SOME POPULAR AFRICAN APPROACHES TO THE BIBLE AND THEIR IMPACT ON CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN LIFE AND THEOLOGY

Abstract

The Bible is a popular book in the African context and most readers understand it literally. The contents appeal to most African readers because they recount issues of traditional life that are still common to many African societies. Sometimes the readers forget that the cultural contexts of the biblical stories and accounts are different and ancient. So there is always the danger of misreading and misapplying the text. This essay examines some of the popular readings of the sacred text and the type of influence they have on the religious life and theological thinking of most people in contemporary Africa. The aim is to inspire a more critical and more holistic reading of the Bible so as to benefit more fully from its immense riches. The essay follows both descriptive and analytical approaches in the exposition. Being a thematic study, the emphasis will not be limited to particular areas of the Bible but to every aspect of the Biblical text that is considered relevant to the discussion.