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Edmond Sanganyado

Learning Theology of Wilderness from John the Baptist

July 31, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

Several times in the Old Testament, God led people to the margins – wilderness. After Moses fell from Pharaoh’s grace, he fled to the wilderness. The Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness. Elijah fleeing Jezebel lived in the wilderness.

In the Gospels, we meet an eccentric man called John the Baptist. He lived in the wilderness eating berries and honey. John didn’t dress like the well groomed Pharisees or scribes but wore camel skin. He was more at home with Legion than with Caiaphas or Gamaliel.

There’s something fascinating about living in the wilderness. Moses saw a burning bush while heading his father in law’s sheep. He met God and found his purpose while living in his place of cowardice. So did Elijah.

Moses and Elijah’s understanding of Yahweh happened in the wilderness. They didn’t learn about God in the comfort of a seminary or school of theology. But fleeing for their lives among thistles and stones.

For that reason, Moses once reminded the oft stubborn Israelites:

Remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
Deuteronomy 8:2

However, humility, faithfulness, and obedience, the Israelites had to learn another important lesson (Deuteronomy 8:3), “Know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Meeting Christ in the Wilderness

The Pharisees and the scribes hated John the Baptist. He didn’t speak like them, dress like them or eat like them. John the Baptist preached in the wilderness while they visited lofty synagogues. He was too pedestrian for their sophisticated theological education.

The problem with sophisticated theological education is it tends to create sects rather than point to Christ. Looking at the Pharisees, it is quite evident that they were more interested in protecting their theological tradition instead of knowing Christ.

Sadducees and Pharisees were always at each other’s throat like Arminians and Calvinists. To such Christ said (Matthew 22:29), “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”

Their knowledge of hermeneutics and ancient Bible languages failed to help them grow effectively and fruitfully in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, instead, it planted pride and arrogance.

Theology from the wilderness is a theology learned from Christ himself. It is unconventional, it is offensive, and it is disruptive to the status quo. Importantly, it is dependent on Christ and not the craftiness of men.

Therefore, when a person who learned the Good News from the wilderness appears, the self-appointed custodians of the Christian faith are quickly offended. Like a pack of wolves, they attack the intruder defending their theological turf.

John the Baptist did not interfere with the Pharisees’ turf. He remained in the wilderness teaching fellow social outcasts and baptizing them for the repentance of sin.

4 Reasons Theology from the Margins is Countercultural

 

1. John the Baptist was willing to die for the Truth

The Pharisees and Sadducees sat at the upper echelon of the ancient Hebrew society. They were educated, powerful and wealthy. However, they used theology as a weapon for securing power and controlling people.

John the Baptist separated himself from the political and religious system. Oftentimes when religion and politics are bundled together oppression results. Unlike the Sadducees and Pharisees, John the Baptist pointed out the immorality of Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:1-13).

2. Wilderness taught John the Baptist Humility

John the Baptist separated himself from the world. And never pursued fame and power. When his disciples pointed out that Christ was baptizing more people than him, he famously quipped:

Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:29‭-‬30

3. John the Baptist didn’t try to fit in

John the Baptist was an armchair theologian with a calling from Christ. Born and raised by a father who was a high priest, he traded the comfort of the temple for the uncertainty and pain of the jungle.

When you’re in the wilderness there’s always a temptation to be like ‘them.’ But John understood his purpose. He was a voice calling in the wilderness, not synagogues or streets of Jerusalem. He stayed on his course.

4. John the Baptist understood where to take his doubts

While in prison John the Baptist doubted Christ. Through a messenger, he took his doubts to Christ. Christ did not write a textbook on Christology and send it to John the Baptist.

Christ went about doing his usual business; teaching and healing people. At the end of the day, he said (Luke 7:23), “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard.”

The Voices From Africa

The stories of Moses and Elijah resonate with young men and women in Africa. They don’t have access to seminaries or theological education. But in this theological desert, God is meeting them and revealing himself apart from textbooks.

Western Christian organization say these Africans are living in a theological famine. But like Elijah, it seems God is reminding the world he has preserved for himself a remnant that refuses to bow before Jezebel. It seems, in the wilderness, God kept people with no ambitions to protect.

Is this the new Christendom Philip Jenkins wrote about?

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: Africa, Evangelical, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Politics, Theology

Forgiving God Will Make You Heal When Angry At God

July 29, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

I was angry at God when my mother died. Mom worked hard to feed me and my five siblings. In 1994, when Mom was only 34, dad passed away. And for seven years, she worked hard to provide for us.

I remember when I was in form one, I was kicked out of school for unpaid tuition. The principal was a hard-hearted man. I watched in horror as my mother fell on her feet and pleaded with him. She cried begging him to have mercy on me.

There’s nothing more painful as watching your mother in tears as she’s humiliated by an egoistic brash fool who thinks he’s the most precious man on the face of the Earth.

I was angry. He punished me for not paying my tuition in time. Then he had the guts to humiliate my mother in front of me. Treating her like an ungrateful beggar as he shoved her out of his office.

“If your father was here, this wouldn’t have happened,” my mother mumbled as she wiped her tears.

The words pierced my heart as memories of my army Dad flooded my mind. My father was a high ranking official in the army. People saluted him everywhere he went. But he was now gone. He went with his honor and authority.

I hated the principal. Being in authority is an opportunity for showing justice and mercy. But he chose pride over compassion and indifference over clemency.

Three years later, my mother died. I believed God had ruthlessly snatched her out of my life. It was wrong, it was mean, and it turned my family into dustbin hoppers. And I hated God – I was angry at God.

For that reason, I asked my pastor, “Can a person forgive God?” I believed God had wronged me that’s why I was angry at him. But I wanted to forgive him. Could I?

Can a sinful person forgive a holy God?

For many months, I asked myself why God permitted such a horrendous thing in my family. I couldn’t understand how a loving God could allow such evil. My brothers picked toiletries for dustbins. Went to school without eating and sometimes without a shower.

I believed Christ had forgiven all my sins. But I still I struggled with my mother’s death. I believed God was responsible. He could have healed her but he chose not to for reasons best known to him.

I didn’t know if it was right for a sinful man to stand up before a holy God and say, “I am angry at you. I believe you wronged me. But I forgive you.” How could the wicked forgive the holy? It’s unheard of but I had to do it.

Here’s the thing. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean they are wrong and you’re right. It simply means you believe they wronged you and you want to reconcile with them.

Human forgiveness is not an exercise of ranking moral superiority. It is an acknowledgment of our brokenness and an invitation to divine reconciliation. Hence, Christ remains the ultimate example of how and why we should forgive.

I sat on the couch where my mother breathed her last. And I bowed my head saying, “God, I have been angry at you for a long time. I believe you could have healed my mother. But you chose not to, I forgive you.”

According to John Piper, “It is arrogant for finite, sinful creatures to disapprove of God for what he does and permits.” I disapproved what God did and I was angry at him. Maybe I was arrogant but I believe I had to if I really wanted to heal.

Is it wrong to be angry at God?

Concerning anger, Paul wrote (Ephesians 4:26), “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Denny Burke, a professor of biblical studies at Boyce College used this verse to support his claim that it’s wrong to be angry at God. He argued:

It is sinful to be angry at what is good and right and true. And that is why it is never right to be angry at God.

But reading the verse in context dispels this notion. In verse 25, Paul encouraged the Ephesians to put away all falsehood. Between verses 17 to 24, he showed that greed and sensuality were the falsehood he meant. Above all, the falsehood was caused by a darkening in understanding and alienation from the life of God.

