Browsing by Author "Nyende, Peter"
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- ItemAddressing ethnicity via biblical studies: a task of African biblical scholarship(Neotestamentica, 2010) Nyende, PeterIn view of the ethnic crisis in Africa and the complexities of the discipline of Biblical Studies, one wonders how African biblical scholarship could address ethnic issues in Africa through its study of the Bible and its Biblical Studies curriculum. I identify three ways of addressing ethnicity through Biblical Studies which I argue for, make sense of, and distinguish by means of methodology (broadly conceived), and the goals of African biblical
- ItemAn Aspect of the Character of Christianity in Africa(Journal of Theology in Southern Africa, 2009) Nyende, Peter;Much has been written on and about Christianity in Africa but with relatively little on the subject of understanding it. This is an alarming state of affairs if we take it that Christianity in Africa may soon become the pre-eminent expression of Christianity in the world. To stimulate, therefore, a critical discussion on the subject of understanding Christianity in Africa, I give my observations on an aspect of the character of Christianity in Africa, by which I mean its form. I argue that the interface between the Christian faith and Africa’s ‘enchanted’ world is what predominantly gives shape to, and accounts for, Christianity in Africa. Although this is best seen in African Instituted Churches, it is also present in Mission Churches.
- ItemThe Church as an Assembly on Mt. Zion: An Ecclesiology from Hebrews for African Christianity(Langham global library, 2018) Nyende, PeterIn this paper I classify ecclesiological studies, against which I briefly survey African ecclesiological scholarship. From this survey I show that, relative to ecclesiological studies elsewhere, there is a paucity of literature on ecclesiology within African scholarship. I argue that this paucity puts African Christianity at a disadvantage in the quest of African Christians to be simultaneously African and biblical, thereby embodying an African biblical Christianity. In an effort, therefore, to contribute to African ecclesiological scholarship, I offer a conceptual ecclesiology drawn from Hebrews in which the church is understood as a community approaching God, in Christ, in his heavenly dwelling (the heavenly Mt. Zion) to offer him, through the same Christ, prayers and immaterial sacrifices, and to live in obedience to him en route to partaking in the coming fullness of his presence and kingdom. This fullness will result in the realization of God’s purposes for creating the world. I wish to propose from Hebrews a biblical theological ecclesiology that is at home in African Christianity. But since the subject of ecclesiology is vast I will begin my paper by classifying academic discourse on ecclesiology, and within that classification give an overview of ecclesiological studies in Africa. This overview will support the view that, although all types of ecclesiological study are found in Africa, more ecclesiological studies from Africa are needed, especially in the area of conceptual ecclesiologies, if the quest for an authentic but biblical African Christianity is to be achieved.
- ItemEthnic studies: An urgent need in theological education in Africa(International Review of Mission, 2009) Nyende, PeterBy virtue of its subject matter, theological education ought to infuse life with morals and values, thus moulding a just, moral and peaceful society such as is envisaged in God’s telos for His world. And in line with its aims, theological education provides knowledge and skills to people to enable them to serve the church, together with the wider society where the church lives. A theological curriculum appropriate to its context ensures success in both these aspects of theological education. To their credit Africa’s theological institutions seem to have curricula which are relevant to Africa’s context. Success in sustaining the relevance of these curricula lies in continually revising the curriculum so that it does not become dated. One such urgent revision is in the offering of ethnic studies which is necessitated by the ethnic crisis in Africa. For this reason, ethnic studies in the curriculum of theological education in Africa are imperative. In the essay four ways are proposed in which ethnic studies could be included in the curriculum of theological education in Africa.
- ItemEthnicity in Theological Education in Africa(Regnum Books International, 2013) Nyende, Peter; Phiri, I.A; Werner, D. Eds.In this article I argue that by virtue of its subject matter, theological education ought to infuse life with morals and values, thus molding a just, moral and peaceful society such as is envisaged in God’s telos for His world. And in line with its aims, theological education provides knowledge and skills to people to enable them serve the church, together with the wider society where the church lives. A theological curriculum appropriate to its context ensures success in both these aspects of theological education. To their credit Africa’s theological institutions seem to have curricula which are relevant to Africa’s context. Success in sustaining the relevance of these curricula lies in continually revising the curriculum so that it does not become dated. One such urgent revision is in the offering of ethnic studies which is necessitated by the ethnic crisis in Africa. For this reason ethnic studies in the curriculum of theological education in Africa is imperative. I propose four ways in which ethnic studies could be included in the curriculum of theological education Africa.
