The task and distinctiveness of African biblical hermeneutic(s)

Abstract

This paper deals with the nature of African biblical hermeneutic(s), its task and distinctiveness. African biblical hermeneutic is the principle of interpretation of the Bible for transformation in Africa. It can also be called African cultural hermeneutic(s) or African biblical transformational hermeneutic(s) or African Biblical Studies. The task of African biblical hermeneutic(s) includes, firstly and foremost to formulation of a biblical hermeneutic that is liberational and transformational; secondly, to break the hermeneutical hegemony and ideological stranglehold that Eurocentric biblical scholars have long enjoyed; thirdly, to understand the Bible and God according to Scripture and African culture and tradition; fourthly, to interpret the Bible existentially; fifthly, to blacken the Bible; sixthly, to reappraise the Bible in order to correct the effect of the cultural ideological conditioning to which Africa and Africans have been subjected in the business of biblical interpretation; and seventhly, to promote African culture, tradition and identity. African biblical hermeneutic(s) has the following methodological distinctiveness: communal reading and interpretation, Bible as power, Africa and Africans in the Bible, African comparative, African evaluative, using Africa to interpret the Bible and using the Bible to interpret Africa, the promotion of distinctive life interest, and African identity.