Therefore,

Let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
-Ephesians 4:25‭-‬27

As you can see, Ephesians 4:26, encourages us to engage with the people we believe wronged us. It doesn’t say anything about whether it is right or wrong to be angry at God. Instead, it encourages us to speak truth with our neighbors. If I am angry at God, I should be honest with God.

Furthermore, verse 25 and 27 suggests is detrimental to your spiritual health if you don’t engage with those you think wronged you. When I sat down to forgive God, I unknowingly spoke the truth with him. Importantly, I denied the devil a foothold in my life.

Therefore, instead of urging us to stop being angry at God, it is better to encourage us to consider forgiving God. The thought is revolting but can lead to a deeper knowledge of the sovereignty of God. And a little prayer from you will do too.

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: anger, death, forgiveness, Jesus Christ, Society

What Women of the Bible Teach Us on the Goodness of God

July 25, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

If you read the Book of Genesis you probably encountered some of the amazing women of the Bible. They are flawed, scarred and often forgotten. But I believe the church can learn much by studying these women.

When was the last time you heard a sermon about the women of the Bible? You probably heard preachers referring to a woman with an issue of blood, the Samaritan woman, and Ruth. But rarely do you hear anyone mentioning that these people were women who battled real problems. Instead, their experiences are often reduced to a footnote.

The woman with an issue of blood had a medical condition limited to women. Only women can relate to the shame and guilt of a never ending menstrual cycle. The Samaritan woman lived with the shame of having to share bed with five different men. Ruth was an immigrant woman who had to learn to believe in God.

These women in the Bible had unique experiences that revealed God’s goodness. That is, his justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23).

 

7 Amazing Women of the Bible in the Book of Genesis

The problem in the church today is we have reduced women of the Bible to characters discussed exclusively in a women’s ministry. In our patriarchal settings, men are not interested in learning from women. But they’re comfortable discussing their flaws.

When we ignore stories about women in the Bible we miss out on understanding the richness of Christ’s grace. Reading the Bible faithfully means we have to engage these women, know their stories and see how they saw God.

Here are some of the key lessons I learned from the women in Genesis.

1. Eve – beauty of His faithfulness

God told Adam and Eve that they should not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and will lest they die. But Eve added a second command to protect herself from sin, “Do not touch the tree.” Yet, God never said that.

Eve probably thought adding a second command would help her family keep God’s command. Instead, it undermined God’s word. God wants us to trust and obey him. Despite her disobedience, God remained faithful and promised to Eve salvation through the seed of a woman.

2. Sarah – beauty of His might

Sarah reminds me of those churches that deny God’s power. You probably met people who believe God no longer heals the sick or work miracles. When you mention miracles they will laugh at you and quickly dismiss you as a heretic primitive uneducated buffoon.

Sarah believed in science, that is human anatomy and physiology than the word of God. They are times I have believed in science more than Christ. After all, I am a scientist. God desires that you believe more in his will and power than the order of nature.

3. Hagar – beauty of His justice

Hagar had the favor of bearing a son for Abraham. And this happened because of Sarah’s lack of faith. Sadly, Hagar thought Ishmael was a sign that she was more blessed than Sarah. This is the message of the prosperity gospel bedeviling the church today.

We are all guilty of believing more in our dreams than on Christ. And we have made God’s blessing a mark of superiority. Because he cares, he will watch over us. Even when we suffer the consequences of our idolatry and pride.

4. Rebekah – beauty of His wisdom

I have always believed that Rebekah was a thoughtful wife. After all, she aligned herself with God by loving Jacob more. But Rebekah was a conniving, manipulative, and selfish woman. Like most of us.

God told her Jacob was going to be more blessed than Esau. How many times have you lied so that you can get what you want? Despite Rebekah’s manipulations, God blessed Jacob all the same. He even used Rebekah’s deceptive plans for the good of Jacob.

5. Leah – beauty of His majesty

You probably know some churches that are snobbish and elitist. They are the ones favored by God. Because they’re growing and they know the Bible better than anyone else. And their blogs and books try to make sure you all know it – they are the best.

This is Leah. She never struggled with infertility like Rachel. And she always made sure Rachel knew it. But Leah only wanted Jacob’s attention. God is faithful because from Leah came Judah, from whom the scepter shall not depart.

6. Rachel – beauty of His holiness

When Jacob fled from his father in law, Rachel stole his father’s gods. Rachel saw how Jacob’s God was superior to her father’s idols. She also thought children could give her meaning and satisfaction.

Tim Keller defined an idol as ‘whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I ‘ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.”’ But God showed he loved Rachel by blessing her with a son who became a shadow of Christ saving Israel from famine.

7. Tamar – beauty of His righteousness

Here’s a woman who life dealt a bad hand. She lost her wicked husband and a wicked brother in law who denied her a chance to conceive. In the end, she resorted to deceiving her widowed father in law by presenting herself as a prostitute.

It’s easy for us to blame Tamar for what she did. Instead, Matthew included her as the first three women in Christ’s genealogy. Despite the mess in her life, God gave her two sons. Through Tamar, we can see how God’s grace transcends our mess.

Summary

I learned more about the church by looking at the women in Genesis. I rediscovered the problems faced by the church through the lives of often ignored women of the Bible. Above all, the Book of Genesis taught me how much Christ loves us despite our repulsive mess.

Photo by Olayinka Babalola on Unsplash

Filed Under: Christian Living Tagged With: Bible, New Testament, Society, Theology, Women

An Open Letter to My Friends Who Make a Prayer Request

July 5, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

Listening to her prayer request left me shocked. I did not expect to hear that. Especially from a woman fighting for her life. What kind of prayer request was that?

“Please, can you pray that I may receive the Holy Spirit,” she mumbled in a piercing hiss as she fought for breath. But that wasn’t all. “I want the Holy Spirit to guide me,” added Buhle (not her real name).

I sat quietly as I watched Buhle’s young sister helping her to sit. Buhle didn’t have to be on her knees. Because I could have prayed for her as she rested comfortably on her couch. Praying was not a problem; the problem was her prayer request.

At only 19, I was a home group leader. Being a lay leader was exhausting and encouraging. I prayed for the sick, encouraged and modeled personal evangelism, and tried to cultivate a culture of regular Bible study. I enjoyed it – a lot.

Watching Buhle succumbing to pain brought back old memories. Three years back, I watched my mother dying. But when my mother died, I did not know about James 5:14-15.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Anyway, I honored Buhle’s prayer request. And I remembered Paul’s prayer to church in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:17). Therefore, I prayed ‘that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory’ give Buhle ‘the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.’

Why Do We Make A Prayer Request?

Anyone who grew up in rural areas understands protocol. If you had a concern you approached the chief accompanied by an elder. Because going alone was a sign of disrespect as it meant you believe you have enough honor to be in the presence of the chief.

At the chief’s throne, all requests were made through the elder. And the elder would pass on the requests to the royal subjects. Hence the saying, kukwira gomo hupoterera – you climb a mountain in circles.

Coming to Christ, I had the same view when it came to prayer. As a result, I believed God only answered prayers made by honorable people – powerful men of God. Of course, I prayed often but I depended most on the prayer requests I sent.

But I believed you ask for a prayer request when you consider yourself inadequate to kneel before God. Therefore, I occasionally sent a prayer request to people I consider righteous and full of the Spirit.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16

So, why should we request a prayer from other believers? Here are some examples of Paul’s prayer requests:

  1. God’s help in preaching the Gospel
  2. That poverty stricken Jewish Christians accept a gift from non-Jews
  3. Help from people that opposed the Gospel
  4. Release from prison
  5. Guidance in visiting other believers

Question. Have you ever sent a prayer request that looks like these? I haven’t. God help me.