- ItemHebrews' Christology and its contemporary apprehension in Africa(Neotestamentica, 2007) Nyende, PeterI should begin this paper by putting its significance into perspective. The Bible is a challenge especially to Christian communities. This is primarily because Christians perceive it, in some sense, as the 'word of God' which, therefore, has an absolute and universal character, and is of permanent value to them.2 As such, what it says has to be identified for and in every culture and historical situation, and conveyed to the same. Therein in lies the challenge. How is this to be done given that the time in which the Bible was written is quite different to the times of those wishing to hear its message for, and apply it in, their times and culture? So for example, in Hebrews, we encounter a particular message concerning the identity and function of Jesus that was articulated about 2000 year ago. If we identify a part of the message of Hebrews thus, how are we in Africa to convey, and/or make sense of, it? This is the question I want to answer in this paper and by so doing, try and show how this challenge of the Bible can in some ways be met here in Africa
- ItemInstitutional and Popular Interpretations of the Bible in Africa: Towards an Integration(Expository Times, 2007) Nyende, PeterReligious Studies Departments and Faculties of Theology), as well as Africa’s churches, homes and open spaces, with the intention of finding out how the two can be best integrated for the sake of African Christian communities. I argue that we cannot venture a mutual relationship between the two ways of interpreting the Bible in Africa until we first establish the principles behind the explication of biblical texts in popular interpretations of the Bible in Africa. However, since we posses insufficient data on popular interpretations of the Bible in Africa to allow us to establish such principles, I propose that African biblical scholarship should undertake the task of collecting such data as an integral part of its scholarship
- ItemLaw and Gospel in Hebrews: Some Paradigms for Christianity in Africa(An Evangelical Christian Journal of Contemporary Mission and Research in Africa, 2004) Nyende, PeterThe ‘law’ in the book of Hebrews is seen to relate to Christ in a variety of intriguing ways: almost simultaneously the ‘law’ anticipates, illuminates, is fulfilled and made redundant in Christ- the center of the gospel. This paper will argue that it is possible to conceive of some aspects of Africa’s religious heritage (still a force to reckon with in Africa) as being in the same kind of relationship [to Christ, and in consequence, will also consider the missiological and pastoral implications that emanate from such a conception for the Church in Africa
- ItemPrepared to Believe: The Evangelism of Preschoolers and Infant Baptism in African Anglican Churches(The Global Anglican, 2020) Nyende, PeterThis article discusses the cognitive status of preschool children based on the insights of the child psychologist Jean Piaget. Building on this, a strategy is offered for the evangelism of preschoolers and the expected outcome of this evangelism is the formation of their worldview into a Christian one. This prepares them to believe the gospel when they reach a developmental stage in which faith and unbelief become part of their mental posture. Given their commitment to infant baptism, African Anglican churches must prioritise theological studies focused on children in order to carry out such evangelism.
- ItemPuzzling Apostolic Hermeneutics of the Old Testament as Theological Hermeneutics(Journal of Horizons in Biblical Theology, 2016) Nyende, PeterIn this article, I argue that puzzling apostolic interpretations of some Old Testament messages as fulfilled in specific New Testament contexts, to which the Old Testament messages do not apparently refer, are actually applications of the Old Testament messages to apostolic times. These applications are informed by a view of God, distinctively manifest in prophecy, which understands him to speak in ways commensurate with his foreknowledge and purposes, with the result that what he has said has multiple references beyond the single initial one. This view of God is presupposed by the apostles’ use of the verb πληρωθῇ through its close association with prophecy, hence their use of the verb for “applies to”.
- ItemTested for Our Sake: The Temptations of Jesus in the Light of Hebrews(Expository Times, 2016) Nyende, PeterIn this paper, I illustrate that there has been a neglect to consider what Hebrews has to say on Jesus’ temptations in studies on the temptations of Jesus. I therefore conduct an exegesis of Hebrews, whereby I argue that in the epistle, the purpose of Jesus’ temptations is understood as designed to enable fully his priestly role of intercession for those in temptation whom he represents before God. Such an anthropocentric understanding of the purpose of Jesus’ temptations makes them highly devotional in their application as I demonstrate in applying them to the experiences of the Baganda Christian martyrs of the 19th century, with the edification of Uganda Martyrs’ Seminerians in view.
- ItemWhy bother with Hebrews? An African perspective(The Heythrop Journal, 2005) Nyende, PeterHebrews was [and is] not regarded as sufficiently ‘mainstream’ either in the academic circles or in its ‘market’, the churches, to warrant much attention. Then as now we knew that only the Gospels and Paul were really worth bothering about! In my undergraduate days the rest (Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude and the Apocalypse) were referred to as ‘the backend’ of the New Testament. But at least then the back-end was an integral part of any reputable university’s basic New Testament syllabus, which cannot be said of today. With the reduction of the Biblical Studies component in most theology degrees, and its concomitant, the reduction in time and content of our syllabuses, Hebrews – along with a number of our New Testament works – has effectively been made redundant, and we are left with a ‘canon within the canon’.
- ItemYHWH, His Son and His Spirit: A Biblical Theology of God(Scott Christian University School of Theology (African Journal of Evangelical Theology), 2020) Nyende, PeterI articulate a biblical theology of God in outline in the hope of making a contribution to shape views of God amongst African Christians through the theological education of clergy. In the OT, YHWH, the God of Israel, is almighty and thus Lord. He is the only God and therefore referred to as the Most High, the true God, the living God, the Lord of Lords and King of kings, and the Lord of the earth. YHWH is also eternal, perfect in knowledge, of unmeasured wisdom, and merciful. This view of God is sustained in the NT. However, the nature of YHWH is implicitly elaborated as a trinity by virtue of YHWH having a son and a spirit who is also a person, which makes both divine persons. But YHWH’s Son and Spirit do not become two Gods besides YHWH for they share his nature and are thus divine in unity with him, i.e., the divinity of YHWH is the divinity of his Son and Spirit. Furthermore, they are not two Gods besides him because they are united with him in his will, purposes, and motivations.