Interpreting paired phenomena in the Hebrew Psalter and in African indigenous sacred texts
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Interpreting paired phenomena in the Hebrew Psalter and in African indigenous sacred texts | |
| Creator | Mensah, Michael K. | |
| Description | The Hebrew Psalter is a repertoire of paired phenomena. From parallelisms to twin Psalms, biblical scholars have paid attention to these structural and poetical features as keys to unlocking and interpreting the meaning and theology of these psalms. Unfortunately, the otherwise admirable results of these exegetical works remain abstract and largely removed from the interests of the African reader. An alternative way of engaging these texts is to realise that paired phenomena are not exclusive to the Hebrew Psalter. African indigenous sacred texts such as the Adinkra of the Akan people equally contain similar phenomena though relatively little attention has been paid to them. This article, using a dialogical approach of African Biblical Hermeneutics, studies the twin Psalms 111 and 112 as an example of a paired phenomenon in the Psalter. It brings this text into dialogue with the Adinkra denkyemfunefu to illustrate how focussing on similar structural phenomena in either text uncovers the same theme of the common good in either text and facilitates the reception of the biblical discourse in contemporary African contexts.Contribution: It is argued that common literary features in biblical and African indigenous sacred texts could be harnessed as vehicles for facilitating the reception of biblical discourse in contemporary Africa. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2024-05-15 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/hts.v80i2.8878 | |
| Source | HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies; Vol 80, No 2 (2024); 8 pages 2072-8050 0259-9422 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8878/27023
https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8878/27024
https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8878/27025
https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/8878/27026
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