What is a Good Prayer Request?

You don’t send a prayer request to someone because of their presumed hierarchy in the divine order. Therefore, you don’t have to make a prayer request with Magaya, Bushiri, Pastor Chris or TB Joshua. Neither do you need to send a prayer request to Vatican, Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Fatima or St Raphael.

A prayer request is an invitation to participate in the divine nature. Paul wanted the Christians to take part in the work of ministry God so he sent out prayer requests to various churches.

Consider Paul’s prayer in 2nd Thessalonians:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

This is the prayer that Buhle wanted. And a week later she was no more. I believe that is the same prayer that you and I need, always. But does that mean we should stop sending prayer requests for a job, healing, cancer, marriage, money or a fruit of the womb?

I don’t think so. But I have noticed I often send a prayer request what I need someone to talk to. When I say pray for my finances, I mean I need help. Pray for my health means please walk with me. And pray that God gives me direction means I can’t get hold of myself.

What do you actually need when you send a prayer request?

Filed Under: Christian Living Tagged With: Africa, African Traditional Religions, Bible, Jesus Christ, prayer

This Is Why Contentment Will Make You Rich, Not Prosperity Gospel

July 3, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

Is prosperity gospel harmful to your spiritual growth?

The stranger smiled and nodded. “Thank you, I really needed some US dollars.”

He shook his scruffy head, forcing an uninvited smile. He stared at the crispy $10 bill. He mumbled something inaudible and quickly left the men’s wear store while staring again at the $10 bill.

And I realized I had been conned.

I didn’t want to buy anything in the men’s wear store. Giga’s was my favorite shop for window shopping – imagining a day I would afford to pay $20 for a pair of shoes and $30 for a shirt. Regrettably, I worked at a local university where I earned only $50 per month. It wasn’t enough to buy anything at Giga’s…

“My brother passed away last week in Johannesburg,” the stranger said. “His wife and kids are here in Bulawayo. I have to go and collect his body.”

My heart froze. Nothing is more painful than losing someone you love. I lost my father when I was 9. And my mother at 16. It was horrible and I don’t wish the experience on my worst enemies.

“What are you going to do?” I asked.

“I managed to raise $40 for my transport. I still need $20 for carrying my brother’s body. I sold my furniture and I have Zimbabwean dollars. I need to change my Zimbabwean dollars to US dollars…”

His mind wandered off and I could see a hint of tears in his eyes. “I really don’t need any Zimbabwean dollars, but I have $10 I could spare.”

He smiled. “May the Lord richly bless you. How about changing at one to seventeen?” He smiled again handing me the money, “God bless you.”

As he walked away, I started counting the Zimbabwean dollars. It wasn’t fake money. IT WAS A NEWSPAPER.

False Promises and Misrepresenting God

I should have known better. A year earlier, I met a conman who offered me a lucrative job carrying boxes at Lutheran-Africa International Aid Organization. At ZW$20,000 per hour, I had to work for five hours only to pay my college tuition in full. But the charity organization didn’t exist.

The swindler was dressed for the job; black pants, light suede jacket, and a folder with seemingly important documents. A shabbily dressed man joined in the conversation – a confidence booster, I presume. He wanted the money and he wanted the job. But not me – I didn’t buy the gimmick.

“The Lutheran charity organization is called Lutheran World Relief. And Lutheran offices are on 7th Street and we are on 15th Street,” I turned to the young man who had shown interest in the job – I knew he was part of the scam, “This guy is a thief. Don’t take the job.”

Prosperity teachers often misrepresent God’s promises. They do saw by presenting themselves as the official custodian of the gospel. Hence, churches were prosperity gospel is ripe tend to believe in the man of God phenomenon.

Spotting the False

A few months ago, I met another con artist who understood the importance of place and knowledge in the art of the con. He saw me withdrawing money at an ATM and approached me while I stood at Nando’s, an upmarket eatery. Nando’s had a free Wi-Fi hotspot.

“SaManyika, how are you?” SaManyika is a nickname for people from Manicaland, I was born in Bulawayo and I grew up in Mashonaland West. I wasn’t from Manicaland. “I think I have met you before. Rusape? Mutare? Chimanimani?”

Many people when they hear my surname always assume that I am from Manicaland. Sanganyado sounds like common Manyika surnames like Saurombe, Sakarombe, Saungweme, and Sanyangore. He probably read my name from the ATM card. “I have never been to Manicaland.”

Wearing cute pants, neatly tucked shirt and pointed shoes, the con man told me about his misfortunes. He was from Rusape, came to Bulawayo to collect his debts and failed. The woman who owed him passed away. “And I haven’t bathed in three days. Please, help me.”

But there was a problem. I had become better at detecting confidence tricks.

  • He didn’t speak as someone who grew up in rural Rusape.
  • He was too nicely dressed for someone who slept in the streets for three days.
  • His story was not consistent.
  • I hate someone who hears my name and immediately assumes I am from Mutare.

The prosperity gospel is an elaborate con because it promises Christians riches without work and health without discipline. Importantly, prosperity gospel makes hope a commodity one buys through by tithes, offerings, and gifts.

How to Spot Prosperity Gospel in Your Church

When Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, they were several con artists sprouting in the early church. So, Timothy had to learn how to identify con artists because ‘evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13).

Therefore, those who believe in prosperity gospel are often:

1. lovers of self, 2. lovers of money, 3. proud, 4. arrogant, 5. abusive, 6. disobedient to their parents, 7. ungrateful, 8. unholy, heartless, 9. unappeasable, 10. slanderous, 11. without self-control, 12. brutal, 13. not loving good, 14. treacherous, 15. reckless, 16. swollen with conceit, 17. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God’ appearing to be godly yet they deny its power

(2 Timothy 3:4-5).

The message of the prosperity gospel is marked by the love of three things: self, money, and pleasure. An expensive taste for clothes helps them gain your confidence – rule of first impressions. Oftentimes, they drop names of famous people when they speak; after all birds of a feather flock together. This is the reason Paul warned Timothy:

For that reason, Paul warned Timothy:

Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions
-2 Timothy 3:5-6

Godly Wisdom Can Protect You Against Prosperity Gospel

A month ago, a Nigerian pastor was arrested in South Africa for human trafficking and sexual assault. Yet, thousands of his church members picketed the court in his support.

“We are being shown how Jesus suffered on earth, but he prevailed and so will our Daddy.”  How could she equate Jesus to a man who made his victims recite Psalm 51 while raping them?

However, I cannot convince you that your pastor might be conning your church. I cannot. And Paul knew that even after giving Timothy 18 characteristics of an impostor, that knowledge alone was not sufficient to help Timothy and the churches he led. So, the ball was entirely in Timothy’s court.

Knowing salvation is found in no other but Christ, helps us escape the traps of con artists.

Therefore, if you want to escape the grip of the prosperity gospel, you need to continue in God’s word. For that reason, Jesus Christ said we are his disciples if we continue in his word. Hence, as disciples, we will know the truth and the truth will set us free (John 8:31-32). You can escape the traps of prosperity gospel if you understand Christ is your salvation.

Above all, the scriptures are ‘able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Because only God’s word through Christ’s grace can deliver them from the lies of a con artist. After all;

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness

2 Timothy 3:16

Filed Under: Christian Living Tagged With: Africa, Bible, Church, New Testament, Pyramid Scheme

30+ Christian Books by Africans You Should Read

July 2, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

Good Christian books by Africans are like diamonds. They’re precious but rare and born from intense pressure and heat. They can only be found after digging in the right places. But you are probably not going to find them in your local bookstore.

