Africa (MNN) ― SIM's African Bible Commentary boldly tackles practices and attitudes hidden by the African church for generations.
SIM's Steve Strauss says it's a one-volume tool, written entirely by African Bible scholars uniquely to the African context. "It includes a commentary on every book of the Bible. A commentary directed toward African pastors, to help them as they study Scripture, and then there are approximately 50 to 60 articles on issues that would be especially related to African church needs." Some of the topics covered are the worst of social ills: slavery, rape, street children, widows and orphans, poverty, violence, and tribalism.
Strauss says: "It was intended, primarily, for the African pastor, and to help him. Of course, most African pastors can't afford big theological libraries, and so having a one-volume commentary that will help them in their Scripture study will be very crucial."
The response? The ABC is getting attention from high places. According to SIM, Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo (an avowed evangelical Christian) carries the commentary with him and uses it to teach Sunday school.
The ABC has been distributed at SIM's Pastors' Book Set conferences in various African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Zambia. While the ABC is the headline book in Pastors' Book Set collection, it is only one among 59 volumes, ranging from Bible study reference materials to books on leadership, finances, and discipleship.
This library, at full cost, would be impossible for an African pastor to purchase, but donors partnered to pave the way so that each pastor pays only $75 USD for the entire collection and a weekend training conference.
To read sample pages, go to Zondervan's website, and scroll down to "Read product excerpt." The book is for sale in secular and Christian outlets. Contributions will help translate this valuable resource be made available in French, Amharic, and Portuguese. The French edition is slated for release in 2007. Click here for details.
