Christian Generosity according to 2 Corinthians 8–9

Viateur Habarurema

Description

The social and religious phenomenon popularly known as the “prosperity gospel” has made huge inroads in sub-Saharan Africa and raises many questions surrounding Christian giving. In this book, Dr Habarurema applies biblical scholarship, historical enquiry and contemporaneous analysis to generosity and financial reward in 2 Corinthians 8–9, as well as to the prosperity gospel movement. With a clear focus on the concepts of divine charis and autarkeia, this study provides insight into the apostle Paul’s exhortations to care for the poor and vulnerable in society as a manifestation by the church of God’s compassion and grace. The author concludes with a series of hermeneutical and theological recommendations to promote a reading which is faithful to Paul’s thoughts in 2 Corinthians 8–9, fully integrated in Paul’s overall theology, and welcoming insights provided by Pentecostal hermeneutics.

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 30 avril 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783682614
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity constitutes the growing edge of Christianity in Africa today. Viateur Habarurema’s book is an excellent addition to the growing number of critical biblical studies that looks at important theological themes associated with Pentecostalism. This is an important exegetical work that deepens our understanding of the practical outworking of the prosperity gospel that has become a hallmark of contemporary Pentecostalism.
J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, PhD
Baëta-Grau Professor of Contemporary African Christianity and Pentecostalism,
Trinity Theological Seminary, Ghana
This is a fine study which combines precise exegesis of the biblical texts with most relevant reflections on its corollaries for present-day theology and the church, based on first-hand knowledge and sound academic analysis.
Riemer Roukema, PhD
Professor in Early Christianity,
Protestant Theological University, Amsterdam and Groningen, Netherlands
What are crucial elements of a Christian theology of generosity? In his enlightening study, Viateur Habarurema carefully analyzes Paul’s text on the collection for Jerusalem in 2 Corinthians 8–9, with an astute eye to the wider Pauline corpus and the Christian tradition, and engages Paul in a fascinating dialogue with various shapes of African prosperity gospel. A model of scholarly clarity and contextual sensitivity!
Benjamin Schliesser, PhD
Professor of New Testament Studies, Faculty of Theology,
University of Bern, Switzerland

Christian Generosity according to 2 Corinthians 8–9
Its Exegesis, Reception, and Interpretation Today in Dialogue with the Prosperity Gospel in Sub-Saharan Africa
Viateur Habarurema

© 2017 by Viateur Habarurema
Published 2017 by Langham Monographs
An imprint of Langham Creative Projects
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 9WZ, UK
www.langham.org
ISBNs:
978-1-78368-260-7 Print
978-1-78368-262-1 Mobi
978-1-78368-261-4 ePub
978-1-78368-263-8 PDF
Viateur Habarurema has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78368-260-7
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and scholar’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth, and works referenced within this publication or guarantee its technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

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Contents

Cover


Abstract


Acknowledgments


Abbreviations


Introduction


1. Motivation for the Study


2. Major Scholarly Studies on Paul’s Collection


3. New Areas to Be Explored


4. The Aim and Nature of This Research


5. Presuppositions and Approach


6. Structure of the Study


Chapter 1 The Background of Christian Generosity


1.1 Charity in the Old Testament and Early Judaism


1.2 Charity in the Greco-Roman Context


Conclusion


Chapter 2 Paul’s Corinthian Correspondence


2.1 1 Corinthians 5:9–11


2.2 2 Corinthians 2:1, 5; 7:12 (“The Letter of Tears”)


