Conspectus Volume 31

Abstract

In “A Procedure for Analysis of Contemporary Reception of Biblical Texts in Ghana: A Methodological Consideration,” Clement Adjei-Brown reflects on reception theory, charismatic preachers, and Ghanaian traditional religions. His methodological article bridges the disciplines of Bible interpretation and contextual theology, charting a course for hermeneutical strategies that speak directly to African realities.

Next is an essay entitled “The Concept of Cult Centralization in Deuteronomy and its Possible Implications for Today” by Miracle Ajah. Motivated by a vision of an inclusive society, Ajah reads Deuteronomy exegetically and historically, tracing the debate on cult centralization and its social implications in antiquity. From this discussion, he submits an appropriation of Deuteronomy that could address fiscal federalism and resource control in several African countries.

Charles Owiredu enters the world of metaphor, analyzing the conceptualization of the “nose” in the Hebrew Bible. His paper “Metaphoric and Metonymic Conceptualization of the Nose in Hebrew and Twi” leverages Conceptual Metaphor Theory to explicate the use of the nose metaphor in human experiences and its codification in the Akuapem Twi Bible of 1964.

Harvey Kwiyani and Joseph Ola’s paper entitled, “God in Oral African Theology: Exploring the Spoken theologies of Afua Kuma and Tope Alabi” brings orality and theology into crystal focus. Their approach documents the rich theological heritage of a couple of West African women, providing a credible counterpoint to Occidental theological refrains. The conceptualization of God and the formulation of African identity are featured in continuity with luminaries such as Mbiti and Bediako.

In a rejoinder to the simplistic view that considers the Reformed tradition underdeveloped in its pneumatology, Alistair I. Wilson presents the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as an established tenet in Reformed theology. His paper, “The Holy Spirit in Relation to Mission and World Christianity: A Reformed Perspective” etches lines of continuity between pneumatology in the Reformed tradition and Christianity’s global reach. Wilson deconstructs preconceived pneumatological binaries and edifices, inviting us to a charitable interdenominational dialogue informed by nuance and commonality.

Abraham Modisa Mkhondo Mzondi engages the sphere of leadership through an analysis of John L.M. Dube’s values. Mzondi’s approach is refreshingly novel in that it traces Dube’s leadership principles through ecclesial and political successors. At the heart of his articulation is a holistic view of reality captured in the phrase “a non-dichotomous perspective of Ubuntu.” Mzondi’s article, “John L.M. Dube’s leadership: Evaluating Frank Chikane, Kenneth Meshoe, and Mmusi Maimane as Leaders” is a theologically- informed interrogation of leadership for a South African context.

Last, but not least, Paul Cookey of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria reviews Carmen Joy Imes’s 2019 monograph Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, published by InterVarsity Press.

I would like to thank the authors for their meaningful contributions and for choosing to publish with Conspectus. May these writings serve us with fresh theological insights and a deeper appreciation for God who is at work in Africa and beyond.