The Africana Bible: Reading Israel's Scriptures from Africa and the African Diaspora

by Hugh R. Page Jr.

Known for her bestselling detective novels, Dorothy L. Sayers lived a fascinating, groundbreaking life as a novelist, feminist, Oxford scholar, and important influence on the spiritual life of C.S. Lewis. This pioneering woman not only forged a literary career for herself but also spoke about faith and culture in revolutionary ways as she addressed the evergreen question of to what extent faith should hold on to tradition and to what extent it should evolve with a changing culture. Thanks to her unmatched wisdom, prophetic tone, and insistent strength, Dorothy Sayers is a voice that we cannot afford to ignore. Providing a blueprint for bridge-building in contemporary, polarizing contexts, Subversive shows how Sayers used edgy, often hilarious metaphors to ignite new ways to think about Christianity, shocking people into seeing the truth of ancient doctrine in a new light. Urging readers to reassess interpretations of the Bible that impede the cause of Christ, Sayers helps twenty-first-century Christians navigate a society increasingly suspicious of evangelical vocabularies and find new ways to talk and think about faith and culture. Ultimately, she will inspire believers, on both the right and the left, to evaluate how and why their language perpetuates divisive certitude rather than the hopeful humility of faith, and will show us all a better way forward.

Genres: Religion, Biblical Studies, Nonfiction

389 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

The Rev. Canon Dr. Hugh Rowland Page Jr. (Ph.D., Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; D.Min., Applied Ministries, Graduate Theological Foundation; M.Div General Theological Seminary; STM, General Theological Seminary; B.A, History, Hampton University) is an Episcopal priest, and Professor of Theology and Africana Studies Vice President and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Page also oversees the University’s ROTC programs, the Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement, the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program, and the TRiO Programs. He has previously chaired the Africana studies department.

Reviews

[J Percell Lakin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing Perspectives from the African Diaspora

An informative and rich collection of writings on Israel’s Scriptures rooted in the perspectives of those from the African Diaspora. A great resource for those who want to engage the Hebrew Bible in a way that is not from the dominant, imperial narratives of Eurocentric readings of the text.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding basic commentary on every book of the Old Testament. The authors are African and African American who are clear about their Africana perspective and relate the Old Testament to the lived experience of the Africana Diaspora. The scholarship is top quality without using academic jargon so it is accessible to serious lay readers.

[Aysha Bisimwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is illuminating and helped answer, and also form, questions that I have been considering for some time. It is one I will go back to again for sure!

[Lori Neff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Africana perspective on Scripture.

[CJ Bowen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mixed bag - very much a conversation and not a commentary.