The Divine Mandate to Conquer? Towards an Ethical and Theological Reading of Joshua 1:1-9

This master's thesis explores the significance of Joshua 1:1-9 in Christian Scripture, specifically examining its conquest narrative as a pivotal concept in understanding Israel's complex biblical relationship with the land of Canaan and how that narrative informs our own relationship with land in the U.S. The study begins with an exploration of the writer's positionality as a U.S. Episcopalian, connecting this perspective to the context of the United States and the misuse of
Joshua to justify the appropriation of land from Indigenous peoples. Looking at the U.S. Episcopal context in particular, this thesis develops a hermeneutic for reading and teaching an ethical and theological reading of Joshua 1:1-9, which addresses the political and ecological realities of the U.S. for use in Episcopal parishes. The Epilogue contains the write-up of interviews with three Indigenous Episcopal leaders addressing their work and interpretations of Joshua 1:1-9.

Selles, Luke

2024

Copyright, Luke Selles

English

MDiv Honors Thesis