Abstract

ARYEH, Daniel Nii Aboagye. Hermeneutics of re-enacting biblical text(s) and concept(s) in the history of prophetism in Ghana's Christianity: a case study of the ministry of Agabus and prophet Bernard Opoku Nsiah. Studia Hist. Ecc. [online]. 2017, vol.43, n.1, pp.1-20. ISSN 2412-4265.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2412-4265/2016/1972.

Biblical hermeneutics is significant in delineating the meaning of scripture text(s) for contemporary audiences. The critical historical method as well as its derivative criticisms is the widely used approach to understand what the text meant for the "original" audience in its sitz im leben. It is socio-historical in nature and curbs religious fundamentalism. However, its concentration on history does not make it suitable for prophetic ministries in Ghana. The approach to scripture interpretation by prophetic ministries since 1914 has been re-enactment of favourite scripture text(s) to have instructions for life in the present situation and the future. They believe that being biblical is the patterning of life style or activities along some popular characters in the Bible. Prophet Bernard Opoku Nsiah claims that his prophetic ministry is patterned or is a replica of the prophetic ministry of Agabus in the book of Acts. This essay examines biblical interpretation in the history of prophetism in Ghana's Christianity, and how scripture text(s) were used as hermeneutics of re-enactment.

Keywords : Appropriation; contextualisation; exegesis; hermeneutics; prophetism; re-enactment.

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