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.
Highlights
This paper deals with the nature of African biblical hermeneutic(s), its task and distinctiveness
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
Teresa Hinga agrees with Pobee when she advised biblical scholars to shift from Eurocentric to Africentric hermeneutical approaches to biblical interpretation.[5]
Summary
Is there any distinctiveness of African biblical hermeneutics? Can this distinctiveness be clearly stated? To most Euro-American biblical scholars the answer will probably be negative. Which is closer to the above, is that the task is to understand the Bible and God in the African experience and culture, and to “break the hermeneutical hegemony and ideological stranglehold that Eurocentric biblical scholars have long enjoyed.”13Although one appreciates the opportunity to study in many of these great Western universities and seminaries, one thing is certain, the overseas training in biblical studies and theology is one of the ways by which African biblical scholars have been colonised. The result is that to think and interpret Africentrically has become a problem because we have been thoroughly Eurocentrically schooled Another major means of colonisation of African biblical studies is the absolute domination of the field of biblical studies by Eurocentric scholars. Since African biblical hermeneutic(s) is in itself a distinctive methodology as defined above, the distinctiveness to be discussed below cannot but reflect a major distinctive methodology that reflects African culture and tradition
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
