Namaku Ismael, Keturunan Abraham, Umat Allah: Dekonstruksi Terhadap Citra Ismael dan Allah Naratif

Abstract

The dominant story that is presented in the Bible about God’s covenant is in the ancestral line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The minor stories, such as the story about Ishmael, are often neglected. In the story of Ishmael, we find two important things. First, Ishmael has been presented with a negative image in the description of the story. In fact, this is the dominant perception in the history of interpretation about Ishmael. Second, the description of God on the side of the dominant story has given legitimacy for the expulsion of Ishmael. This paper will deconstruct the negative perception of Ishmael and the concept of God metaphysic in the narration, which often legitimize violence. Furthermore, it will offer one deconstructive reading of the Bible which refers to the Schwartz’s idea about conversation reading. This paper will be closed in an imaginary voice of Ishmael.