Overview

In a distinguished academic career spanning four decades, South African scholar Louis C. Jonker has made remarkable contributions to Old Testament/Hebrew Bible studies, hermeneutics, and biblical interpretation. Jonker's work straddles African and Western/European/North American research circles, exploring original historical and authorial context, and also the situation and context of the reader. Jonker has argued that these modes are not contradictory or competing, but that Western and African hermeneutics have something to teach each other. His sensitivity to both author and reader's contexts and complex identities has borne fruit, most notably in his nuanced studies of the books of Chronicles. The aim of this volume is twofold: 1) to advance scholarship at the intersection of Western and African hermeneutical approaches, and 2) to honor the unique contributions of Louis Jonker to many subfields and scholarly conversations across decades and continents. The essays in this volume, written by Jonker's students and colleagues in Africa, Europe, and North America, pertain to hermeneutics and interpretive methods, and respond in various ways to Jonker's invitation to analyze the contexts of composition and reception. This fitting tribute to a one-in-a-generation scholar constitutes a fresh advancement of scholarship in its own right.

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Reviews

""This book is a great source of inspiration for what the world needs so desperately: honoring each other's contextuality while at the same time searching for inter-contextuality as a basis for our common humanity. There is no better way to honor a biblical scholar who has devoted his scholarly life to showing that such an approach is possible."" --Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Moderator, World Council of Churches ""A wonderful volume, bringing together Western and African scholarship in biblical exegesis, reception history, and hermeneutics. The contributions honor Louis Jonker, a globally renowned South African Bible scholar who has devoted his academic life to integrating these areas into the cultural contexts from which they emerged."" --Konrad Schmid, Professor of Old Testament, University of Zürich ""This book honors Professor Louis Jonker for his significant contributions to Old Testament scholarship. It highlights his rigorous and nuanced approach to hermeneutics, engaging with the complexities and contextual issues of biblical texts. The book showcases various hermeneutical approaches that reflect the multidimensionality of exegesis. This book is ideal for readers interested in exploring different methods for interpreting Old Testament texts."" --Hulisani Ramantswana, Chair of Department, Biblical and Ancient Studies, University of South Africa ""This important volume closes a gap between Western/Northern and African hermeneutical approaches and exegesis. It is dedicated to Louis C. Jonker whose research and teaching was characterized by bridging different scientific traditions, Africa and Europe, historical-critical exegesis, hermeneutics, and reception history. His large horizon is perfectly mirrored in the contributions of this book which unites scholars of diverse disciplines covering a broad range of sources, methods, and applications."" --Angelika Berlejung, Professor of Old Testament, University of Leipzig ""This insightful and inspiring collection of essays is an excellent tribute to Louis Jonker and to his remarkable scholarship. . . . The individual contributions to the volume deal with a great variety of topics--from Chronicles to contemporary African biblical hermeneutics--but what makes the volume more important than its separate chapters is that it underscores Jonker's point of 'living in different worlds simultaneously' and the insights that emerge from living that way."" --Ehud Ben Zvi, Professor Emeritus of History, Classics, and Religion, University of Alberta

Author Information

Ntozakhe Simon Cezula is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Old and New Testament at Stellenbosch University. Benjamin D. Giffone is a Research Associate on the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University and Visiting Associate Professor of Old Testament at Hindustan Bible Institute & College. Knut Holter is Professor of Biblical Studies at NLA University College in Bergen and Oslo and an Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University.

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