An African Introduction to the New Testament

“Praise for An African Introduction to the New Testament An African Introduction to the New Testament is a monumental achievement in biblical scholarship, showing that God has new light to shine on his word when it is viewed through the eyes of African believers and explained in their own voices. The issues faced by the churches in Africa are different to those in the Global North, and this is reflected in the application sections of each chapter. The editors have assembled an amazing cast of contributors to showcase the views, vision, and values of African biblical interpretation today. An ideal way to experience the wisdom and excellence of contemporary African scholarship!”

Rev. Dr. Michael F. Bird

“New Testament represents a major milestone in both biblical scholarship and the African enterprise of New Testament interpretation, as a crop of African scholars have contributed a seminal work that engages each New Testament writing through an African lens. This will serve as an invaluable resource not only for biblical scholars but also for anyone (student, pastor, teacher, layperson) interested in grasping some of the distinctive African contributions to biblical studies. The diversity of contributors’ ecclesial affiliations also reflects the nonsectarian nature of African biblical scholarship, projecting a less fractured African religious landscape.”

Andrew M. Mbuvi

“An African Introduction to the New Testament is a wonderful gift from the church in Africa to the church in Africa and the rest of the world, especially the West/Global North. At once traditional and innovative, academic and pastoral, contextual and global, it is a treasure chest of diverse voices that bears witness to the holistic gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the most interesting—and perhaps the best—type of New Testament introduction; may it do well and do good.”

Michael J. Gorman

“parts of the world? Read the applications and you’ll quickly see how universal many of them are! A wonderful gift to the church worldwide.”

Craig L. Blomberg

“Bible teachers, students, and pastors will appreciate the skillful juxtaposition of classic historical and theological material with relevant issues facing African Christians today. This is an insightful and edifying must-have and must-read for African Christians aiming to grow in understanding God’s word—at the seminary, Bible college, local church, or small-group setting.”

Daniel K. Darko

“This volume is both distinctive and vital. It brings together New Testament scholarship and illumination illumination of African contexts, integrating the two with insight and clarity. This is a must-read for biblical scholars who want to listen to the global conversation on the New Testament.”

Jeannine K. Brown

“An African Introduction to the New Testament builds on the classic Eurocentric template and distinguishes itself by making the New Testament books relatable and relevant for Africans across ecclesial, cultural, and geographical lines. Readers will find the essays on African cultural issues, religious phenomena, and hermeneutical approaches instructive in the way Africans encounter God’s word in the New Testament. An African Introduction to the New Testament is an organic voice of experienced and emerging African biblical scholarship. It’s truly African! This voluminous work presents how the New Testament stories and texts resonate with the African context. It responds to the long-standing cry for an African voice in the field. The various chapters combine to create one of the best textbooks for African New Testament courses available, focusing on issues facing African Christianity today. Beyond Africans, the volume can serve the wider audience interested in biblical studies. More importantly, it can serve as a model work in biblical scholarship, where academic rigor is only a means, not an end in itself. In this volume, African spirituality is in conversation with the message of the New Testament; it’s a goodbye to secularism!”

Rev. Bruk A. Asale

“An African Introduction to the New Testament breaks new ground and creates a much needed and long-awaited space for African voices in the study of the New Testament. By placing New Testament texts and figures in conversation with disparate African socio-religious traditions, contributors contributors offer fresh and powerful insights that have deep implications for African realities. I hope this compendium will stimulate wider conversations about non-Western scholars in New Testament studies.”

Johnson Thomaskutty

“cultural, social, and political landscapes. With contributions from scholars across different Christian faith traditions and a wide geographical spread across the continent, the book affirms that faithful biblical interpretation must resonate with the lived experiences of African peoples. Emphasizing a dialogical relationship between Scripture and context, the book equips readers to encounter the Triune God meaningfully within their everyday lives. Ultimately, this work is more than just another textbook—it is a prophetic call for contextual theological reflection that empowers African Christians to embody the gospel in both word and deed, leading to personal, communal, and societal transformation.”

J. Ayodeji Adewuya

“African perspective. Written by eminent African New Testament scholars, it examines the authorship, historical context, literary features, and theological themes of the various New Testament writings in view of the pressing challenges facing African communities today. Corruption, tribalism, traditional beliefs, and spiritual warfare are some of the challenges discussed. For anyone seeking to understand how the New Testament can be authentically embraced within diverse African contexts, this resource provides invaluable insights that honor both textual integrity and cultural relevance.”

Marius J. Nel

“accessible to a wide audience. This book will provide theology students in Africa with the skills they need to understand and tackle both biblical and local issues they will face in ministry or academic settings, and can serve also as a conversation starter to make the New Testament texts more readily available to Christians on the continent and beyond.”

Jeremy Punt

“It repeatedly strikes me that the Ethiopian culture is much closer to that of the New Testament than American and European cultures are. With An African Introduction to the New Testament, we have the perfect opportunity to read the New Testament with the enhanced vision of African scholars. To offer only one of many possible examples, consider how Western scholars tend to treat biblical accounts of the demonic world mostly with embarrassment. In contrast, the contributors to this volume intuitively understand these accounts and are able to show how they form an integrated part of the New Testament message of Christ’s victory over evil. While not everyone will agree with everything they read in this work, every serious reader will be enriched by new insights into the transformative message of the New Testament.”

Sigurd Grindheim

“world, and they asked and answered Western questions. Recently, African scholars have contributed essays and monographs that focus attention on the African reader of the biblical text. This volume continues that trend but fills an important gap. Now African students and scholars have a resource that addresses traditional “questions of introduction” but also includes profound reflection on how each book of the New Testament relates to contemporary Africa. The church and the academy will both benefit from this magnificent achievement.”

Grant LeMarquand