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Culture and Contextualisation
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A One-Volume Commentary Written by 70 African Scholars
Published by: Zondervan
The Africa Bible Commentary is the first one-volume Bible commentary produced in Africa by African theologians to meet the needs of African pastors, students, and lay leaders. Interpreting and applying the Bible in the light of African culture and realities, it furnishes powerful and relevant insights into the biblical text that transcend Africa in their significance.
Also available in French, entitled Commentaire Biblique Contemporain. [more...]
Link: Publisher's website
 | A storehouse of research information for those involved in mission in Africa - maintained by Richard Chowning, a Church Planting Consultant with Pioneer Bible Translators. Particularly useful to those involved in Scripture Engagement are sections on African culture and religion. |
Authors: Karl Grebe, Wilfred Fon
We soon found that even the most experienced Christian leaders were not always sure how to relate the cultural phenomena to the biblical picture. On the whole, the church had bypassed the task of interpreting the cultural picture from the biblical perspective, leaving Christians to determine for themselves how to relate to the various traditions of their culture.
This 58-page booklet, available for download in both English and French, describes the key elements of an African Traditional Religion (ATR) worldview and interprets them in relation to Scripture:
- The Worldview of African Traditional Religion
- Christianity and the African Worldview
- The Biblical View of Spiritual Realities
- Interpreting ATR in View of Scripture
The authors conclude with implications for Christian communication and counseling in such contexts. [more...]
Akropong-Akuapem, Ghana
Link: http://www.acighana.org
The Akrofi-Christaller Institute, whose first Rector was the late Rev. Prof. Kwame Bediako, is a scholarly institution established by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to serve the wider Christian community in Ghana and Africa.
Their courses emphasise the study of African Christianity, the importance of engaging Gospel and Culture, and Scripture engagement in the mother tongue.
ACI is also concerned to develop biblical and Christian literature in Ghanaian languages.
Authors: Amy West, Jo Shetler
"Tensions naturally are high in a crisis, but when a person becomes a follower of Christ, some of those practices clash with Scripture, creating new and sometimes intense tensions."
This workshop focused on equipping believers to resist those pressures toward practices that conflict with their allegiance to God, and to overcome the internal tensions created so they might respond in ways that are scripturally grounded while still being culturally meaningful. [more...]
A case study from the Paez of Columbia
Author: Marianna Slocum
We have found that these three factors—the credibility factor, the comprehension factor, and the prestige factor—are all-important components in promoting the use of a newly introduced vernacular translation in a newly written language.
This case history of the Paez, a minority language group in the Andean highlands of Colombia, South America, shows how the credibility and comprehension of the mother-tongue Scriptures and the prestige of the mother tongue affect the acceptance of the Scriptures. It considers how these factors can be addressed, noting the importance of using translators that are respected by the community, the production of high quality linguistic materials (e.g. dictionary and grammar books) and the value of producing a diglot glossary of key terms. [more...]
How the mother-tongue Scriptures shed light on an age-old rite of passage among the Tharaka people of Kenya
Authors: Monica Finifrock, Albert Kathenya
The impact is great since the truth they learn from the Tharaka New Testament sets them free. The truth is being revealed even to women who were the main victims of the myth of Kirimo. It is obvious that the New Testament has made a great change among the people. People are able to read for themselves the passages that speak against lies and are able to get the message straight.
The initiation rite for boys among the Tharaka of Kenya includes "swallowing," which involves submitting to a spirit. This article shows how church leaders are standing up against this rite. Scriptures useful in countering harmful ritual practices that contradict Jesus Christ are listed, and the role mother-tongue Scriptures play is emphasized. [more...]
A Case Study in the Role of the Translation Organization
Author: John L Ommani
When the Bible remains silent about certain cultural features, the Church... should assist the Christians to think through their traditions by digging deeper.
In the Tharaka society of Kenya, female circumcision has held a prominent place. In recent years Christian Tharaka people have questioned whether the rite should continue. The Bible Translation and Literacy agency has had a part in helping the society look at this rite from a biblical perspective. This article chronicles the history of the rite, including both its positive elements and problems, and some alternatives are presented. [more...]
from Bible Society, UK
Link: Bible in TransMission
The Bible in TransMission has been a flagship publication for Bible Society since the late 1990s. Very quickly it established itself as an important catalyst for debate on the shape and future of the Church’s mission to our culture.
It is currently distributed, free of charge, three times a year, to more than 20,000 church leaders.
Author: Eunice Pike
...to ensure the Mazatecs understood a bit of doctrine, we needed to put it in a hymn.
The concept of “limited good” means there is only so much good (including knowledge and love) to go around, so someone’s advantage implies someone else’s disadvantage.
The Mazatecs of Mexico hold this belief. One result is that they are reluctant to teach people directly for fear they will lose their own knowledge, so all teaching is indirect. This article looks at how this affects the spread of Christianity, and the important role missionaries, hymns, gospel recordings and mother-tongue Scriptures have in spreading the gospel. It also outlines Scriptures that speak of God’s unlimited goodness and kindness. [more...]
