Poverty in the Book of Proverbs: An African Transformational Hermeneutic of Proverbs on Poverty

Western interpretations of poverty proverbs in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs have tended to see a status quo acceptance in the ancient texts, thus neglecting existential challenges of the poverty issue. In contrast, Lechion Peter Kimilike argues that African proverbial material on poverty may - when used comparatively to interpret the corresponding Old Testament poverty proverbs - create a more dynamic analysis. The author's new and thought-provoking interpretation suggests an African transformational hermeneutic that balances between the questions and methodology of the global i.e., western] guild and the concerns of the African interpretative context.

The Author: Lechion Peter Kimilike earned his D.Th. in the Old Testament from the University of South Africa. He is currently Lecturer of Old Testament and Hebrew at Makumira University College of Tumaini University and co-author (with Emeline Ndossi, Leif Gunnar Engedal, and Oyvind Eide) of Restoring Life in Christ: Dialogues of Care in Christian Communities from an African Perspective. He has published a number of articles on proverbs and African transformational hermeneutic.