EPISODE · May 12, 2026 · 16 MIN
When Kings Become Tyrants: A Biblical Scholar Speaks Out
from Kwok ’n’ Roll · host Kwok Pui Lan
What does the Bible really say about the tyrants — and what happens when a world-class biblical scholar has lived the abuse of power herself? Gale A. Yee — the first Asian American and first woman of color to serve as president of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) — joins Kwok Pui Lan for a conversation that spans scripture, power, racism in academia, and the urgent question of tyranny in our political moment. Dr. Yee opens with a provocation: she is writing a scholarly article on tyrants. Not because it's an abstract exercise, but because we are living through one. From there, the conversation moves through her groundbreaking work in Asian American biblical interpretation, her personal encounters with racism and tokenism in the academy, and what the Bible — read honestly and without apology — has to say about those who seize power and call themselves kings. This is biblical scholarship with stakes. And it is long overdue. 📌 About Gale A. Yee: Professor Emerita of Hebrew Bible at Episcopal Divinity School and former president of the Society of Biblical Literature. A pioneering voice in feminist, intersectional, and Asian American biblical studies.
What this episode covers
What does the Bible really say about the tyrants — and what happens when a world-class biblical scholar has lived the abuse of power herself? Gale A. Yee — the first Asian American and first woman of color to serve as president of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) — joins Kwok Pui Lan for a conversation that spans scripture, power, racism in academia, and the urgent question of tyranny in our political moment. Dr. Yee opens with a provocation: she is writing a scholarly article on tyrants. Not because it's an abstract exercise, but because we are living through one. From there, the conversation moves through her groundbreaking work in Asian American biblical interpretation, her personal encounters with racism and tokenism in the academy, and what the Bible — read honestly and without apology — has to say about those who seize power and call themselves kings. This is biblical scholarship with stakes. And it is long overdue. 📌 About Gale A. Yee: Professor Emerita of Hebrew Bible at Episcopal Divinity School and former president of the Society of Biblical Literature. A pioneering voice in feminist, intersectional, and Asian American biblical studies.
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When Kings Become Tyrants: A Biblical Scholar Speaks Out
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