Re-reading Luke 4:18–19 Through the Lenses of the Subaltern in Zimbabwe

The research is a critical application of Spivak’s classic 1988 Postcolonial Studies essay entitled, ‘The subaltern will not speak’, which argues that the core problem for the poorest and most marginalized in society (the subalterns) is that they have no platform to express their concerns and no voice to affect policy debates or demand a fair share of society’s goods. The subaltern perspective, presenting an alternative image of society, stands for understanding society through conditions of the subordination and underrepresentation of people belonging to the ‘Other’ class, age, gender or race. Spivak asserts that the subalterns cannot speak for themselves, though they feel the pain of marginality, dispossession and inadequate representation. This view will be used to analyse Luke 4:18–19 from a Zimbabwean context, considering the subaltern and the church. Through an analysis of literature and some observations by authors, the study sought to examine the Lukan text in light of its historical context and its relevance to the Zimbabwean situation, including the church’s interaction with the subaltern—the poor and women. The study reveals an ambivalence in the representation of the subaltern, who are spoken for in some cases and whose voices are denied by the church in other instances. The study recommends that the Zimbabwean subaltern be represented by voices of bold and fearless faith leaders who can loudly speak even in situations which do not directly affect them, like what Jesus did when he said, ‘The spirit of the Lord is upon me, … to proclaim the freedom for the prisoners and … to set the oppressed free’ (Luke 4:18–19). This will amount to social justice.