar a merlouology is only as goou as rle inreiierarions rlar emeige iom ir. In orlei voius.
sciiruial leimeneurics. vlerlei exlicirly queei oi nor. can anu sloulu uo vlar QUI1. Queei
|ilau anu rle RainLov Sasl movemenrs uo. iouuce suLveisively vise ieauings o sciiruie.
vlile ar rle same rime ciiriquing iival inreiierarions rlar seek ro excluue anu uominare.
As Ricoeui (19S/1995: 309) says. 'rle Look enus. Lur lie is oen-enueu`. anu no uouLr rle
Ricoeuiian leimeneurical aicl vill conrinue ro Le ieueloyeu anu ieinreiiereu in liglr o rle
evei-sliring voilu in ionr o ir. 1lis is one o rle iisr ueloymenrs o Ricoeui inro rle voilu
o queei rleoiy. anu one o rle iisr ro look ar rle Ouran Ricoeuiically. 1lus inally. ir musr Le
saiu rlar vlile rle Ricoeuiian leimeneurical aic las mucl ro oei queei leimeneurics ar eacl
o irs rliee srages. ir musr Le iimly emLeuueu in a mera-leimeneuric rlar seeks. as Sencei (2001:
195) suggesrss. ro 'enlisr sciiruie] as a iesouice oi liLeiarion`. 1lis musr Le Lur one air o a
giearei 'leimeneurics o soliuaiiry` (Goss 1993: 105) rlar seeks ro incoioiare as equal airicianrs
in rle acr o sciiruial inreiierarion all maiginaliseu eole vlo iemain 'on rle uooisre o rle
voik` (Ricoeui 19S5/1991: 402).
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.9
ENDNOTES
1
Seveial airial excerions Leing Alrlaus-Reiu (2000: 2004). in rle ielu o Cliisrian liLeiarion rleology.
anu. moie geneially. Iiasei (1999) anu O`Connell (2004).
2
Analysis o al atila can Le ounu in ^invalla er al. (2005) anu also ^assau (2002). a conrioveisial
airicle rlar. in air. accuses al atila o comliciry virl neo-conseivarive imeiialisric meuuling in
rle ^iuule Lasr.
3
See. oi examle. Rovson (1995): Roscoe anu ^uiiay (199S): el RouayleL (2005).
4
:S0-S4: 26:165-13: 2:54-5S: 29:29-30: anu aiguaLly 11:-S3 anu 54:33-39. See also 4:15-1S.
On rle sroiy o Lor in rle Ouran. see |amal (2001).
5
Oi 'musical claiis` as Saiu (19S3/1991: 34) laLels Ricoeui`s leimeneurical sysrem. nor enriiely gen-
eiously. (I slall ger Luvaiu Lack on siue uirlei on. lovevei).
6
San Iiancisco gay acrivisr anu olirician Haivey ^ilk. assassinareu in 19S.
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DOI: 10.11/003S03S505049000.
Cite this article as: Abraham, Ibrahim. 2007. On the doorstep of the work: Ricoeurian hermeneutics,
queer hermeneutics, and scripture. The Bible and Critical Theory 3 (1). pp. 4.14.12. DOI: 10.2104/bc070004.
ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE WORK ARTICLES 04.12