I have done some digging and I bought 25 amazing Christian books by African theologians. A couple of these books were published through an initiative of Langham Literature by Hippo Books, an imprint of Zondervan. The other books were published by InterVasity Press and also WIPF and Stock.

If you know of a great book not on the list, please let me know.

7 Christian Books on Bible Theology and Hermeneutics by Africans

1. Africa Bible Commentary edited by Tokunboh Adeyemo

Africa Bible Commentary is one of the most important Bible scholarships from Africa. It makes it easier for African readers to understand the Bible since it bridges the cultural gap. For example, Solomon Andria in Romans wrote, “Rome was a city like Nairobi and Abidjan today. Businessmen and ordinary people from many regions mingled there.” As I read Romans, I now have a picture of Harare in my mind. Furthermore, the authors used modern examples as aids in proper understanding of the Bible.

2. African Study Bible

Produced in partnership with Tyndale, Africa Study Bible is a perfect partner for the Africa Bible Commentary. Although I am not a fan of the NLT translation, I found the Africa Study Bible refreshing and engaging. The ASB related Bible passages to proverbs and stories. This was great, after all storytelling is pivotal in African societies. Above all, the Touch Points are an excellent resource for bridging the cultural gaps. For example, in John 1 the ASB gives an illustration of how forerunners worked in most African communities. As someone who met a forerunner growing up in the village, this brought to life the story of John the Baptist.

3. A Guide to Interpreting Scripture: Context, Harmony, And Application by Michael Kyomya

“Christians need more than just exhortation to read the Bible; they also need to be empowered to do so profitably,” writes Bishop Michael Kyomya. And he adds, “the burden of empowering people to read the Bible… is especially urgent in light of the many dangerous cults that have sprung up and the widespread but unwholesome reading and teaching of God’s word.” Kyomya’s A Guide to Interpreting Scriptures; is quick witty and insightful read. Throughout the book, Kyomya argued that good interpretation pursues the author’s intent and not what the original audience understood. Probably one of the best Christian books on Bible interpretation to date. (Side note: I am working on a book on effects of African Traditional worldviews on Bible interpretation.)

4. Triple Heritage: Gospels in Intercultural Mediations by Jean-Claude Loba-Mkole

There is a cultural gap that you need to bridge when you’re reading the Bible. Above all, as noted by Jean-Claude Loba-Mkole in Triple Heritage, an African reader must navigate between three cultures to better understand the Gospels; the 21st Century African culture, the church traditions (European Protestant or African Initiated), and the first-century Jewish culture. Unfortunately, a lot of ideas helpful for cultivating a good Bible reading habit are buried in theological jargon and mountains of scholarly discussions. But for an advanced reader, Triple Heritage, is an excellent resource.

5. Translating the Message: The Missionary Impact on Culture by Lamin Sanneh

Fact. Most of the functional schools and hospitals across Africa were built by missionaries. However, tension exists between Africans and missionaries because of the twining of Christianity and colonialism. Lamin Sanneh makes a compelling argument that the translatability of the Bible encourages cultural pluralism since vernacular languages carry with them set beliefs and practices. “We can overcome barriers of exclusion and suspicion only when we turn to the one God in our own idiom.”

6. Christian Theology and African Traditions by Matthew Michael

“The failure of Christianity to have formidable impact on the continent is because of the failure of Christianity to engage the worldview of the African people.” Africa will have the largest population of Christians by 2050, yet Christianity fails to transform the economic, political and social thought of Africa. For example, 85%  of Zimbabweans are Christians yet the country has the worst corruption rate in the world. Matthew Michael engages African traditional worldviews with honesty and wisdom. Furthermore, Matthew Michael showed how African worldviews help Christianity flourish. However, reading such Christian books doesn’t go without warning. That is, similarity of traditional practices doesn’t equate to eschatological significance.

7. Theology and Identity: The Impact of Culture by Kwame Bediako

Kwame Bediako is one of the most influential African theologians. He has written several engaging and eye-opening Christian books such as Jesus and the Gospel in Africa, Christianity in Africa, and Jesus in African Culture. In Theology and Identity, Kwame Bediako brings scholarly modern African theologians, such as John Mbiti, Byang Kato and Mulago gwa Cikala Musharhamina into conversation with a grassroots second century theologians such as Tertullian, Justin and Clement. His analysis of modern theologians was brutally honest pointing out Kato’s Tertullinic approach. However, by pointing out that both theological eras belong to the same story, Kwame Bediako advises that scholarly theologians need to focus more on grassroots. Thus, he agrees with Samuel Waje Kunhiyop’s exhortation that theology should scratch were there’s an itch.

8 Christian Books on Theology and Philosophy by African Christians

1. African Christian Theology by Samuel Waje Kunhiyop

I agree with Aiah Foday-Khabenje, “Too much of our theological reflection in Africa is informed by Western thinkers and their understanding of Scripture.” He added, “Ignorance and ethnic arrogance have resulted in the African worldview and African religious beliefs being dismissed as primitive and heathen.” However, in African Christian Theology, Samuel Waje Kunhiyop gives caution by defining theology and its role in Christian growth. Kunhiyop explores subjects ranging from church discipline to funerals. This book should be on your bookshelf.

2. African Christian Ethics by Samuel Waje Kunhiyop

“What should be taught in African theological colleges is an ethics that is African, biblical and Christian.” Prof Kunhiyop first offers a brief introduction to the three types of ethics that influence believers: African ethics, Western ethics, and Christian ethics. African Christian ethics should biblically and sufficiently address six issues pertinent to Africa: politics, finances, marriage and family, sexuality, health, and religion. And these are the issues Prof Kunhiyop spends about 400 pages addressing.

3. The Sacrifice of Africa: A Political Theology for Africa by Emmanuel Katongole

Africa is the richest continent yet the poorest. Emmanuel Katongole doesn’t explore this paradox, he explores the answer – social ethics. “Who we are, and who are capable of becoming, depends very much on the stories we tell, the stories we listen to, and the stories we live.” It follows then that the problem in Africa is we have let others tell our stories; missionaries coming to Africa are read Christian books by other missionaries instead of African theologians. Thus, people attempting to provide solutions to African woes bring strategies that have largely failed because they were crafted from a single story; to every David Livingstone story there is a King Leopold and to every Mobutho Sese Seko there is a Thomas Sankara.

4. Foundations of African Traditional Religion and Worldview by Yusufu Turaki

Sometimes numbers lie. You have heard that by 2025 they will be more than half a billion Christians in Africa. However, most Christians in Africa fame their lives following a Traditional African worldview. Yusufu Turaki shows that this worldview influences how we read and understand scripture. And most cases, it has led to unbiblical syncretism. “The approach of the Lord God Yahweh to the Canaanite religion and culture should be the theological norm and model for a Christian and Biblical approach to the traditional religion in Africa.” However, that doesn’t mean all traditional beliefs and practices are evil, it only means we should be more thorough before accepting and promoting them.

5. Is Africa Cursed?: A Vision for the Radical Transformation of an Ailing Continent by Tokunboh Adeyemo

The founder of Talbot School of Theology once wrote, “it is not by chance that the Negro has been a servant of servants. This fact is a prophecy fulfilled.” Is that true? In Is Africa Cursed?, Adeyemo Tokunboh disagreed, “At that hour of need when darkness reigned, an African—Simon of Cyrene—was at hand to comfort and relieve [Jesus Christ] by carrying His cross.” Unlike Emmanuel Katongole’s Sacrifice for Africa, Is Africa Cursed? discusses in detail the origins of Africa’s woes indicting globalization, corruption, colonialism, tribalism and retrogressive cultural practices. Tokunboh Adeyemo concluded by discussing the role of the church in developing Africa.

