Christian hermeneutics in South Africa

pdf isbn

978-1-77634-223-5

e-isbn

978-1-77634-222-8

isbn

978-1-77634-221-1

doi

doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2022.BK272

pages

237

AOSIS scholarly domain

Theological and Religious Studies

Series Name

Reformed Theology in Africa Series

Series Number

Volume 8

Christian hermeneutics in South Africa is published by AOSIS Scholarly Books. Hermeneutics remains a divisive and polarizing topic within scholarly and ecclesiastical communities in South Africa. These tensions are not limited to theoretical differences but often crystallize on a grassroots level when local churches and church assemblies have to make important decisions on controversial ethical topics such as ordaining women in church offices, assessing the ethics of gay marriages, and taking a stance on the land debate in South Africa.

This book, Christian hermeneutics in South Africa, makes a unique contribution in two ways: firstly, it focuses on the uniquely South African hermeneutical landscape; secondly, it relates theories to practical ethical application. The unique scholarly contribution of this consists in it relating hermeneutics to ethics within the South African landscape. A diverse group of scholars have been invited to partake in the project and the views expressed are often quite diverse. This allows readers to develop an understanding and sensitivity of the various angles employed and the interests at stake in addressing difficult societal problems.

When it comes to hermeneutics, we normally distinguish between historical-critical, synchronic and reader-response approaches that can be used to interpret ancient texts. This collection follows a different approach, focusing on hermeneutical traditions on the basis of either their influence, discursive power, or novelty within the South African context. The collection therefore focuses on approaches such as Pentecostal hermeneutics, a hermeneutics of suspicion, hermeneutics of liberation theology, postcolonial hermeneutics, eco-feminist hermeneutics, and embodied biblical hermeneutics, all through the lens of a Reformist hermeneutics. Theologians, religious study scholars and pastors will benefit in reading the different chapters that make up this book.

Prof. Ernest van Eck, Department of New Testament and Related Literature, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

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