{"title":"Book Review: Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice by Thaddeus J. Williams","authors":"Neil D. Harper","doi":"10.1177/07398913221098103e","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"culture would impact how Christians interpret scriptures. As Mburu puts it, we need not assume our cultures and worldview but subject them to biblical worldview. The implication to Christian living cannot be overlooked. The first implication is that our assumptions should be subject to Biblical interpretation. Otherwise, the danger of syncretism becomes apparent–mixing Biblical beliefs with cultural tradition. The assumptions should be analyzed through the lens of biblical worldview. Secondly, learning the basic principles of hermeneutics (the four legged hermeneutic stool model in the book gives a sample overview) is crucial to every Christian. Correct interpretation leads to a better understanding and application of scripture. Thirdly, contextualized application is crucial for proper interpretation. As an example, Exodus 20:17 says to honor our parents. Honoring parents applies to all cultures in the universe (p.87); however, how to do honor parents differs from culture to culture. With these insights, Mburu’s work is laudworthy. I commendMburu for a work well done in weaving and differentiating the African culture and worldview with the biblical worldview. Both the African and biblical research is meticulously done. These issues are pertinent to every Christain– whether African or not. In chapter 1, the author presents a dichotomy in the lives of African Christians. In chapter 1, Mburu writes, “We as Africans are still trying to imitate foreign ways when it comes to reading, interpreting and applying the Bible in our everyday lives” (p.4) Living into one’s culture and drawing on it’s resources, while seeking to faithfully live out and develop a comprehensive Christian worldview is rife with tension but a fundamental task. In conclusion, biblical hermeneutics in light of culture and worldview can be a complex subject. Africa with its vast culture can further complicate hermeneutics. The book breaks down these issues with clarity, bringing a deep understanding on interpreting scripture in light of culture. I recommend the book to African Christians, theology students and pastors who are seeking to understand the African culture and worldview and how to interpret and apply scripture in the African context.","PeriodicalId":135435,"journal":{"name":"Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/07398913221098103e","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
culture would impact how Christians interpret scriptures. As Mburu puts it, we need not assume our cultures and worldview but subject them to biblical worldview. The implication to Christian living cannot be overlooked. The first implication is that our assumptions should be subject to Biblical interpretation. Otherwise, the danger of syncretism becomes apparent–mixing Biblical beliefs with cultural tradition. The assumptions should be analyzed through the lens of biblical worldview. Secondly, learning the basic principles of hermeneutics (the four legged hermeneutic stool model in the book gives a sample overview) is crucial to every Christian. Correct interpretation leads to a better understanding and application of scripture. Thirdly, contextualized application is crucial for proper interpretation. As an example, Exodus 20:17 says to honor our parents. Honoring parents applies to all cultures in the universe (p.87); however, how to do honor parents differs from culture to culture. With these insights, Mburu’s work is laudworthy. I commendMburu for a work well done in weaving and differentiating the African culture and worldview with the biblical worldview. Both the African and biblical research is meticulously done. These issues are pertinent to every Christain– whether African or not. In chapter 1, the author presents a dichotomy in the lives of African Christians. In chapter 1, Mburu writes, “We as Africans are still trying to imitate foreign ways when it comes to reading, interpreting and applying the Bible in our everyday lives” (p.4) Living into one’s culture and drawing on it’s resources, while seeking to faithfully live out and develop a comprehensive Christian worldview is rife with tension but a fundamental task. In conclusion, biblical hermeneutics in light of culture and worldview can be a complex subject. Africa with its vast culture can further complicate hermeneutics. The book breaks down these issues with clarity, bringing a deep understanding on interpreting scripture in light of culture. I recommend the book to African Christians, theology students and pastors who are seeking to understand the African culture and worldview and how to interpret and apply scripture in the African context.