Abstract

KGATLE, Mookgo S. Crossing boundaries: Social-scientific reading of the faith of a Canaanite woman (Mt 15:21-28). STJ [online]. 2018, vol.4, n.2, pp.595-613. ISSN 2413-9467.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17570/stj.2018.v4n2.a27.

Social-scientific criticism refers to an interpretation of the biblical text that takes into cognizance the social system that produced that text. This article presents a social scientific reading of the faith of a Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28. The article outlines models of social systems in Matthew 15:21-28 like landscape and spatiality, gender and sexuality, ethnicity, purity, and social status in order to achieve a social scientific reading. The purpose of this article is to firstly demonstrate that the models of social system in Matthew 15:21-28 served as boundaries to the faith of a Canaanite woman. Secondly, it is to demonstrate that the Canaanite woman crossed such boundaries in Matthew 15:21-28 for her daughter to receive healing. Lastly, the Canaanite woman serves as a model for South African women today who have to cross boundaries like landscape and spatiality, gender and sexuality, ethnicity, purity, and social status.

Keywords : Social scientific criticism; Canaanite woman; Gospel of Matthew; boundaries; faith; South African women.

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