The Time Has Not Yet Come to Rebuild Yhwh’s House: A Jamesonian Reading of the Book of Haggai

Politics in the Book of Haggai: A Jamesonian Reading applies the textual theory of American Marxist Fredric Jameson for a critical reading of the book of the prophet Haggai. It attempts to show that the text not only represents the tensions of the past but has a greater function where it endeavors to resolve the issues on an imaginary level-this is a unique feature of Jameson’s theory. Furthermore, the book argues that the contradictions and conflicts in the text-at the historical level-occur amongst the golah community, specifically amongst its leaders. The book commences with a discussion of Jameson’s textual theory, highlighting its importance within the realm of Marxist discussion. The main content of the book is the appropriation of the three-tier method to critically read the book of the prophet Haggai. The book closes by discussing its conclusions within the realms of Marxism, the prophet Haggai, and island hermeneutics.

Malutafa Faalili is lecturer in Old Testament Studies at Malua Theological College in the islands of Samoa.