6. Theological Pitfalls in Africa by Byang H. Kato

Although Theological Pitfalls in Africa was written in 1975, it adequately raises an alarm against the lures of wholesale acceptance of African Traditional religions. Byang Kato demonstrates how the recent drive to show Christ through traditional practices (guilty as charged) can actually lead people away from Christ. “To say that Africans, or anyone else, still have the vestiges of Imago Dei, by virtue of which they arc still aware of the existence of the Supreme Being, is one thing. But to systematize the concepts and fill them up with quality of worship of God “in truth and in spirit” is foreign to Biblical Christianity.” Sadly, Byang Kato passed away a few months after writing this book, a revised and updated version is much needed.

7. Out of the Shadows of African Traditional Religion: Christ’s Deliverance of a Sangoma by Moss Ntlha

A few months ago, I stumbled upon a heart breaking story. I was watching a YouTube video of a song called Sunday by The Soil – a South African acapella group – when I saw a clip that said one of the vocalists of the trio was living the group. She was heeding a call from the ancestors to become a sangoma. But Francina’s story is the opposite; it’s a story of a girl who had four abortions, several nightmares, and a call to become a spirit medium. However, while in that pit of idolatry, Francina encountered Christ who transformed her by his love. As I read this story, I couldn’t help but pray for Buhlebendalo Mda to encounter Christ in his glory. I hope someone will give Buhlebendalo a copy of this book.

8. A New History of African Christian Thought edited by David Tonghou Ngong

David T. Ngong’s A New History of African Christian Thought is an academic book that features luminary African theologians. Youhanna Nessim Youssef of … writes on the troubling issue of martydom. Zimbabwean theologian, Masiiwa Ragies Gunda confronts homosexuality. And Rachel Nyagondwe Fielder engages feminine theology. However, most of the authors espouse to liberal theology and I don’t agree with everything they say. Reading this book, offers a clear picture of what Byang Kato warned 50 years ago in Pitfalls. Africans engage with theology at two disctinct level. for example, at grassroots level people read or listening to the Bible alone. Whereas, academic theologians engage other scholars and little on the grassroots practices. The trajectories espoused in this book are primarily of the latter.

7 Christian Books by on Christianity in Africa

1. The Preachers of a Different Gospel: A Pilgrim’s Reflections On Contemporary Trends In Christianity By Femi B. Adeleye

Televangelists have single-handedly ruined centuries of Christian growth in Africa. Millions of people in Africa now treat the gospel as a get-rich-quick scheme and the practices of righteousness as tools for earning God’s favor. Especially Pentecostals like me. The prosperity gospel is raging havoc and Femi Adeleye stands up to speak out against it. Femi Adeleye’s book reminds me of the prophetic calls of John the Baptist.  Largely ignored yet extremely important. The Preachers of a Different Gospel does a great job to show how misreading scriptures and unchecked cultural beliefs can be a hindrance to Christian growth.

2. The War Within: Christians and Inner Conflict by A.C. Chukwuocha

“If turning from God to our own ways is the core of sin, then salvation involves the very opposite, wrote A.C. Chukwuocha. He advised, “Instead of turning our backs on God and defiantly choosing to sin and be estranged from him, we turn around to face God and submit to him.” David wrote in Psalm 31:1, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” We have received the blessing that David longed for. That is, Christ’s death and resurrection broke the power of sin in our lives. To continue reigning over sin, Chukwuocha advised:

  1. Keep your eyes on fixed on Jesus
  2. Hunger and thirst after righteousness
  3. Allow God’s love to compel you to act

3. The Trinity of Sin by Yusufu Turaki

“It is important for African Christians who want to be authentic and relevant to have a thorough knowledge of the African terrain.” And, “Unless we know what it is that we need to renew and transform, we cannot make progress in the transformation. Until we know and understand the people we wish to transform.” Turaki navigates the complex landscape of African traditional landscape like a skilled farmer winnowing corn. With earnestness, Turaki reveals how African worldview undermines believers from experiencing victory over sin. (Side note: I have read several Christian books on sin, but I only discovered I had a wrong concept of sin after reading this book. When I sinned, I used to cast, bind and rebuke demons for making me sin – something encouraged by my African traditional worldview.)

4. No More Cheeks to Turn? Sunday Bobai Agang

Why did Sunday Bobai Agang put a question mark on his paradigm shifting book? Sunday survived the Biafra war and lost loved ones. He had no more cheeks to turn, yet he questioned that. This book is an invitation to a life of compassion for the perpetrators. Thus, he writes, “We know where we will be when we die, but our oppressors have no hope.” Sunday Bobai Agang engages the horror of tribal wars and genocide with grace. He reveals how the humanity of the incarnate Christ helps him to pursue forgiveness even though it is hard.  Most Christian books on forgiveness lack such Christ-centered honesty and humility.

5. My Neighbour’s Faith: Islam Explained for African Christians by John Azumah

I first learned about militant Muslims from watching Hollywood movies. My experiences were contrary. Growing up a Muslim was simply someone who wear a funny heart when they go to the mosque. There was nothing scary about them. Before the resurgence of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al Qaeda in Uganda and Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Kenya, Muslims coexisted with Christians in most African countries. And they still do. John Azumah offers ways that Islam poses challenges to Christian growth. This is one of the best Christian books on Islam you will ever find

6. Mirror to the Church: Resurrecting Faith after Genocide in Rwanda by Emmanuel Katongole & Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

Sometimes in April is a heart-wrenching cinematic depiction of the reality of the Genocide in Rwanda. What made the horror tragic was not the debates on the definition of the word genocide. Rather, it is the fact that Christians killed other Christians a week after celebrating Easter together. “The only hope for our world after Rwanda’s genocide is a new kind of Christian identity,” wrote Emmanuel Katongole. Using stories of the victims of the genocide, the authors offered three challenges the reader.

  • Look at the mirror
  • Remember who you are in Christ
  • Pursue the Christian mission.

7. A History of Christianity in Africa By Elizabeth Isichei

The history of Christianity in Africa is often written by people who are not Africans. As a result, it tends to focus on the activities of non-Africans ignoring the sons and daughters of the soil. However, Elizabeth Isichei understands the history of Christianity in Africa is about how Africans interact with the Gospel. She began the journey in North Africa and ends in the early 1990s. However, like most academic Christian books, the book is too heavy on endnotes. However, an update on the history of the church in Africa is overdue. (Side note: I am working on a memoir that traces the history of Christianity)

9 Christian Books by Africans I Look Forward to Read

  1. First Things First: Growing in Pastoral Ministry by Ken Kamau
  2. Whose Religion is Christianity?: The Gospel Beyond the West by Lamin Sanneh
  3. Becoming All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing by Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice
  4. Summoned from the Margin: Homecoming of an African by Lamin Sanneh
  5. Patterns in African Leadership by Kirimi Barine et al.
  6. The Church: God’s Pilgrim People by David Zac Niringiye
  7. Pastoral preaching: Building a People for God by Conrad Mbewe
  8. The Human Condition: Christian Perspectives Through African Eyes by Joe M. Kapolyo
  9. Isesomo: God’s Servant in Congo by Joshua Maule

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Africa, book reviews, Christian books, Society, Theology

This Is Why African Men Should Pay Lobola

June 28, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

What is lobola? Lobola is the sum property paid by a man to his fiancée’s family in fulfillment of customary marriage requirements. Traditionally, a suitor paid lobola using a hoe or offered to work the fields of his in-laws for a year. Nowadays, people pay lobola using cash and cattle. 

