Theologian expresses contempt for parable By Parker T. Williamson The Presbyterian Layman Volume 33, Number 1 Posted March 27, 2000 ATLANTA – Jacqueline Grant, a “womanist theologian” at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, told the U.S. Committee of the World Council of Churches that she disliked Jesus’ parable of the talents. During a “Biblical reflection” as part of a Dec. 10 worship service, Grant critiqued the Matthew 25 parable as “reeking with patriarchal, racist and classist assumptions.” “I really want to say a word on behalf of the third servant,” said Grant. She railed at the notion that different people might be given different talents, and that such decisions are made in a “top-down manner.” “Why did the master treat the third servant so unfairly?” asked Grant. “What happens when the church affirms and participates in the sinful practices of such masters?” Grant then speculated on why the master had been so unfair in distributing talents to the three servants. “Valuations of the servants seem to have been measured in terms of profit for the master,” she said. The master started out giving more to those whom he believed would produce more. This injustice suggests “a prescribed station in life in which the third servant should have been happy with what he received.” “Clearly a system has been created here that does not represent justice, but a kind of elitism that is defined from the top down. In this situation, the rich is getting richer and the poor is getting poorer, and that seems to be all right in this passage,” said Grant. Grant also criticized the parable for being concerned only for the wealth of the master and its “lack of concern for the economic health of the entire community. ... This master’s ethics leaves much to be desired,” she said.

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