Werner Kahl:Jesus als Lebensretter: Westafrikanische Bibelinterpretationen und ihre Relevanz für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2007 (New Testament Studies in Contextual Exegesis, vol. 2). ISBN-10: 631-55140-1. 534 pp. Pb. Euro 65,00.

This very important book is the result of Dr Kahl’s investigation of New Testament interpretation in Ghana. Never before has African biblical studies been exposed to a similar research project, and the author is to be congratulated with completing the project successfully with the publishing of this book.

Dr Kahl did a Ph.D. in New Testament studies at Emory University ( Atlanta) in 1992, and the present book is the result of a post.doc. project that was accepted as a Habilitationsschrift by the University of Frankfurt am Main in 2004. The author taught New Testament studies in the University of Ghana in 1999-2002, and he is presently Study Director in the Mission Academy, University of Hamburg ( Germany)

After a brief introduction (pp. 17-26) discussing the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of the project, the book consists of four major parts. Part one (pp. 27-206) discusses the research situation and methodological challenges. First comes a detailed survey of historical and hermeneutical aspects of the development of biblical interpretation in Africa, sensitive not only to the chronological but also geographical and denominational differences. Then follows a more general methodological discussion, with a focus on recent literary studies and reception theory in relation to an African material. Part two (pp. 207-342) analyses popular New Testament interpretation in Ghana. Songs, prayers, bible studies, sermons, popular pastoral literature, posters, stickers, etc. are main sources, and interpretive accents in this material are pointed out. Part three (pp. 343-392) analyses scholarly New Testament interpretation in Ghana, starting with a survey of the academic framework and then pointing out major themes and hermeneutical concerns. Part four (pp. 393-443) discusses the major findings of the research project in relation to New Testament scholarship and theology in western contexts. It is here argued that western scholarship will benefit from acquainting itself with the strategies of African interpreters of the New Testament. The book is concluded with some statistical attachments, a bibliography and registers of authors and bible texts (pp. 445-532).

The book’s approach to its material of investigation is good. The decision to include both academic and popular interpretation enables the author to draw quite general lines as far as New Testament interpretation in Ghana is concerned, and these lines are then related to major streams in African history, theology and biblical hermeneutics. The choice to single out New Testament interpretation in one particular context – that of Ghana – is also a good idea. It is a good idea because Ghana is able to come up with much interesting material, with several profiled New Testament scholars as well as church contexts offering interesting examples of popular New Testament interpretation. It is also a good idea because it makes it possible for the author to go into the depths of the material. It is a general problem in African biblical scholarship that its analyzers tend to make broad generalizations that are often based on a rather limited material. In this case, the material is sufficient and the generalizations seem justified.

In spite of all the positive things that can be said – and should be said – about this book, a major problem should also be mentioned, namely the fact that the book is written in German. The author’s intentions are highly laudable; he wants to introduce African New Testament interpretation to his German colleagues, who are quite ignorant as far as this area is concerned. Still, an unfortunate consequence of the choice of language is that many African lecturers and students, who would have benefited largely from the book if it were written in English, are effectively prevented from reading it.

In a sum, this is a book that deserves attention, not only from Ghanaian biblical scholars and students but from all over Africa (and Germany!). And it is a book that has blazed a trail for other New Testament (and Old Testament!) scholars to follow, in other contexts than Ghana.

Reviewed 2008-05-01 by Knut Holter, School of Mission and Theology, Misjonsvegen 34, N-4024 Stavanger, Norway. E-mail: knut.holter@mhs.no