Catch the Bird But Watch the Wave

"""Fatilua's interpretation of the Lukan story of the rich man who went away grieving is guided by the Samoan tradition of sailing across the oceans and then returning to Samoa to live once more among his own village, country, and people. As Fatilua travels academically throughout Asian, African, and North American biblical interpretation to catch the bird (a satisfactory interpretation) while watching the wave (modern currents of biblical scholarship), he keeps his eye on God's call to discipleship from his parents, community, nation, and Pacific Island region."" --Vernon K. Robbins, professor emeritus of religion, Emory University ""This is a catchable work. It helps make sociorhetorical criticism usable in Samoa and Pasifika, and it helps make Samoa and Pasifika understandable to biblical critics worldwide. Fatilua identifies the manu (bird, bait) that readers (as tautai, fisherfolk) could catch to help them engage ancient biblical texts, as well as invites current and future generations of biblical critics to also catch the visions of their mothers and ancestors."" --Jione Havea, editor of Theologies from the Pacific ""This is an unusually and refreshingly frank, self-reflective, constructive, and wide-ranging reading of the rich ruler passage in Luke 18, employing sociorhetorical criticism and situating the text's appropriation in the complex context of Samoa. Even if one does not agree with certain interpretative or hermeneutical arguments employed, this book is worth engaging with."" --Holger Szesnat, postgraduate coordinator, Martin Luther Seminary ""This excellent work by Fatilua continues the standard of using Vernon K. Robbins's socio-historical approach with other hermeneutics, methods, and interpretations to integrate the Samoan language, society, institutions, and culture into biblical interpretations. Fatilua, as a tautai (fisherman or steersman) in this book, has caught the bird of finding the meaning of the text relevant to his Samoan context while watching other waves of interpretations of the text. Tautai A'e (Great work)!"" --Vaitusi Nofoaiga, principal, Malua Theological College"