God’s word through African eyes

The newly produced Africa Study Bible will be launched in 2017 in four countries – Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

“God’s word through African eyes”, sums up the vision of the Africa Study Bible Project. The Africa Study Bible (ASB) is a unique Bible resource for disciple-making that enables us in Africa to experience the truth and beauty of God’s word through African eyes.

The over 2,600 features and study notes of this unique bible were written by 350 African theological scholars, pastors, teachers and church leaders from 50 African countries in five major languages.

It is to date the most ethnically diverse, one-volume, study Bible ever produced.

With the outdooring of this landmark bible Christians on the African Continent and beyond will benefit as they apply the bible to their lives more effectively, understand God’s word, explore better the Bible’s content and values, and learn about the Churches’ African roots.

Christianity is not a western religion. In the ASB we learn how Africa was one of the cradles where Christianity was first nourished.

Today, more Christians live in Africa than any other continent and by 2050 nearly 40 per cent of the world’s Christians will live in Sub- Saharan Africa; and five of the 10 countries with the largest number of Christians will be in Africa.

With the arrival of the bible, bible teaching and Christian songs will take on a new freshness and relevance and move away from our experience as school children in sub Saharan Africa enthusiastically singing and marching on songs like the following:

In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty winds may blow

Earth stood hard as iron

Water like a snow

Snow on snow

Snow on snow ……………

But we had no cultural experience of snow and cold winter; it had no relevance to us. The goal of the ASB project has been to increase the understanding of the bible using African insights and experiences to meet the needs of the church in Africa and around the world.

Dr. John Jusu, ASB Supervising Editor, in a statement of dedication writes:

“The Africa Study Bible is dedicated to the Lord’s faithful who, over many centuries, founded the churches that now grow in every part of Africa. Their resilience, fortitude, and faithfulness has handed us faith that is authentically Christian and authentically African.

“To the many saints in Africa and the African diaspora – champions of faith who face trials, war, persecution, famine, disease, and the temptations of the world – we pray that the word of the Lord and the words of his servants in this book will be a source of strength to live in joy, motivate loving and godly service, encourage your worship of our great God, and establish your hope and trust in Jesus Christ, who initiates and perfects your faith.

“As you read, may you hear the Lord’s voice in your own stories and proverbs. May the power of the Holy Spirit help you understand, preach, teach, and live the Bible better”.