But should African men continue with this antiquated practice?

Why Pay Lobola?

I did not buy my wife with three goats and cow- I paid lobola. Roora in Shona, mahadi or magadi in seSotho. I did an honorable thing despite what most misguided feminists and progressive might claim.

Every dollar I paid did not reduce my beautiful wife into a useless accessory. No, lobola didn’t turn her into a cheap commodity. It was a romantic declaration of my undying love for her before her family, friends, and community.

I did not buy a $15,000 ring, fell to my knees and whisper, “Will you marry me?” But I did what my father did, what my father’s father did and what I expect my son to do one day.  So, I traveled to a remote village in Beitbridge where my wife grew up and paid lobola.

No, Surprise is not a bag of sorghum, corn or groundnuts traded at a farmer’s market. She is far more precious than a thousand tons of gold, rubies or diamonds. She is simply the apple of my eye, the sunshine of my rainy days, and the virgin smile when the clouds are dark.

“I knew you truly love me the day when you came to pay lobola. I knew you were committed to love,” Surprise later told me.

Lobola is part of who we’re as Africans. It’s a cherished inheritance that declares to the world how valuable women are before us. Sleeping with a girl without paying lobola is disrespectful and dishonors the parents that raised the girl. I chose not to embarrass my wife’s family before the community.

How To Find A Wife – Or Something Like That

I first met Surprise at church, and it was love at first glance. At least for me. I had just graduated from college, and she had just enrolled in college.

One Sunday afternoon, after the main service, I sat in the church waiting for the youth meeting to start. I saw a beautiful girl entering the church. Her steps resonated with confidence and self-determination.

“You can tell what kind of a woman a girl is by how she walks,” Mother always said, she would continue, “You see that girl, she is confident and didn’t l doesn’t look confused. A girl should radiate confidence.”

Of course, that advice wasn’t meant for me, but my sister. A ChiShona is proverb says, panorairwa mwana wamambo muranda terera – when the prince is given advice a servant should listen. An honorable servant walks in princely wisdom, so I listened when Mother advised my sister.

Mother had weird theories about confidence. I remember hearing her telling my brother that he should buy formal shoes. Reason. A man is as good as his shoes. If a man can’t take care of his own shoes, then he is a confused and unorganized buffoon.

On Becoming Prince Charming in Disguise

My mother passed away when I was only sixteen. At twenty-four, I was an adjunct professor at a local university. I bought two pairs of professional black leather shoes, a couple of formal pants and shirts. I took Mom’s advice seriously.

But, there was one problem. I did not want people at church to know I was a college graduate. And let alone an adjunct professor (we call them part-time lecturer in Zimbabwe).

So, I created a front. No, sleek leather shoes or formal dressing to church. I only wore sandals, T-shirts, and cargo or hunting pants. A close friend and I took videos of our church service. Most people assumed I was a photographer.

When Surprise came along, like everyone else she assumed I was a photographer. We started dating nine months after I first met her. For several months, she did not know I was an adjunct professor.

She loved me for who I am. That, my friend, is the kind of woman you can break the bank to pay lobola!

What traditional marriage in the Bible looked like

“You are dating someone you don’t know what they do in life,” my wife’s friends laughed at her, “You do not eat love in marriage. You also need security.”

She was in love. Surprise accepted me for who I was. She did not mind whether I was a struggling photographer, a college student or an adjunct professor. Not marrying that kind of girl would have been foolish.

Step 1: Find a trustworthy go-between (dombo)

I did not waste any time. Soon after Surprise and I started dating, I enlisted my youth pastor as my dombo. A dombo is supposed to be someone who knows the groom well. And importantly, he should have good people skills. Pastor Joseph Mutemani was the right man for the job.

Step 2: Send your dombo for inquiries

I had never been married before, so I stressed myself about how I was going to raise my lobola. “Edmond, you should stop worrying. You don’t know how much Surprise’s family is going to charge you. Send your dombo to inquire.” My wise neighbor, Pastor Sibanda advised. I sent Pastor Mutemani to inform Surprise’s family that I was dating her. And to set dates for our traditional marriage.

Step 3: Be a man, save for the bride price

I had a well-paying job at a local university, but I had to save. Each month, I set aside a fraction of my income for my bride price. The current economy in most African countries doesn’t permit saving anymore. But lobola has to be paid, and the in-laws have to understand. A good dombo like Pastor Mutemani would know what to say in such scenarios.

Step 4: Go and pay your lobola

In less than six months after Surprise and I started dating, I went to her village to pay my lobola. They are many dangers associated with long relationships. I didn’t want to date for a long time.

I went through all these stressful steps because I wanted to honor my mother-in-law for raising Surprise right. Most of the women I know taught their daughters to check what a boy’s job is before they commit to marriage. That’s why I love my mother-in-law. The least I could do to honor her was to pay lobola.

Is Lobola Oppressive to Women?

Most people in the West consider lobola a primitive, sexist and degrading practice. All the leading news outlets in the US celebrated when a homosexuality rights group called Planting Peace mocked lobola. When embattled Rowan County clerk, Kim Davis left jail, she was greeted by a billboard sponsored by Planting Peace, that read;

Dear Kim Davis, the fact that you can’t sell your daughter for three goats and a cow means we’ve already redefined marriage.

The greatest deception of perceived progress is undermining tradition of ascribing wrong meaning to it. Considering lobola as buying and selling ignores the original intent of the tradition. Lobola has a tripartite objective – honor, commitment, and communion. These three things make lobola the most biblical practice in marriage.

Through lobola, I honored my mother-in-law in front of her family, friends, and community. Every penny I gave declared before her that she is a good mother. This was my little way of showing my gratitude for her parenting skills and commitment. I showed the world that she raised her daughter well.

When the dombo gave my in-laws lobola, he testified to my commitment. He told them how hard I have worked to make everything possible. Pastor Mutemani showed them my love for Surprise was not in word only but in deeds. He did not lie; I still love Surprise even more.

On the day when lobola is paid friends, family and the community of invited to witness the occasion. Surprise’s family slaughtered some chicken, a goat and a cow for the celebrations. It was a big feast, and everyone celebrated with my mother-in-law. Lobola brought people together, and it created a new family. The Sanganyado family and the Ndou are now one big happy family.

Some Religious Institutions Say Lobola Is Oppressive

Even some church organizations fail to understand the importance and soteriological shadow of lobola. For example, the Mormons critically condemn lobola describing it as a negative African culture that undermines the gospel.

Priesthood leaders should teach parents to discontinue this practice, and young people should follow the Lord’s pattern of marriage in the holy temple without waiting for the payment of a bride price.

Should a Christian pay lobola? I will rephrase the question. Should a Christian man honor his in-laws, demonstrate a commitment to his wife and create communion between families and community? I value honor, dedication, and fellowship more than opinions of liberals, feminists or even my wallet.

What does the Bible say about lobola?

Many people often wondering: what does the Bible say about lobola? I believe giving a quick answer is dangerous. First, we need to see if lobola is in the Bible. There are three major similarities between lobola in the Bible and the African custom of lobola.

1. The groom’s family pays lobola

In traditional marriages in the Bible, the groom pays the bride price. For example, Abraham paid the bride price for his son Isaac.

