Understanding Wisdom in the Old Testament through Its Akan (Ghana) Parallels: Linkages and Disconnections

Explaining and interpreting biblical concepts in different cultures without due regard to the cultures of the biblical world have some challenges. When caution is not taken, one stands a chance of imposing one’s cultural worldview on the biblical text. Understanding of the concepts in one’s culture...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Antwi, Emmanuel Kojo Ennin ca. 20./21.Jh. (Author) ; Asuming, Joseph Kwadwo (Author) ; Forson, Isaac Adjei (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: SA ePublications 2020
In: Old Testament essays
Year: 2020, Volume: 33, Issue: 3, Pages: 408-427
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Wisdom / World view / Ethical pluralism / Akan / Old Testament / Wisdom / Israel / Ghana
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
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Summary:Explaining and interpreting biblical concepts in different cultures without due regard to the cultures of the biblical world have some challenges. When caution is not taken, one stands a chance of imposing one’s cultural worldview on the biblical text. Understanding of the concepts in one’s culture could be useful in helping him or her grasp the meanings of the biblical concepts. This paper delves into wisdom in the OT and that of the Akan of Ghana, analysing critically the connotations of the concept, sources and acquisition of wisdom in the OT vis-à-vis those of the Akan ethnic groups of Ghana. Through a comparative analysis, it attempts to describe how the OT concept of wisdom could be understood with the help of its parallels in Akan, regardless of their disconnections. It discovers that the Akan concept of wisdom can be of help in the interpretation of wisdom in the OT, but it cannot fully explain it. The paper pinpoints one of the challenges that interpreters are likely to encounter in the use of reader-centred approaches of biblical hermeneutics.
ISSN:2312-3621
Contains:Enthalten in: Old Testament essays
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.17159/2312-3621/2020/v33n3a4