Abstract
Issues of belonging, identity, and community are central to both the book of Ruth and contemporary Asia. These issues have become even more pertinent in recent years with the rise of globalization and international migration. Such themes are the subject of this collection of essays from biblical scholars across Asia.
The book begins with an insightful introductory chapter by the editors Havea and Lau who do the important work of challenging common conceptions of Asia and Asian biblical studies. This is followed by two chapters by Lau and Tong, who adopt a postcolonial approach, examining ideas of identity and migration respectively. Lin ends the first part of the book with a cross-textual reading of Ruth with an ancient Chinese narrative poem.
The central chapters by Nu, Goh, and Nelavala apply Ruth to various Asian contexts, examining themes of marriage, womanhood, and community. These essays display a deft combination of careful exegesis and intimate contextual knowledge. Nu’s chapter, a critical examination of the use of the Boaz-Ruth marriage to justify the restrictive form of widow remarriage among the Kachin people, is especially strong. The book closes with two chapters from Rees and Havea, who further problematise common readings of both the Ruth story and the modern idea of Asia. Rees’ chapter is another highlight of the collection. Examining the Australian state’s policies regarding refugees, Rees identifies similarities between the power plays of both the Australian government and Naomi. In both cases, the orchestrator of the solution profits at the expense of others.
The book’s main strength is its highlighting of the variety of approaches and issues open for exploration in Ruth. Specifically, the essays exploring womanhood, community and power dynamics are important contributions to underexplored areas within Ruth. Other essays, however, would benefit from more space within which to adequately and convincingly flesh out their arguments. Furthermore, although it is impossible to represent all of Asia in a single volume, there are a few notable sins of omission. It is particularly unfortunate that there is no chapter on Korea, not least due to the commonality between the narrative of Naomi’s migration to Moab and her return, and the discourse surrounding the reunification of Korea.
Nevertheless, this collection is to be commended for its innovative approaches to reading Ruth. The book brings much-needed fresh interpretations, highlighting the continued relevance of the Old Testament to the contemporary world.