Vincent L. Wimbush Knihy

In presenting a selection of twenty-eight texts in translation with introductory essays, Vincent L. Wimbush and his co-authors have produced the first book on asceticism that does full justice to the varieties of ascetic behavior in the Greco-Roman world. The texts, representative of different religious cults, philosophical schools, and geographical locations, are organized by literary genre into five parts that give a fascinating overview of the ascetic tradition.

Paul addresses crucial issues regarding Christian lifestyles in his letters to the Corinthians, focusing on marriage, interracial marriage, and remarriage. The hos me passage in I Corinthians 7 serves as a pivotal point for understanding his vision of Christian living. This pastoral-counseling excerpt has profoundly impacted Western social norms and Christian piety, shaping perspectives beyond just marital concerns.

Focusing on the concept of hyper-signification, the book explores how racialization and racism have shaped modern identities, particularly through the lens of Black flesh as a foundational marker of difference. It examines the mimetic translations of various modern subjectivities, revealing how these processes contribute to a broader understanding of race and identity in contemporary society.

The Bible offered a language-world through which African Americans have negotiated the strange land into which they were thrust. Vincent Wimbush outlines six African American readings that correspond to history and how they helped shape a collective self-understanding. When their voices were taken away, the Bible offered a way to speak again.