Bücher der Reihe Bible and Theology in Africa

The research and reflections in The Fourth Self come from the author's almost thirty years of interaction in mission endeavors, primarily in Kenya, starting with an evangelism and church planting emphasis, to maturing young churches, and then various methods of leadership development.

This book is a meticulously researched and thought-provoking study that delves into the analysis and comparison of rituals in two distinct settings: the ancient Book of Leviticus and traditional Malagasy culture on the island of Madagascar. Author Olivier Randrianjaka invesigates why Malagasy Christians connect with Leviticus despite the apathy of the Western church. As this book demonstrates, the key unifying themes are sin, purification, and sacrifice. Profound parallels emerge between Levitical rituals (such as postpartum purification and the Day of Atonement) and Malagasy rituals (such as taboo violation, postpartum purification, and the New Year royal bath). The study highlights the universal relevance of sin, purification and sacrifice rituals, inviting reflection on their significance in diverse cultural and religious contexts."This is a remarkable book that represents a groundbreaking exploration of the intricate connections between Leviticus and Malagasy traditional rituals. The author¿s meticulous analysis and profound insights into the themes of sin, sacrifice and atonement offer invaluable knowledge for Christian readers. I highly recommend this work to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of Madagascar¿s religion, particularly its rich tapestry of traditional rituals."¿Dr. Razivelo Mariette, Lutheran Faculty of Theology (SALT), Madagascar"Rituals for purification play a significant role in most cultures, and this book contributes to the understanding of these phenomena in general. It provides insight into these rituals in Malagasy society and their description in the Book of Leviticus in the Bible. The book focuses on religious praxis, as described in texts and demonstrated in life. Every person will encounter these phenomena, and here is a tool to grasp their meaning."¿Magnar Kartveit, Emeritus Professor of Old Testament at VID Specialized University, Stavanger, Norway

This book is in the academic discipline of critical biblical studies. It analyses the use of the bible in Uganda with specific refence to the LRA.

This book collects various essays on Africa and the Bible in order to explore the intersection between the Bible and public spaces, exposing the liberating and oppressing strands of the Bible.

The Eldest Brother and New Testament Christology explores the origin of cultural representations of Jesus as an eldest brother.

Drawing on Asante anthropology, Human Creation in the Image of God examines the Christian understanding of imago dei.

This book argues that when re-read from an African liberationist perspective and in the context of the land redistribution and socio-economic justice discourse, Leviticus 25:8-55 can contribute positively to the redress of inequality and consequently to poverty alleviation in South Africa.

This book pursues an intercultural analysis of American and Maasai interpretations of the Pentateuchal texts on the generational curses. It demonstrates that intercultural dialogues increase understandings, which otherwise are limited by one worldview.

Christian churches across the world such as the Lutheran church in Madagascar have long been engaged in what we would today term "development". Restoring Dignity in Rural and Urban Madagascar analyzes this phenomenon and presents stories of human dignity in the lives of the people in this society, a society that survives in a context of vulnerability, both social and economic.

By emphasizing the key aspects of contextual relevancy and theological coherence, A Reconciled Community of Suffering Disciples: Aspects of a Contextual Somali Ecclesiology suggests a way forward for the Somali church. It offers insights for anyone with an interest in the Somali church and Somali culture in general.

With the aid of methodology from rhetorical studies, adapted into homiletics, this book investigates: How do the character of the preacher, the content of the sermon, and its emotional appeal impact the listeners in such a way that preaching becomes significant in their lives? It explores the reaction of the congregation to Sunday preaching.

Within the context of the Lutheran Church in Nigeria, Gongola Diocese, this book examines the issues of the transmission, and appropriation of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It argues that intercultural communication holds the key to unlocking how effectively and appropriately these three engagements with theology are executed.

Madagascar is a poor country with very little power on the world stage. This book includes discussion of power use and abuse by colonial, missionary, ecclesial, national, and international forces, analyzes relationships between the powerful and powerless, and asks theological questions about power and the Jesus movement worldwide.

Doing Ministry in the Igbo Context

Culture, Religion, and the Reintegration of Female Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda

Biblical Representations of Moab: A Kenyan Postcolonial Reading employs critical theories on colonial, anticolonial, and postcolonial ethnicity and African cultural hermeneutics to examine the overlap of politics, ethnicity, nationality, economics, and religion in contemporary Kenya and to utilize those critical tools to illuminate the Hebrew Bible narratives concerning the Moabites.

Challenges the dominant understanding of the Holy Spirit in African Christian salvific discourse. This study proposes that the Holy Spirit be perceived as enabling critical philosophical rationality and the development of science and technology in Africa, features that are crucial to enhancing the well-being of the continent and its people.

Drawing on interviews with participants in the People to People Peacemaking Process in Southern Sudan, Oaths of Peace makes a rich contribution to the study of grassroots religious peacebuilding, and develops a model of contextual theology that integrates the two dimensions-often seen as oppositional--of inculturation and liberation.

A critical analysis of how Maasai informants read some selected Old Testament texts that are thought to have an appeal to people with semi/nomadic ways of life.

Are the popular interpretations of the Bible in Africa improving or downplaying women's status on the continent? This book analyses the reading of some biblical texts in the Maasai context.

Paul's Sexual and Marital Ethics in 1 Corinthians 7: An African-Cameroonian Perspective provides readers with an innovative interpretation of Paul's pastoral and pedagogical approach and solutions to the multifaceted ethical problems presented to him by the Corinthian community, revealing a wide-ranging, complex, and flexible decision-making process.