2. Tending the fields was acceptable bride price payment method
In Shona culture, there’s kutema hugariri, a practice where a poor groom work on the farm as payment for bride price. Jacob’s lobola in the Bible to Laban was like kutema hugariri – 14 years of hard work. 
3. How much is lobola
Reading Isaac’s bride price list shouldn’t shock you. Abraham was wealthy. He had a personal his army. My grandmother always said during her time people paid lobola using a hoe. Yes, one hoe was enough. The current objections against lobola arise because of the greed of some in-laws. Historically, only kings paid exorbitant bride price as a show of their riches.
However, the prevalence of lobola or lobola-like practices in the Bible doesn’t mean you have to pay lobola.

What does lobola in the Bible mean?

In eschatology, the church is represented as a bride with Christ being the groom. You and I are the bride of Christ. The immaculate conception of Christ signified the beginning of the royal betrothal. John the Baptist even called himself Christ’s dombo.

Christ paid the ultimate lobola by laying down his life on the Cross. Christ did not pay using three goats and a cow, but his blood. He demonstrated honor, commitment, and communion so that like my wife we can all say,

“When I look at the Cross, I know that Christ truly loves me.”

Filed Under: African Traditions Tagged With: Africa, African Traditional Religions, Bible, Lobola, Society

This Is Why You Can Trust The Bible In A Post-Truth World

June 27, 2017 By Edmond Sanganyado

Can you trust the Bible? You probably heard people saying you should not trust the Bible because:

  • It is self-contradictory
  • It disputes proven scientific claims
  • It is useless in the 21st Century
  • We do not have the original manuscripts

Despite these seemingly convincing post-truth arguments against trusting the Bible, they are four reasons you should trust the Bible; inspiration, authority, canonicity and trustworthy (infallible, truthful and inerrant). Here are tips from different Christians around the globe I curated to help you.

Table of Contents

  1. The Problem with the Bible: Beth Felker Jones
  2. The Bible is Trustworthy Because Christ is Trustworthy: Kristen Wetherell
  3. Christ Believed the OT was Inspired: John Piper
  4. The Bible Does Not Contradict: Andreas Köstenberger
  5. The Bible is Culturally Relevant: Tim Keller
  6. The Bible is Inspired by God: JI Packer
  7. The Bible has Authority from God: James N. Anderson
  8. The Canonicity of the Bible: Tim Challies
  9. The Bible is Accurate and Historical: Justin Holcomb
  10. The Bible was Transmitted Faithfully: Brett Kunkle
  11. The Bible Is Often Translated Faithfully: Jonathan K. Dodson
  12. The Unity of the Bible Message: Adrian Rodgers
  13. The Unity of The Bible Authors: David Qaoud
  14. Textual variants of the Bible Preserve Primary Doctrines: Matt Waymeyer
  15. The Early Church Recognized the Bible: Darrell Bock

1. The Problem with the Bible: Beth Felker Jones

Beth Felker Jones (Ph.D., Duke) is associate professor of theology at Wheaton College. She has written several books, including The Marks of His Wounds and Touched by a Vampire.

Scripture has been used to validate abuse, and Christians often disagree about the meaning of Scripture. We also misinterpret Scripture, and much of the history of Christian theology involves correcting mistaken readings of the Bible. The interpretations of Scripture found in the writings of the early church heretics, the torturers of the Inquisition, or evangelical slaveholders during the Civil War provide examples of such bad readings.

The discipline of theology is about learning to read Scripture more faithfully. It is also about speaking the truth of Scripture in ways that fit new contexts, new times, and new places. It is true that human beings are very talented at using reason, tradition, and experience to support our own sins. It is also true that reading Scripture well is very hard work.

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2. The Bible is Trustworthy Because Christ is Trustworthy: Kristen Wetherell

Kristen Wetherell is a writer, Bible teacher, and the content manager of Unlocking the Bible.

Reading the book Confident: Why We Can Trust the Bible (Christian Focus Publications, 2015) affirmed for me what our number one reason is for taking the Bible at its word and taking God at his Word: Jesus. The Son of God held Scripture in the greatest esteem, believing that it perfectly revealed God’s character, as well as his ultimate redemption story for mankind through the saving gospel.

So, if a person’s identity and authority affect how much credibility we give to their words, then it follows that who we say Jesus is will affect how we trust the Bible. If Jesus is God — who humbly became flesh, lived a spotless life, died on the cross, and resurrected — and not just a good teacher or wise guru, then we will want to give weight to what he believed about God’s Word.

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3. Christ Believed the OT was Inspired: John Piper

John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

With my knowledge of Christ and his will and his vision of the world expanded by the witness of Paul I turn to the gospels to listen to their witness to Christ and to hear his own words in their witness, and I find there the same self-authenticating Christ who won my allegiance in the Gospel and in Paul.

And I find that this Christ vindicated his own life and ministry on the basis of the truth and authority of the Old Testament. So, through him, I yield to the inspiration of the Old Testament and approach it with my heart open to hear God through it.

  1. Jesus believed the Psalmist spoke by the Holy Spirit (Mark 12:35).
  2. Jesus believed that what Moses wrote in the law God himself said (Genesis 2:23, Matthew 5:17-18).
  3. Jesus believed that the small affirmations of Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:33-36).
  4. Jesus taught that Moses’ writings are to be believed (John 5:46).
  5. Jesus devoted his life to fulfilling the Scriptures about the Messiah (Luke 18:31, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 4:16-21, Mark 9:11-13, Mark 14:21, John 3:18, Mark 14:27, Matthew 26:53, Luke 24:25)

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4. The Bible Does Not Contradict: Andreas Köstenberger

Andreas Köstenberger serves as senior research professor of New Testament and biblical theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

In God’s sovereign providence we’ve been given multiple Gospels “according to” Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in order to provide us with a diversity of perspectives that can legitimately be viewed as complementary rather than contradictory…

But I would also say, no, phenomena such as translation from Aramaic to Greek, paraphrase of Jesus’ exact words to convey the essence of what he said, and varying degrees of detail given by the respective biblical writers, to name but a few, don’t necessarily prove that Scripture is “imperfect” in a way that renders Scripture inaccurate if not contradictory.

It does not help to confuse the human phenomena of Scripture with its “imperfection.” The problem with entering [Christians] (such as myself years ago) is not that they’re faced with an imperfect Bible but that their expectations at the outset are often inadequately informed. Just because the Bible involves translation and testimonies doesn’t make it imperfect!

The Bible is “imperfect” only when measured by the unwarranted expectation that the Gospels convey to us Jesus’ words in the original language and that all four Gospels agree word for word.

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5. The Bible is Culturally Relevant: Tim Keller

Tim Keller is pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, New York. He is also the co-founder and vice president of the Gospel Coalition.

Let me ask you a question: If you’re offended by something in the Bible, why should your cultural sensibilities trump everybody else’s? Why should we get rid of the Bible because it offends your culture?

Let’s do a thought experiment for a second. If the Bible really was the revelation of God, and, therefore, it wasn’t the product of any one culture, wouldn’t it contradict every culture at some point? Therefore, if it’s really from God, wouldn’t it have to offend your cultural sensibilities at some point?

Therefore, when you read the Bible, and you find some part of it outrageous and offensive, that’s proof that it’s probably true, that it’s probably from God. It’s not a reason to say the Bible isn’t God’s Word; it’s a reason to say it is. What makes you think that because this part or that part of God’s Word is offensive, you can forget Christianity altogether?

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6. The Bible is Inspired by God: J.I. Packer

J. I. Packer;(DPhil, Oxford University) serves as the Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College.

The theological basis of biblical inspiration is the gracious condescension of God, who, having made men capable of receiving, and responding to, communications from other rational beings, now deigns to send him verbal messages, and to address and instruct him in human language.

