Kok, Jacobus (Kobus)Swart, Ilse2022-03-162022-03-162021-07Kok, J. & Swart, I., 2021, ‘A social identity complexity theory reading of Philemon’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 77(4), a6621. https://DOI.org/10.4102/hts.v77i4.6621.0259-9422 (print)2072-8050 (online)10.4102/hts.v77i4.6621http://hdl.handle.net/2263/84509Ilse Swart is participating in the research project ‘Mission and Ethics’ directed by Prof. Dr Jacobus Kok, Department of New Testament and Related Literature, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of PretoriaThis paper flows forth from Ilse Swart’s unpublished Masters thesis at ETF Leuven under supervision of Prof. J. Kok.This article provides new perspectives on navigating complex social identity in the letter to Philemon by means of the heuristic use of social identity complexity theory (SICT) in combination with socio-rhetorical analysis (SRA). The application of SICT as a heuristic tool in New Testament (NT) studies is relatively new, but it is positioned within the novel research being carried out on social identity theory in the NT. CONTRIBUTION : This article wants to make a new contribution by illustrating how SICT can help us to think in more nuanced ways about nested identity(s) in Philemon.en© 2021. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.PhilemonPaulOnesimusSlaveSlaveryIdentitySocial identity complexity theory (SICT)Socio-rhetorical analysis (SRA)Theology articles SDG-04SDG-04: Quality educationTheology articles SDG-10SDG-10: Reduced inequalitiesTheology articles SDG-16SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutionsArticle