AFROCENTRIC APPROACH TO BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

Abstract

The problem associated with Afrocentric or African orientated approach to an understanding of religious and biblical texts is a cause for concern among many philosophers of religion. There is the stance and perception that the Bible and biblical scholarship has been biased by a mainly Eurocentric and 'white' view of biblical history. This paper join the calls from numerous critics and scholars for a more adjusted and reasonable comprehension of the pertinence of the African impact and its centrality in present day Christian religious philosophy. This paper shows that an in-depth analysis of Biblical text will show that one cannot diminish the importance of the African region and people in the Bible without also diminishing and distorting a truthful and comprehensive view of the Bible. The result of this present examination shows that there have been attempts to limit and even hinder the Afrocentric affiliations and interpretations in Biblical content. This infers a more comprehensive and multicultural approach is required in Biblical investigation and interpretations.

Headnote

Abstract: The problem associated with Afrocentric or African orientated approach to an understanding of religious and biblical texts is a cause for concern among many philosophers of religion. There is the stance and perception that the Bible and biblical scholarship has been biased by a mainly Eurocentric and 'white' view of biblical history. This paper join the calls from numerous critics and scholars for a more adjusted and reasonable comprehension of the pertinence of the African impact and its centrality in present day Christian religious philosophy. This paper shows that an in-depth analysis of Biblical text will show that one cannot diminish the importance of the African region and people in the Bible without also diminishing and distorting a truthful and comprehensive view of the Bible. The result of this present examination shows that there have been attempts to limit and even hinder the Afrocentric affiliations and interpretations in Biblical content. This infers a more comprehensive and multicultural approach is required in Biblical investigation and interpretations.

Keywords: Afrocentric, Eurocentric, Christian religious philosophy, biblical Interpretation.

Introduction

There have been call from many critics and theologians for a more balanced and fair understanding of the relevance of the African influence and its significance in modern Christian theology As one study notes, "...Fortunately, the Bible refuses to remain captive to such distortions, Indeed we have seen the blossoming in our own time of new interpretative approaches to Scripture".1 In other words, a more inclusive view of the Bible is insisted upon in order for a more truthful representation of Biblical history to occur. It should also be noted that these distortions of Biblical texts are also linked to wider political and colonial worldviews that have over the centuries tended to impact on interpretations of Biblical and other texts in favor of Eurocentric hegemony.

The author of the above study also goes on to stress the important point that, "These approaches, including cultural exegesis and Afrocentric biblical interpretation have at last begun to free us from centuries of parochial Eurocentric understandings".2 The emphasis that the author places on the concept of "...parochial Eurocentric understandings" of Biblical text is central to the thesis of this paper.

The central thesis of the present study includes the view that there have in the past been efforts to minimize and even obstruct the Afrocentric associations and interpretations in Biblical text. This implies that a more inclusive and multicultural approach is needed in Biblical analysis and interpretation. As will be discussed, there are a number of cogent reasons for this denial of the African background and origins of Biblical events. These reasons must also be seen against the historical advent and impact of European colonialism.

The central thesis that will be explored in this study can therefore be stated as follows. Firstly, it is predicated on the view that there is a genuine need for a more multicultural approach to biblical textual analyses of the Bible. This leads to the assertion and thesis that African and Afrocentric interpretations of the Bible and Biblical events are necessary to present a more valid and comprehensive understanding of these events and texts.

Furthermore, there is a motivational imperative that also underlines the importance of this thesis. The following quotation from Earnest N. Bracey's book Prophetic insight: the higher education and pedagogy of African Americans (1999) encapsulates this imperative: "For too long in the history of Western civilization, persons of African descent have been stereotyped in negative ways which have caused them to question not only their own identify but also their part in God's plan of salvation".3

This is a view that is germane to the present thesis for a number of reasons. Among these reason that will be expanded on is the view that the exclusion of Afrocentric interpretations of the scriptures has had a negative impact on ethnic self-perceptions. This refers to the truthful and correct interconnections between the important massages from the Bible and the religious and social development of Black and other ethnic groups. As will become clear from the discussion below, not only is the truth of the Bible compromised by a biased reading and interpretation of Biblical texts but these biases also impact negatively on ethic self-esteem and theological validity.

This is an extremely important point that goes to the heart of the reason for a reevaluation the place of Africa and its people in the Bible; and which emphasizes the need to deconstruct stereotypical and biased interpretations of the Bible.

In essence, Black people, as well as people from other cultural and racial groups, have been excluded from participating in the experience of salvation through Biblical text because they have come to believe that they were somehow not important enough to be featured in general and dominant interpretations of Biblical text. The present study will attempt to delineate important aspects and insights that reflect the need for a revaluation of the Biblical texts from an Afrocentric and multicultural perspective.

Reasons for the Denial of African Biblical Interpretations

There are many reasons put forward as to why African Biblical perspectives were ignored or undermined. One study in this respect has noted that,

Today popular Christianity too easily assumes that modern ideas about race are traceable to the Bible or that there is not a significant Black presence in the Bible.... Centuries of European and Euro-American scholarship along with a "save the heathen Blacks" missionary approach to Africans have created these impressions.4

In other words, the denial of an Afrocentric perspective in the Bible and in Bible interpretation is closely linked to forms of racism and racial stereotypes and biases that became an intrinsic part of the ethos of colonialism during the previous two centuries. The image of the "black heathen' referred to above and in many other studies is a stereotype that has been evident in Western culture for many centuries. It is this type of biased distortion that has led the intentional removal in many cases of African references and associations in Biblical textual interpretation.

With reference to the important issue of colonialism and the suppression of African identity, one can briefly refer to the writings of Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797). The autobiography of Olaudah Equiano provides us with some insight into the intersection between religion, scriptural interpretation and the realities of colonialism.

Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, tells about his experiences of slavery in the book entitled The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself. What is of special significance for the present discussion is the view of African historical and scriptural origins that the author puts forward in this book - and which contrasts glaringly with the Eurocentric view of scriptural interpretation which was promulgated by colonialism.

In the book Olaudah Equiano discusses the religion of Igbo people of West Africa. Importantly, he refers to numerous similarities between the Igbo religion and the ancient Jewish faith found in Biblical texts. Similarities such as various taboos and rituals are discussed at length. This discussion is expanded in the first book to suggest a common heritage and a definite African centre to the understanding of scripture. The following quotation from the book makes this aspect abundantly clear.

Here I cannot forbear suggesting what has long struck me very forcibly, namely, the strong analogy which even by this sketch, imperfect as it is, appears to prevail in the manners and customs of my countrymen, and those of the Jews, before they reached the Land of Promise, and particularly the patriarchs, while they were yet in that pastoral state which is described in Genesis-an analogy which alone would induce me to think that the one people has sprung from the other.5

In other words, the author strongly suggests a common root to Biblical reality that lies not in a predominantly white world and experience but rather has its foundations in Africa and the African religious and cultural milieu. Interestingly, Equiano refers to the Biblical interpretations and commentaries of experts such as John Gill to support his view of an African Biblical origin. "Equiano gestures toward "Dr. Gill's" Commentary on Genesis" to note how Gill "ably deduces the pedigree of the Africans from ... the descendants of Abraham".6

On the other hand, many scholars note the significance and obvious relevance of an African Biblical context. Notwithstanding these studies and despite a plethora of evidence that strongly suggests the validity of a Black or African interpretations of the Bible, "...Eurocentric church officials and scholars have tended to deny or minimize the fact that black people are in any way a part of the Bible itself..."7 Contemporary pundits note that this prejudicial situation is in the process of being redressed by modern scholarship and many authors and researchers are writing against these biased and stereotypical views.

The literature also acknowledges the fact that the underlying reason for this denial of the African influence in the Bible has deep roots in the Eurocentric institutions of scholarship. This can be traced to the conservative view that Blacks have in fact no real history in comparison to the richness and significance of European history. "As astonishing as it seems most of the prestigious academics and universities in Europe and America have ridiculed the idea that blacks have any substantive history". 8 This derogatory view has its roots as well in the colonial attitude that tended to see all Black people as inferior in status and 'ignorant' in order to justify the intrusion and invasion of their lands and territories.

In other words, the justification for conquest and what was in reality the theft of African land and wealth was provided to a great extent by the 'rewriting' of Biblical texts. Blacks were cast as 'heathen' people who had not achieved the enlightenment that the white group had attained through the Bible and Christianity and therefore Blacks were seen as inferior and subordinate.

This rewriting or interpretation of the Bible excluded Black people, thereby lending theological and moral validity o the colonizing actions of the European and white ethnic groups. This is of course a very simplistic view and does not take into account many complex and interrelated factors. However, at a fundamental level it serves to illustrate the underlying political motivation that many critics assert played a major part in the virtual eradication of the Black Biblical origins and their profoundly important part in the Biblical texts.

As noted, this underlying discrimination and prejudice has a long history, which manifested itself in the colonial biases of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries and in many other areas besides Biblical interpretation. It is also important to note that this biased ideology that followed in the wake of the colonial domination of Africa was strongly opposed to any view or interpretation that would place Blacks in the forefront of Biblical analysis. This can be seen in the fact that in the period between the fourth century and the Enlightenment in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, "Europe recast the entire Bible into a saga of European people" and this hegemony has been accepted as fact by most bodies and institutions in the Western world.9 Consequently, many scholars and leaders in Black theology have rejected and fought against various ideological assumptions; such as the "Curse of Ham" or curse of Canaan (Genesis 9:20-27), which has been used to justify prejudice, bigotry and even enslavement. Briefly, the Curse of Ham refers to the curse by Ham's father, Noah, placed on Ham's son, Canaan. This curse was due to the fact that Ham saw his father naked after a bout of drunkenness.

When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,

"Cursed be Canaan!

The lowest of slaves

will he be to his brothers."

(Genesis 9:20-27)

There are many interpretations of this episode of Biblical scripture. Some critics see this as a justification for the conquest of the Canaanites by the Israelites. However, what is more important from the point of view of the thesis being discussed is that many commentators are of the view that "The "curse of Ham" had been used by some members of Abrahamic religions to justify racism and the enslavement of people of African ancestry, who were believed to be descendants of Ham".10

This is a racist perspective that has been very damaging and was maintained until fairly recently by some theologians and scholars. However, while it has been largely abandoned by even the most conservative theologians the social and theological stigma of this interpretation of scripture still tends to have negative connotations in society.

One could go on to trace this central causative factor of the omission of an Afrocentric approach to the heritage of a colonialist and Eurocentric worldview, which has tended to dominate society during the past two centuries. Eurocentric perspectives in many disciplines were undoubtedly preferred and there was a bias towards what were perceived as 'inferior' African orientations. This can be ascribed to fundamental prejudice that was, and sometimes still is, a hallmark of the colonialist mentality. This view has resulted in criticism that the Bible in particular has been 'recast' and that there have over the decades been continuous efforts to ensure that the Bible 'fits' into the mould of a perception of religion that accords with and exclusively relates to "...an ancient religious drama of Euro-Asian Hebrews".11

This in essence refers to the central thesis of this dissertation; namely that there has been a biased and prejudicial view of religion that has been expounded by a version of the Bible that favors a mainly Eurocentric and Hebraic worldview. The following quotation from The African Heritage Study Bible sums up this point of view.

Somewhere in Western history, a fraudulent view emerged, a view that sought to recast not only Mary but almost all biblical characters in a distinctly European light. Scholarly research has now demonstrated that, unlike typical European culture, the biblical ethos was without color prejudice".12

The Bible and African Origins

One of the most obvious aspects of Biblical scholarship that provides clear proof and evidence of an African genesis and heritage in the Bible is the analysis of Biblical geography and the part that this geography plays in an understanding of the Biblical texts. An important example in this regard is that of Ethiopia. However, before discussing the Ethiopian context it is firstly important to understand the larger context of the geographical and historical context of the Bible and how this is related to an Afrocentric interpretation.

As many critics have pointed out one cannot adequately understand Biblical history, especially the history of the Old Testament if one does not take into account geographical factors that are intimately linked with cultural as well as ethnic factors. This also applies to the understanding and significance of many of the events and historical factors that we find in the Old Testament events and themes, which cannot be adequately understood apart from the geographical, cultural, and historical situation that existed.

As these commentators have pointed out, one has to take into account the original designation and historical context of the name Africa. "First of all, the name "Africa" was given to the Continent by Romans. Africa was also called Kemet, Libya, Ortegia, Corphye, Egypt, Ethiopia and/or Sedan, Olympia, Hesperia, Oceania, and Ta-Merry".13

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the ancient name for Africa was "Akebu-Lan", which is translated as 'mother of mankind' or 'Garden of Eden'14 and it was this name for Africa that was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Carthaginians and Ethiopians.15 This places ancient Biblical heritage soundly within an African mythical and geographical context

There are many Biblical references that can be cited which place the early events and history of the Bible in an African context. For example, Genesis 10:6-20 describes the descendants of Ham as being located in North Africa, as well as in Central Africa and Asia. In Psalm 105:23 the "Land of Ham" in Egypt is referred to: "Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham". In Genesis we have a reference to Nimrod, the son of Cush, whose name means 'black'. And in Genesis 11, we read that "Abraham was from Ur of the Chaldees, a land whose earliest inhabitants included blacks".16 These examples all attest to the African background and heritage of the Bible and the events therein.

Furthermore, these and many other Biblical references that have led a number of commentators to assert that there is a deep and intimate link between early Judaism and Africa. Some commentators have even gone so far as to suggest that "Judaism is the African way of life".17 This point of view is supported by the following argument.

Judaism was the religion developed in Africa by African people. It was adopted and adapted in a similar fashion to the Yoruba Orisha worship (Vodoun, Santería, Lacumi, Condomble, etc) and is still being co-opted and altered by non-Africans today. To speak of an African influence on Judaism is like speaking of an African influence on Orisha Worship.18

These views are also supported by other insights and the connections between Africa as a cultural and geographical region and Biblical geography; for example, the belief that in an indigenous sense Egypt was known as Kemet or the 'Land of the Blacks'. This is also linked to the connection between the Mount Rwenzori Range in the east African and Egyptian ancestral origins.19 This is also connected to the view that Egyptian civilization had its origins in Ethiopia.

There are numerous references in the Old Testament to Ethiopia. The books of the Old Testament in fact cite Ethiopia more than forty times.20 Both Egypt and Ethiopia are referred to many times in the Old Testament and this usage is seen as a common reference to Africa.21

Among the reasons given to support the view that Egyptian people were of Black heritage is the fact that, "The Romans didn't get to Egypt until 300 BC. There weren't any white people present before the Rome invasion".22 The assumption that the origins of Christianity were Roman or Greek are therefore seriously questioned and deconstructed. This has led to the counter view that the original Christians were in fact Black people living in Africa in the Ethiopian and Egyptian regions. This is contrary to the conventional view of the Eurocentric dominance in common Biblical interpretations. As one critic asserts; "We have been told Christianity came from Rome. Does everything come from Europe? That is what we have been led to believe".23 The importance of the African continent however becomes even more obvious if we consider the Book of Genesis in more detail. In Genesis 2: 10-14, we read the following.

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin [a] and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. [b] 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.24

The Garden of Eden is therefore situated according to the text above in relation to four rivers. Both the Pishon and the Gihon are associated with ancient Cush - which refers to Ethiopa in the Hebrew.25 This term, according to some scholars also refers to the 'burnt - faced people', which clearly indicates an African origin in the situation of the Garden of Eden. Taking into consideration the positioning of the other rivers mentioned in the Biblical text, one commentator goes on to state that, "... the ancient land of Canaan was, culturally and geographically, primarily an extension of the African land mass."26 In essence this means that the origins of the Bible are strongly related to the African continent, which also suggests many other Afrocentric associations.

The above can also be linked to the the myth it concept of Pangea. This refers to the view that all the land masses of the earth were one connected into one large land-mass. This area of land was broken up after the great flood of Noah to form the continents as we know them today.

As the above discussion suggests, this means that the earliest origins of the Bible and humankind, and the story of the 'Garden of Eden', may have mythical roots in the concept of Pangea. This is clearly seen in the reference to Africa referred to above. However, this is an extremely elusive area of discourse and one in which any real archeological or historical data s extremely sparse.

There are numerous other examples from the Bible that can be cited. The point being made is that a close analysis of the Biblical texts strongly suggests that the original people spoken of in the Bible resided in Africa. As another study clearly indicates, "...the Bible provides extensive evidence that the earliest people were located in Africa."27 and that "Although Europeans (Greeks and Romans) began to feature in the more recent biblical narratives. The fact remains that the earliest biblical people.would have to be classified as blacks; they were of African descent and possessed African physical features".28 29

It is important to remember in an analysis of this nature that the African and multicultural reinterpretation of Biblical text is not in any sense intended as a 'racist' or ideological endeavor. As The African Heritage Study Bible states; ".the Bible reflects a genuine multiculturalism. Its pages are laced with racial and ethnic diversity". 30 This is a central aspect that has already been referred to and should be kept in mind throughout this exploration of Afrocentric and multicultural perspectives in the Bible.

Biblical figures

Besides the view that the original people referred to in the book of Genesis were Black, there are many other biblical figures that can be identified as being of African heritage. In this regard one could for example discuss the cardinal figure of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary is typically referred to and depicted as a white European. However, many new studies of her historical origins assert a very different view and challenge a Eurocentric depiction of this figure. As an article from The African Heritage Study Bible indicates, a reading of the latest research would tend to suggest that the "...darker-skinned portrayals are proving to be the most ancient - and therefore the most likely to be accurate". 31 There is therefore a common misconception that many of the central biblical figures were white, including Noah, Abraham, Mary and Joseph. However, there are also numerous studies that suggest the opposite.

A good example from the Bible in this regard is Zipporah, Moses' Midianite wife. According to one commentator "This means that Zipporah's father, Laban was also black". 32 Another very obvious example from the Bible would be Lucius' comrade in Antioch, Simeon, who was known as Niger. As Gilmer states,

Niger simply means "black". African nations and African people are quite prominent in biblical times. To say that the Bible is the white man's holy book or to suggest that it is European in origin or nature, is simply not taking into account the facts. 33

There is also compelling evidence that the Queen of Sheba was a Black African. (1 Kings 10:1). One could also refer to the passage form Psalm 68, which reads;

Envoys will come from Egypt;

Cush [h] will submit herself to God.

(Psalm 68: 31)

This refers again to the ancient African heritage and influence in the multifaceted biblical texts.

One of the most debated and controversial issues are of course the color of Jesus. As one study on this topic clearly states, "His mother, Mary, was Afro-Asiatic and probably looked like a typical Yemenite, Trinidadian, or African American of today".34 This view of Mary is substantiated by the many 'Black Madonna's' that have been found throughout the world.

Literally hundreds of Shrines of the Black Madonna have existed in many parts of North Africa, Europe, and Russia. These are not weather - beaten misrepresentations of some original white Madonna, but uncanny reminders of the original people who inhabited ancient Palestine at the time of Jesus of Nazareth and earlier.35

This would therefore lead to the conclusion that the " 'Sweet Little Jesus Boy' of the Negro spiritual was in fact quite black". 36 The process of the 'reinvention' of the Christ Child as a blond haired and very white little boy was therefore created by artists under the guidance of ecclesiastical authorities who wanted to project a certain Eurocentric image of Christianity.

With the marvelous oils and watercolors of the painter's brush, the world gradually witnessed the rebirth of Jesus, as medieval and Renaissance artists made him suitable for the portrayal of Christianity as a "European" religion. Thus there developed a brand new manger scene, with the infant Jesus and his parents reimaged. Ancient darker, and clearly more African, icons were discarded or destroyed.37

There is therefore a considerable amount of evidence which points to the Black origins and ethnic identity of many central figures in the Bible who have commonly been assumed to be white or European. This evidence is also indicative of the central concern of Biblical veracity and truth. This refers to the fact that the Bible should not become biased in any sense towards one group, culture or ethnicity. It is a multicultural and multiracial text, which is intended to provide access to the truth of enlightenment for everyone and not only to a certain selected few. This is a central point of the present thesis and one that is continually reiterated by many studies and articles on this important issue.

In essence, therefore many studies assert that a 'de-Africanization' of the Bible and of central Biblical figures took place over the centuries. "This academic racism sought to de-Africanize both the sacred story of the Bible and Western civilization".38 This view is important for a number of reasons.

In the first place, as suggested above, it detracts from the truth and veracity of the Bible. Secondly it has important consequences in terms of denying many cultures and peoples their rightful heritage in relation to Biblical and religious knowledge. It has the all-important consequence of making many people in Africa and other cultures feel that they are marginalized and somehow inferior, which is certainly not the case in reality.

There is a plethora of archeological and historical evidence of the early African origins of the Bible that can be cited. For example, the ancient Sumerians were linked to the Elamites, who were the first group of Semitic people cited in the Old Testament. (Gen. 10:22k39 This is significant as

The Elamites were a black-skinned and woolly-haired people as the colorful glazed artwork on the royal palace walls of the ancient Persian city of Susa clearly show. Thus Abraham, the native of Sumerian and the founding father of the Israelite nation, was a black man.40

The Black origins of the Patriarchs of the bible are a fact that has been neglected or purposely dismissed in most common contemporary textual reference and analyses of the Bible. These biased views have however been challenged by many contemporary historians and theologians who suggest a radical re-visioning of Biblical history to ensure that the ethnic identity of the early Hebrews is clarified. This will also become clear and will be explored in the following sections of the present study.

Another argument as to the ethnic heritage of the Biblical figures in the Old Testament is that when Abraham and his twelve sons migrated from Canaan to Egypt, their stay in Egypt and the expansion of the number of their community to more than three million people strongly suggests intermixing with the Egyptians, who were a Black people. As One commentator notes,

During their sojourn in Egypt the Children of Israel multiplied from being a family of 70 souls to a nation of over 3 million people at the time of the Exodus which took place in 1612 B.C. This astounding number of people in so short a time can only be adequately explained by intermarriage between the family of Jacob and the native Egyptian populace. It is an established fact that the ancient Egyptians were a black African people. Thus, even if the Hebrews were not black before they arrived in Egypt, which is unlikely given Abraham's background, they were definitely black by the time they left Egypt under Moses.41

The above is quoted at length as it seems to provide a very cogent and clear proof of the African and multicultural origins of many of the central Biblical figures - which tends to contradict Eurocentric views and perceptions. There is also proof of this view from other historical sources; for example, the historian Tacitus stated that, "... it was a common opinion among the Romans that the Jews "were an Ethiopian race."42 And "In Roman times Palestinian Israelites were classed among Black Africans because it was almost impossible to tell them apart".43

From a biblical - historical perspective many experts claim that, "Christianity in Africa is so old that it can be rightly described as an indigenous, traditional and African religion". 44 In other words, this would suggest that Christianity has much deeper roots and origins in Africa than is commonly suggested by conventional interpretations of the Bible. This can be further substantiated by the fact that the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch described in the Book of Acts "....predates the Apostle Paul's first missionary journey into Europe by a number of years".45

The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?"

Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. (Acts 8:34-35).

This also leads to an analysis of the significance of the growth and spread of early Christianity in African regions such as Ethiopia, and to the assertion that, "There is growing evidence that the long-standing presence of Christianity in the Nile Valley and in present-day Ethiopia provided a base for the introduction of Christianity in Southern and Western Africa".46 This view would therefore contradict the stance that Christianity is a religion that is essentially or even exclusively white or Eurocentric. As one critic emphasizes; "The Christian heritage in Africa goes all the way back to the days of the Bible itself".47

Conclusion: the growing need for reassessment

The above discussion has selected only a few of the most important references to the African and multicultural origins of Biblical history and interpretation. This analysis brings to the fore the realization of the need for a reassessment of an overly Eurocentric view of Biblical texts. This stance is emphasized in the writings of Marcus Garvey Jnr., who places the significance of Africa and Biblical history into a new and possibly more authentic light.

The great progenitor of the Hebrew race and the founder of their religion, sought refuge in Africa from the ravages of famine. We read in Gen. XII, 10, "And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land". Jacob and his sons were subsequently saved from extinction in the same way... In Africa, the Hebrew people from three score and ten souls multiplied into millions.48

This quotation reiterates some of the points mentioned above. The overarching perception that is evident from this exploration of the validity of African and multicultural Biblical origins is that there has been a systematic attempt to deny certain ethnic groups their rightful place in Biblical history. This has therefore led to a concerted effort from theological historians other experts to reassess and reestablish the African Biblical Heritage.

It was for this reason that The Original African Heritage Study Bible was published in 1993 by James C. Winston Publishing Company. The intention of this publication was to ".interpret the Bible as it relates to persons of African descent, hoping to foster an appreciation of the multiculturalism inherent in the Bible"49 Among the facets that make this Bible version so important for a re-visioning of the place of Black people in Biblical history, is its focus on the African origins of Eden and references to the Biblical figures of African Descent. It also contains ".maps of Africa and illustrations of Bible characters - Moses, Jesus, Mary - all with dark skin and curly hair".50

This work is based on the King James Version of the Bible but emphasizes the imports and even pivotal role that the African people and culture played in the history of Christian and Judaic religion. To this end James W. Peebles, president of Winston-Derek Publishing House, brought together an ecumenical panel of scholars and experts from various denominations of Christianity. This panel was instrumental in drawing from a wide range of Christian denominations to author articles supplementing the KJV text on topics such as multiculturalism in Scripture and the role African women and Scripture.51

The intention of this Bible version is not to force an African interpretation in place of a Eurocentric version of Biblical truth, but rather to stress the diversity and multicultural reality and ethos of the Bible. It is also intended to redress the imbalance that has until comparatively recently been predominantly white and Eurocentric.

The view mentioned above, that some feel that an Afrocentric interpretation and assessment of the Bible is something that is threatening is based on mistaken bias and a misinterpretation of what Afrocentrism wishes to achieve. The Afrocentric interpretation of the Bible is actually "...deeply liberating for us all".52 The concept of Afrocentrism should not be misread to mean a biased ideological claim to the Bible. What becomes evident from the extensive literature on this subject is that there is a need to balance perceptions and remove prejudicial views of the Bible in order to provide for those ethnic groups that have been marginalized from their rightful religious and Biblical heritage.

In conclusion, the following central points have emerged from the present study of the literature.

* It is clear that the role and importance of The African origins of Biblical history have not been fully recognized and accepted until comparatively recently.

* The significance of an Afrocentric view or interpretation of the Bible and Biblical history has, it seems, been in many instances purposefully avoided or suppressed.

* This suppression of African voices and influences is linked to attempts to reduce the importance and significance of the African people and is also closely linked to wider political and social factors, such as the aims sand goals of colonialism.

* It has been suggested by many pundits that the reduction of the Afrocentric viewpoint can be directly related to a desire to impose a Eurocentric view of reality and salvation- which in turn provided a form of moral validity to various forms of oppression.

* One of the most significant aspects of the denial of an Afrocentric viewpoint is that it reduces African self-esteem and the right to an equal part in the history of Christian faith and enlightenment.

* These views and attitudes are changing. The advent of reinterpretations and reassessments of the Bible from a more Afrocentric perspective have allowed for a more realistic and inclusive view of Biblical history, which attempts to provide for a more correct and balanced view of the reality of the origins of Judaism and Christianity.

* In the final analysis the Afrocentric view of the Bible is not intended as an exclusive view that refers only to Africa but stresses the fact that the Bible and scripture is multicultural , multiracial and, most importantly, is intended for the enlightenment of all humanity and not just a few.

Footnote

1 Felder, Cain Hope, "Recovering Multiculturalism in Scripture", The African Heritage Study Bible, Nashville, (Tenn: The James C. Winston Publishing Company, 199З, cxiii).

2 Gifford, Paul, "The Bible in Africa: Transactions, Trajectories, and Trends." Journal of Religion in Africa, vol. 34, no. 3, 2004.

3 Earnest N. Bracey, Prophetic insight: the higher education and pedagogy of African Americans, (New York: University Press of America, 1999), p. 68.

4 Fowl, Stephen E., "The Theological Interpretation of Scripture." Blackwell Readings in Modern Theology 1997, p. 389.

5 Gifford, Paul, "The Bible in Africa: Transactions, Trajectories, and Trends." Journal of Religion in Africa 34.3 (2004), p. 397.

6 Ibid., p. 398.

7 Ibid, p. 399.

8 Aaron, David H., "How to Read the Bible." AJS Review 31.1 (2007) pp. 173-175.

9 Ibid., p. 174.

10 Ibid, p. 174.

11 Hays, J. Daniel, "The Cushites: A Black Nation in the Bible." Bibliotheca Sacra 153 (1996): 396-409.

12 Felder, Cain Hope, "Recovering Multiculturalism in Scripture", The African Heritage Study Bible, Nashville, (Tenn: The James C. Winston Publishing Company, 1993, cxiv).

13 Mbiti, John, "Do You Understand What You Are Reading? The Bible in African Homes, Schools and Churches." Missionalia, vol. 33, no. 2, 2005, p. 234.

14 Ibid., 53._

15 Felder, Cain Hope, "Recovering Multiculturalism in Scripture", The African Heritage Study Bible, Nashville, (Tenn: The James C. Winston Publishing Company, 1993, cxiv).

16 WEST, Gerald, "Reception of the Bible: The Bible in Africa." The New Cambridge History of the Bible, 2015, p. 347.

17 Ibid., p. 348.

18 Ibid., p. 350.

19 Ibid., p. 351.

20 Ibid., p. 351.

21 Ibid., p. 354.

22 Stenschke, Christoph W., "Africa Bible Commentary." Religion & Theology 16.3-4 (2009), p. 299.

23 West, Gerald, "Before the Missionaries: The Bible in North Africa." Missionalia, vol. 36, no. 2-3, 2008, p. 242.

24 Ibid., p. 245.

25 Ibid., p. 248.

26 Ibid, p. 250

27 Ibid., p. 267

28 Ibid., p. 269

29 Ibid., p. 272

30 Engelke, Matthew, "The Book, the Church and the 'Incomprehensible Paradox': Christianity in African History·." Journal of Southern African Studies, vol. 29, no. 1, 2003, p. 297

31 Ibid., p. 298.

32 Ibid., p. 299.

33 Ibid., p. 300.

34 Ibid., p. 304.

35 Ibid., p. 307.

36 Ibid., p. 306.

37 Ibid., p. 309.

38 Strauss, Piet. "The History, Acceptance and Impact of the Afrikaans Bible of 1933 - An Overview." Tydskrif Vir Geesteswetenskappe, vol. 56, no. 3, 2016, p. 733.

39 Ibid., p. 734.

40 Ibid., p. 734.

41 Ukpong, Justin S. "New Testament Hermeneutics in Africa: Challenges and Possibilities." Neotestamentica, vol. 35, no. 1-2, 2001, p. 147.

42 Ibid., p. 147.

43 Ibid., p. 147.

44 Ibid., p. 147.

45 Glenn B. Siniscalchi, "Was Jesus God?" Faith and Philosophy, vol. 27, no. 3, 2010, p. 355

46 Ibid., p. 356.

47 Ibid., p. 356.

48 Ibid., p. 357.

49 Faulks, Michael E. "African Identity in Christian Epistemology: Remembering, Restoring. Restoring. and Reclaiming Ancestral Ties in an African Methodist Episcopal Church." ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2013, p. 53.

50 WEST, G., (2015), Reception of the bible: The bible in Africa. In The New Cambridge History of the Bible (pp. 347-390).

https://doi.org/10.1017/CHO9780511842870.025.

51 Ibid., p. 384.

52 Ibid., p. 385.

References

References

Aaron, D., (2007), "How to Read the Bible." AJSReview 31.1.

Earnest N., (1999), Prophetic insight: the higher education and pedagogy of African Americans, New York: University Press of America.

Engelke, M., (2003), The Book, the Church and the "Incomprehensible Paradox": Christianity in African History·. Journal of Southern African Studies, 29(1), 297-306.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0305707032000060421

Faulks, M.E., (2013), African identity in Christian epistemology: remembering, restoring. Restoring. and reclaiming ancestral ties in an African Methodist Episcopal Church. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1518756689?accountid=14553\n

http://openurl.library.uiuc.edu/sfxld3?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val _ fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&genre=dissertations+%26+theses&si d=ProQ:ProQuest+Dissertations+%26+Theses+Full+Text&at

Felder, C., (1993), "Recovering Multiculturalism in Scripture", The African Heritage Study Bible, Nashville, Tenn: The James C. Winston Publishing Company.

Fowl, Stephen E., (1997), "The Theological Interpretation of Scripture." Blackwell Readings in Modern Theology 1997: 389. Print

Gifford, P., (2004), "The Bible in Africa: Transactions, Trajectories, and Trends." Journal of Religion in Africa 34.3 (2004): 397.

Gifford, P., (2004), The Bible in Africa: transactions, trajectories, and trends. In Journal of Religion in Africa (Vol. 34).

Hays, J., (1996), "The Cushites: A Black Nation in the Bible." Bibliotheca Sacra 153

Mbiti, J., (2005), Do you understand what you are reading? The Bible in African homes, schools and churches. Missionalia, 33(2), 234-248.

Mbiti, John, (2005), "Do You Understand What You Are Reading? The Bible in African Homes, Schools and Churches." Missionalia, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 234-48.

Siniscalchi, G.B., (2010), Was Jesus God? Faith and Philosophy, 27(3), 352-355. https://doi.org/10.5840/faithphil201027336

Stenschke, C., (2009), "Africa Bible Commentary." Religion & Theology 16.3-4.

Strauss, P., (2016), The history, acceptance and impact of the Afrikaans Bible of 1933 - An overview. Tydskrif Vir Geesteswetenskappe, 56(3), 733-745. https://doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2016/v56n3a1

West, G., (2008), Before the missionaries: The Bible in North Africa. Missionalia, 36(2-3), 242-258.

WEST, G., (2015), Reception of the bible: The bible in Africa. In The New Cambridge History of the Bible (pp. 347-390). https://doi.org/10.1017/CHO9780511842870.025