READING GENESIS 38 THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES OF GRIEF: AN ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOUR TRIGGERED BY MULTIPLE GRIEVES

Abstract

Traditionally, biblical texts have been interpreted using traditional biblical approaches such as literal, allegorical and historical-critical methods. These methods do always offer a satisfying interpretation but a psychological reading of the text can offer an alternative interpretation. Today, new scientific methods such as archeology, psychology are also used to read biblical texts. This study is motivated by the quest of finding out how theories of counselling can be used to understand some behaviors of some characters in the bible hence better understanding. The researcher aims at proving that this text can be read in a psychological approach to offer more help to Christians as most of the previous studies indicate that this chapter does not offer many lessons to a Christian believer. In this article, the writer reads one of the fascinating narratives in the Bible through three psychological theories of grief namely, Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, Psychoanalytic theory of counselling and Elizabeth Kubler-Ross grief cycle. The writer uses a psychological approach to bring out a better understanding of Tamar and Judah’s behaviours to the modern readers. The study also seeks to use this approach to bring a renewed appreciation of the role of the human psyche or soul in the history of the Bible and its interpretation.