Becoming Christian, Remaining African: The Role of the Bible in Shaping African Christianity

Abstract

The Bible has a central place in African Christianity. However, its interpretation in Africa is often assessed through Western hermeneutical models that do not reflect African cultural realities. This study examines how African Christians relate biblical authority to cultural identity. It asks how believers remain African while becoming Christian, and how the Bible functions in this process. The study uses a qualitative method based on contextual theology and African hermeneutics. It draws on African theological literature and applies thematic analysis. It examines how the Bible is used in worship, healing practices, media, Pentecostal movements, and African Independent Churches. The study shows that African biblical interpretation forms a clear pattern shaped by communal life, spiritual worldview, and lived experience. It also shows how teachings on Christ, the Holy Spirit, and hope for the future are expressed through African cultural categories while remaining rooted in Scripture. The study contributes to discussions in global theology by questioning the universal use of Western interpretive models and by supporting contextual theology. It concludes that African Christianity shows how the Bible can shape Christian identity without removing cultural identity.