2.3 Partition Theories


2.4 Marks of Discontinuity in 2 Corinthians 1–7


2.5 The Unity of 2 Corinthians 8–9 in Recent Scholarship


2.6 2 Corinthians 10–13


2.7 The Text of 2 Corinthians 8–9


Conclusion


Chapter 3 Paul’s Collection in 2 Corinthians 8–9


3.1 The Macedonians as a Good Example of Generosity (2 Cor 8:1–6)


3.2 The Corinthians Exhorted to Complete the Collection (2 Cor 8:7–12)


3.3 The Purpose of the Collection (2 Cor 8:13–15)


3.4 The Delegates, Their Commendations and Mission (2 Cor 8:16–9:5)


3.5 God Reciprocates the Generosity of a Cheerful Giver (2 Cor 9:6–10)


3.6 The Outcomes of the Collection and Doxology (2 Cor 9:11–15)


Conclusion


Chapter 4 2 Corinthians 8–9 from Late Antiquity to the Reformation Period


4.1 John Chrysostom


4.2 Theodoret of Cyrus


4.3 Ambrosiaster


4.4 Thomas Aquinas


4.5 John Calvin


4.6 Summary


Conclusion


Chapter 5 Pentecostalism in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Overview


5.1 Pentecostalism as a Global Movement


5.2 The Use of the Bible in African Pentecostalism


Conclusion


Chapter 6 The Prosperity Gospel in Sub-Saharan Africa


6.1 Background


6.2 The Major Teachings of the Prosperity Gospel


6.3 A Positive Import of the Prosperity Gospel?


6.4 Concerns about the Prosperity Gospel


Conclusion


Chapter 7 The Reading of 2 Corinthians 8–9 in Africa Today in Dialogue with the Prosperity Gospel


7.1 Matthew Ashimolowo: 2 Corinthians 9:5–13


7.2 Mensa Otabil: The Principles of Productivity and Multiplication


7.3 Dag Heward-Mills: The Law of Sowing and Reaping


7.4 David O. Oyedepo


7.5 Enoch Adejare Adeboye


7.6 Benson Andrew Idahosa


7.7 Discussion and Evaluation


Conclusion


Conclusion


Bibliography


Primary Sources


Secondary Sources


Electronic sources


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Abstract
This work seeks to engage a constructive discussion with current interpretations of 2 Corinthians 8–9 by some Pentecostal teachers of prosperity in sub-Saharan Africa who argue that Christian giving secures financial wealth to faithful givers. A solid exegesis through the grammatico-historical approach which at times borrows insights from rhetorical analysis serves as a basis to interact with several readings of this passage. Moreover, the study presents an overview of Pentecostalism as a charismatic movement significantly attested among mainline Protestantism and the Roman Catholic Church in sub-Saharan Africa. It also sketches the major traits of the prosperity gospel which is one of the main features of this movement on the continent. These two points frame the general context in which today’s interpretations of Paul’s text by most African Pentecostals are appraised.
In this study, a case is made that while organizing his collection, Paul was driven not by the motives of Greco-Roman patronage/benefaction, but by the conviction that the God of Israel commands his people to care for the poor. Although his undertaking has no clear antecedent in Jewish history, the apostle must have merged several Jewish conceptions and applied them in a creative organizational manner. Furthermore, Paul believed that Christ, who himself had demonstrated much concern for the needy, gave the same instructions to his followers. By the concept of divine χάρις , capable of different meanings and central to 2 Corinthians 8–9, Paul redefines Greco-Roman social exchange practices. In the same vein, the notion of αὐτάρκεια , sufficiency does not aim neither at self-enjoyment nor at one’s total independence from others concerning financial and spiritual needs. Rather, its purpose consists in constantly serving those in need.
The exploration of sermons by John Chrysostom and commentaries from Theodoret of Cyrus, Ambrosiaster, Thomas Aquinas and Calvin, reveals that the notion of χάρις , which is badly missing in the prosperity discourses, has caught their attention to varying degrees. Their main contention is that participation in or the collection itself are termed χάρις to teach that all that we have or accomplish originates in God. The text of 2 Corinthians 8–9 is strictly and uniquely correlated with almsgiving. For their part, the preachers of prosperity employ it almost uniquely to promote the belief that giving is a route to financial prosperity. The belief in reward, mostly drawn from Paul’s reference to the metaphor of