Directed by Professor Knut Holter (E-mail: knut.holter@mhs.no)

Context

The twentieth century made the Old Testament an African book. As the ancient texts have been translated into numerous languages and cultures throughout the continent, grass-root readers find that the texts reflect their own experiences of life, and scholars investigate the texts in the light of the African religio- and sociocultural tradition.

The School of Mission and Theology (Stavanger, Norway) has for more than 150 years focused on Africa and African Christianity, and in recent years also on African theology and biblical interpretation. The Africa and Old Testament Program reflects this tradition, and in constant dialogue with African and western researchers and research institutions it focuses on the various facets of popular and scholarly interpretation of the Old Testament in Africa.

Mission

The Africa and Old Testament Program aims at participating in the scholarly analysis of African Old Testament interpretation. Three research areas are identified as key areas:

• Documentation: to participate in the documentation of African Old Testament interpretation, by bibliographical research and publishing.
• Analysis: to participate in the analysis of the various interpretation strategies vis-à-vis the Old Testament in Africa, by critical research and publishing of studies of African Old Testament interpretation.
• Networking: to participate in the building of professional and institutional networks related to Old Testament interpretation in Africa.