"The collection of essays is the result of the collaboration between the Protestant Theological University in Kampen, Netherlands and the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa"--Introduction.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction / Julie Claassens and Klaas Spronk -- The hermeneutics of dignity / Frits de Lange -- Response / Gerrit Brand -- Figuring God and humankind : the imago Dei in view of anthropologies in the Old Testament / Hendrik Bosman -- Response / Klaas Spronk -- External response: The givenness of human dignity / Beverley E. Mitchell -- A true disgrace? the representation of violence against women in the Book of Lamentations and in J.M. coetzee's novel Disgrace / L. Juliana M. Claassens -- Response / Dorothea Erbele-Ks̜ter -- Birth as creation under threat . Biblical-theological reflections on assisted reproductive technologies / Dorothea Erbele-Ks̜ter -- Response / Charlene van der Walt -- Human dignity, families and violence : the New Testament as resource? / Jeremey Punt -- Response / Magda Misset-van de Weg -- External response: A fragile dignity : intercontextual conversation on scripture, family and violence / Elsa Tamez -- Dignity in the family? Analyzing our ambiguous relationship to the family and theological suggestions towards overcoming it / Petruschka Schaafsma -- Response / Robert Vosloo -- Empowering those who suffer domestic violence : the necessity of a different theological imagery / Anne-Claire Mulder -- Response / Mary-Anne Plaatjies-van Huffel -- External response: Family and its discontents / Cheryl B. Anderson -- Missing links in mainline churches : Biblical life stories and their claim in toda s family preaching / Ciska Stark -- Response / Ian Nell -- "Household" (dis)loyalties and violence in Judges 14 and 15 : dignity of gendered and religious "others" in a dialogical theological praxis / D. Xolile Simon and Lee-Ann J. Simon -- Response / Leo Koffeman -- Women and honor in Bible and Qur'an / G S̜peelman -- Response / Yusuf Wagid -- External response: Fragile dignity : family, honor, scripture / Monica J. Melanchton -- Reflections on reflections : rights, in/dignity, in/equality, faith; the Bible as universal medicine? / Athalya Brenner.