By Victor Ochieng
In Morocco, when one invites you for a Friday evening ceremony, the invitation says “the evening of Saturday.” This is because North Africans consider the evening as the beginning of a day, just like the Bible book of Genesis talks about each day of the world’s creation - “And there was evening, and there was morning. . . .”
For North Africans, this is just their way of counting days. Interestingly, this connection can be seen in the Africa Study Bible, which is set to be launched this month. ASB becomes the first study Bible penned by African scholars specifically for the African context, although it’s attracting readership from Western countries as well.
Its development relied on the New Living Translation Bible. For a better understanding of the scriptures, the book includes explanations of some unfamiliar words, African proverbs, and details on how well to make use the Scriptures within the African context.
“A lot of the analogies and cultural phrases in American study Bibles don’t relate fully to many of the issues a lot of Africans are going through—like civil war, polygamy, and the worship of idols,” said Natalie Cameron, spokesperson at Oasis International, an organization that participated in developing the ASB. Through the book, some of the Bible stories like those of the tribes of Israel resonate well with Africans, being that Africans have deep connection with their tribes.
Priscilla Adoyo, a lecturer at Africa International University, who worked on the ASB, says that just like Westerners spend so much time reading the New Testament, African Christians can “over-relate” to the Bible’s Old Testament books.
“Sacrifices, blessings and curses, family and other relational practices, drought and famine are all familiar ground to the African,” she said. “Unfortunately, some have embraced the Old Testament teachings and picked and chosen what is relevant to their situation from the New.”
The ASB is a key addition to Bible study materials for Africans. There are millions of Africans who love Christ and who’d like to follow the gospel, but find it a challenge grasping the Bible since most Bible study materials are presented within the context of the Western world. Because most Bible study materials are written by Americans and the British, they’re written in the context of their countries, making it difficult for Africans to correlate.
The introduction of the ASB will, therefore, allow more Africans to better understand the Bible and relate to it.
Source
