A square peg in a round hole? questioning the use of the concept of time in teaching the Old Testament in Africa

CITATION: Van Zyl, D. C. 2007. A square peg in a round hole? questioning the use of the concept of time in teaching the Old Testament in Africa. Scriptura, 94(0):143-151, doi:10.7833/94-0-1444.The original publication is available at http://scriptura.journals.ac.zaA linear concept of time forms the basis of most of our use of the first testament, both scholarly and in faith communities. The African concept of time, however, differs markedly from the conventional Western linear concept. The Biblical concept of time stands somewhere in between. This article explores these concepts of time and points out some problems which are caused by an unwitting use of a linear time concept in communicating the Bible in Africa. Apart from seeking to raise consciousness with Biblical scholarship for this issue, it seeks to propose practical ways of bridging the gap.https://scriptura.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/1444Publisher's versio