Study of Mark 7:24-30 led by Mitzi J. Smith and Roslyn Bouier

April 12, 2022, 7:30 PM Eastern Time

In this session, Dr. Mitzi J. Smith explores Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician Woman as it is rendered in the gospel of Mark 7:24-30. In this controversial story, Jesus appears to deliver an ethnic insult. In conversation with community activist Rev. Roslyn Murray Bouier, Dr. Smith unpacks the socio-political context in which this conversation took place, and suggests a re-reading of the text that centers the agency of the woman.

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Dr. Mitzi J. Smith is the J. Davison Philips Professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary. She is interested in close critical readings of sacred texts that attend to justice issues, the perspective and presence of the marginalized and silenced ‘other,’ and the intersection of race, gender, class, sexuality, and religion. She is an expert in womanist and African American biblical interpretation. Smith views her research and teaching as a means of conscientization and social justice activism. Her other foci are ancient and modern slavery and language studies. Some of her books are Toward Decentering the New Testament: A Reintroduction (Cascade 2018) co-authored with Yung Suk Kim and Womanist Sass and Talk Back: Social (In)Justice, Intersectionality, and Biblical Interpretation (Cascade 2018). She is editor and contributor to the forthcoming compilation Bitter the Chastening Rod: Africana Biblical Interpretation after Stony the Road We Trod in the Age of BLM, SayHerName, and MeToo.

Rev. Roslyn Murray Bouier, MDiv is a preacher, pastor, advocate, activist, organizer and a ‘Repairer of the Breach.’ She serves as New Church Start Planter, Pastor of The Beloved Community (UCC), Pastor for Trinity St. Mark’s (UCC), and Executive Director of Brightmoor Connection Client Choice Food Pantry. Recognized because of her passion for all people, Rev. Roz has been a community activist for over a decade. She is responsible for planting six food pantries throughout the greater metropolitan area, as well as, establishing 25 feeding programs over the years. In addition to food security, Rev. Roz advocates for renters’ rights, community equity in shared transit, parity in community benefits, and water security. In collaboration with water warriors, Rev. Roz is now training up a circle of women to advocate on behalf of their communities. Read full bio and CV here.