Thanks for a great discussion this Wednesday night! I wanted to make some books and articles available for you to look up and read to continue the discussion and learn more about how prevalent honor and shame are seen throughout the Bible. It really is a foreign concept to us to us here in the United States. Even the perceived honor and shame in our society is much different than how it is displayed in the Greek and Hebrew culture of the Bible.
The website honorshame.com is a great resource that has articles and even The Culture Test to take and learn what type of culture worldview you have. One article connected to our discussion from Wednesday night looks at the real root of David’s sin and how shameful the act was and the shame it brought on the Lord’s name. Take a couple minutes to read it and comment below. Do you agree or disagree? How does this change the way you view your sin?
Here are some great books in understanding more about honor/shame and other cultural expectations of that time:
Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brian
Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew by Jerome H. Neyrey
Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture by David A. deSilva