After more than seven years in the making, the revised edition of the Africa Bible Commentary was officially released last month. It’s been produced in partnership with Langham Publishing and HarperCollins Christian Publishing.
This edition is a one-volume commentary on the whole Bible, produced by African scholars, now extensively revised and updated to address today’s most pressing theological and cultural realities across the continent.
First published in 2006, the Africa Bible Commentary (ABC) was the first one-volume commentary on the entire Bible written by African scholars to meet the needs of African pastors, students, and lay leaders. With more than 70 contributors and now translated into six other languages, it has been a vital resource for hundreds of thousands of pastors and church leaders across the continent and around the world.
Powerful and relevant insights
Nearly two decades later, the second edition brings together over one hundred scholars from across Africa and raises the bar set by its predecessor, shining powerful and relevant insights into the biblical text.
Nathan Chiroma, Articles Editor of the new commentary, explained:
“This second edition of the Africa Bible Commentary features new and compelling contextual articles that address the urgent and pertinent challenges confronting Africa today. The commentary is intended for all individuals engaged in Bible teaching at all levels within the local church and beyond. This includes pastors, lay leaders, students, Sunday school teachers, youth workers, chaplains, and believers striving to meaningfully interact with Scripture in their daily lives.”
This revised and updated edition contains new and extensively revised commentaries across the Old and New Testament. It also includes over 120 articles, reflecting on some of the most pertinent issues facing Christians in Africa today.
Addressing old and current issues in depth
Langham Graduate Yacouba Sanon, who also works for Langham Literature, is the General Editor & Old Testament Editor of the commentary. He shared that Africa has “changed massively” in the past twenty years, especially in the areas of technology and the internet. Issues surrounding sexuality are also less taboo. He continued:
“The Covid-19 pandemic shook the world and highlighted the fragility of human life, terrorist attacks are more frequent and religious extremism is on the increase. Despite this, and amid conflicts and political unrest that forces migration, the church in Africa continues to grow and with it so do its challenges. The second edition of the ABC builds on the first one even as it addresses old and current issues in depth.”
There is a global need for biblical teaching that is grounded in the Word of God, The authors of the revised and updated Africa Bible Commentary expertly weave biblical interpretation with a contextual understanding of African realities. This bold and faithful commentary contains thorough exegesis and explanations of the whole Bible as seen through the eyes of African scholars. It will equip pastors and teachers across the continent, along with Christians in every culture who have much to learn from them.
Langham Literature’s Elizabeth Mburu, the New Testament Editor of the commentary, said:
“When we were discussing what this revised and updated version should accomplish, we recognised the need to expose the users of this commentary to three worlds: the world behind the text, the world of the text, and the world in front of the text. The revised and updated ABC shows a greater sensitivity to issues that surround women, children, and youth, such as patriarchy, harmful traditional religious practices, marginalisation, gender and age inequalities, and the influence of technology. I believe that these fresh perspectives add more value to the revised and updated ABC.”
Speaking to the wider body of Christ
The church of the future is being shaped on the African continent. With this commentary, African scholars speak not only to the church in Africa, but also to the wider body of Christ across cultures and regions.
The Africa Bible Commentary, Second Edition is now available globally in print and digital formats. This volume is published in Africa by HippoBooks and distributed there and in international markets outside of North America by Langham Publishing. In North America and international markets outside of Africa, this volume is published by Zondervan Academic, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.
This article is adapted from a press release issued jointly by Zondervan Academic and Langham Publishing.