The paradigm of biblical inspiration (not from the standpoint of its literal types or of its psychological modes, which were manifold, but simply from the standpoint of the identity which it effects between God’s word and man’s) is the prophetic sermon, with its introductory formula, ‘Thus saith the Lord’. The significance of biblical inspiration lies in the fact that the inspired material stands for all time as the definitive expression of God’s mind and will, His knowledge of reality, and His thoughts, wishes, and intentions regarding it.

Inspiration thus produces the state of affairs which Warfield (echoing Augustine) summed up in the phrase: What Scripture says, God says. Whatever Scripture is found to teach must be received as divine instruction. This is what is primarily meant by calling it the Word of God.

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7. The Bible has Authority from God: James N. Anderson

James N. Anderson is Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte.

The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore, it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

The point here is that the Bible has intrinsic authority precisely because it is the Word of God. It doesn’t depend on some higher authority to certify or validate it, simply because there is no higher authority than God. But still the question arises: How do we come to know that the Bible is the Word of God? How do we come to know that it isn’t a merely human book, but rather divinely inspired?

… Nevertheless, the decisive factor in our coming to know that the Bible is the Word of God is an internal work of the Holy Spirit in our minds and in our hearts.

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8. The Canonicity of the Bible: Tim Challies

Tim Challies worship and serve as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, and co-founded Cruciform Press.

If we look at the canon of a man like John Piper, we would say that it includes Desiring God, The Passion of Jesus Christ, Don’t Waste Your Life and so on, from the first book he wrote to the last. The canon of John Piper would only be complete when it included every word he had ever written. But who can infallibly know a person’s canon?

In truth, only the author really knows what he or she has written. John Piper may have many books available to us, but who is to say that every word of his has been made available to us? Who is to say that he has not released other books under a pseudonym? Only he infallibly knows his canon. Similarly, it is only God who infallibly knows all He has written.

The Scriptural evidence compels us to believe, then, that if we have the complete canon, God helped people find out what it includes. When the Bible was compiled into the book we know and love today, it represented every word God had ever written. So, there is a sense in which the primary task of the men who compiled the Bible was to find the complete canon of God. The primary measure they used was whether a book was inspired by God.

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9. The Bible is Accurate and Historical: Justin Holcomb

Justin Holcomb is an Episcopal priest and a theology professor at Reformed Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Because of who God is, and because of what God has done to preserve his Word, we have confidence the events described in Scripture are accurate and historical.

This is important because Christianity, unique among world religions, depends on historical events: particularly Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Scripture tell us this account, revealing Christianity’s climax—its central, historical, and verifiable event: God’s gracious act of bringing salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ.

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10. The Bible was Transmitted Faithfully: Brett Kunkle

Brett Kunkle is the Student Impact Director at Stand to Reason. He is passionate about seeing students and adults “transformed by the renewing of their minds.”

First, the New Testament message was not transmitted orally, a mode of communication that is easier to distort. Instead, it was handed down in writing. Second, there was not a singular line of transmission—that is, it was not the case that a single individual passed the message to another individual who passed the message to a different individual and so on.

Rather, there were many lines as one letter was copied multiple times and copies were copied multiple times, eventually resulting in a host of manuscript copies. Third, historians do not rely on the last person in line but look for earlier sources much closer to the original. Finally, original letters could be consulted, even after several generations of copies.

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11. The Bible Is Often Translated Faithfully: Jonathan K. Dodson

Jonathan K. Dodson (M.Div, Th.M) is the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX which he started with his wife, Robie, and a small group of people.

When someone asserts that the Bible says errors, we can reply by saying: “Yes, our Bible translations do have errors, let me tell you about them. But as you can see, less than 1% of them are meaningful and those errors don’t affect the major teachings of the Christian faith.

In fact, there are 1000 times more manuscripts of the Bible than the most documented Greco-Roman historian by Suetonius. So, if we’re going to be skeptical about ancient books, we should be 1000 times more skeptical of the Greco-Roman histories. The Bible is, in fact, incredibly reliable.”

Contrary to popular assertion, that as time rolls on we get further and further away from the original with each new discovery, we actually get closer and closer to the original text. As Wallace puts it, we have “an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the biblical documents.”

Therefore, we can be confident that what we read in our modern translations of the ancient texts is approximately 99% accurate. It is very reliable.

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12. The Unity of the Bible Message: Adrian Rodgers

The late Adrian Rodgers served as the Senior Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church of Memphis, Tennessee.

Think about this. They came from all backgrounds: some were shepherds, and some were kings; some were soldiers, and others were princes; some were fishermen; some were scholars; some were historians; some were professional men, and some were common laborers.

And the Bible is written in different styles and in at least three different languages. But when you bring all that together, it makes one book that has one story beginning with Genesis and going through Revelation.

  1. The Bible has one theme—redemption.
  2. The Bible has one hero—the Lord Jesus.
  3. The Bible has one villain—the devil.
  4. The Bible has one purpose—the glory of God!

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13. The Unity of The Bible Authors: David Qaoud

David Qaoud is a husband, writer, and blogger from St. Louis, MO. David is also an M.Div. student at Covenant Theological Seminary.

“If you do not believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, if you do not believe that the Bible is of a supernatural origin, then I challenge you to a test.” I said to the student, “I challenge you to go to any library in the world, you can choose any library you like, and find 66 books which match the characteristics of the 66 books in the Bible. You must choose 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1500 years, in 3 different languages, written on 3 different continents. However, they must share a common storyline, a common theme, and a common message, with no historical errors or contradictions.”

I went on to say, “If you can produce such a collection of books, I will admit that the Bible is not the inspired word of God.” The student’s reply was almost instantaneous, he emphatically stated, “But that’s impossible!”

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14. Textual variants of the Bible Preserve Primary Doctrines: Matt Waymeyer

Matt teaches hermeneutics and Greek at The Expositor’s Bible Seminary in Jupiter, FL.

No major doctrine of the Christian faith is affected in any significant way by a viable textual variant. For this reason, even though one cannot have absolute certainty regarding some of the textual variants, he can have confidence in the overall reliability of the New Testament. However, for those who are still unsettled by the remaining margin of error, D.A. Carson draws a helpful analogy:

In my judgment, the degree of uncertainty raised by textual questions is a great deal less than the degree of uncertainty raised by hermeneutical questions. In other words, even when the text is certain there is often an honest difference of opinion among interpreters as to the precise meaning of the passage.

Few evangelicals, I would like to think, will claim infallibility for their interpretations of the Scriptures; they are prepared to live with the (relatively) small degree of uncertainty raised by such limitations. The doubt raised by textual uncertainties, I submit, is far, far smaller.

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15. The Early Church Recognized the Bible: Darrell Bock

Darrell Bock (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen) is Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary.

The New Testament came to be recognized over a period of several centuries. The church did not choose the books of the New Testament. The use of books over time commended certain works over others. Athanasius gives us our earliest list of the 27 books in the AD 367, while Origen (c AD 250) may have mentioned all of them a century earlier (though there is debate whether he named the book of Revelation as manuscripts differ on this point).

Either way, the core of the New Testament was functioning as canon by the end of the second century as other evidence shows. At that time, Irenaeus and the Muratorian Canon mention the core of the New Testament, noting the four Gospels, Acts, the Pauline Epistles, I Peter, and I John. These were the books that had apostolic roots and that churches in many distinct regions were using.

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Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Bible, Faith, New Testament, Theology

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