ROLE OF CULTURE IN BIBLE INTERPRETATION: A REFERENCE TO ASANTE-TWI BIBLE READING COMMUNITY

Bible interpretation plays a major role in helping the local indigenes to understand the gospel message in their mother-tongue. Since the Bible was written in the cultural settings of the original audience, which is different from the culture of the present reader, Bible interpreters try to import the culture of the original readers in the process of interpreting the Bible; making it difficult for present readers to understand some of the concepts of the Judeo-Christian scriptures. Using Paul Hiebert’s suggestion for Bible interpreters and missiologists to make the gospel have a proper meaning to the local indigenes through proper interpretation, this article argues that Bible interpreters should interpret the Bible into the Asante-Twi reading community considering their culture, as Bible readers cannot be separable from their culture. It also proposes that proper Bible interpretation should meet the cognitive, affective, and evaluative dimension of the new environment such as the Asante, Ghanaian, or African culture to help the Asante-Twi (Ghanaian or African) reading community to understand God’s word in their environment. Article visualizations

A Critical Study of Matthew 18:15-18 in New Testament Greek and Selected Akan Mother-Tongue Translations: Implication for Peace-Making in Ghana

Current research suggests that the globe is growing more fractured, less peaceful, and riskier for future generations. The world has seen family, marriage, community, and national conflicts in recent years. Ghana has ethnic conflict in many areas despite its low sub-regional conflict score. In a country where over 70% of the population is Christian, contextualising the sacred text to provide a biblical peace approach is crucial. The study examined Matthew 18:15–18 exegetically to inform Ghanaian peace-making initiatives. The study proposes that Ghanaian Christians’ peace-making efforts could benefit from Jesus Christ's teachings in Matthew 18:15-18 interpreted in the Akan mothers’ vernacular

A Critical Study of Abba Ho Patēr in Romans 8:15 in the New Revised Asante Twi Version (2018)

Bible translation is among the difficult exercises in scholarship because it demands a careful analysis of the biblical text from the source language into the target language. The religio-cultural settings and worldview of the indigenous people are also considered so that they are able to access the word of God as written and meant by the author(s). An example of Bible translation exercise is the New Revised Asante Twi Version (NRATV) 2018, which contains some translation problems. Some texts are not translated but “carried wholly” into the new or target language to make them look as if they form part of the native language. One of such is “Abba,” which is a HebraicAramaic word found in Romans 8:15. Since Abba is not an Asante (and Akan) language, it becomes difficult for the Asante reading community (and by extension all Akan languages) and users of the Asante-Twi Bible to understand and express the concept within their religio-cultural worldview because they do not understand the thought of the author in their language. Using exegetical, mother-tongue hermeneutics and the communicative method of translation as approaches, the study has found out that the translation of …Αββα ὁ πατήρ (…Abba ho Patēr) as …Abba, Agya (…Abba, Father) in the Asante-Twi Bible (2018) should be rendered as “…Agya, M’agya” (Father, My Father). The study has thus added to the interpretations of Romans 8:15 in Asante-Twi. It is being recommended that in the future revision of the Asante-Twi Bible, the Bible Society of Ghana should consider using “…Agya, M’agya” (Father, My Father) in the translation of … Αββα ὁ πατήρ (…Abba ho Patēr)

A Critical Study of Matthew 18:15-18 in New Testament Greek and Selected Akan Mother-Tongue Translations: Implication for Peace-Making in Ghana

Recent global research reveals a world characterised by increasing fragmentation, diminished peace, and mounting risks for future generations. Diverse conflicts, ranging from familial to national issues, persist, even among individuals sharing the same faith. In Africa, nations like Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Sierra Leone grapple with severe consequences of conflicts. In Ghana, pockets of ethnic discord impact education, healthcare, and social services, prompting the emigration of skilled professionals. Despite ongoing peace efforts in Ghana, effective approaches are crucial. With over 70% of Ghanaians identifying as Christians, contextualising peace-making within sacred texts becomes imperative. In this exploration, the study delves into a biblical approach, specifically scrutinising Matthew 18:15–18 through exegetical analysis in Greek language and mother-tongue hermeneutics. These approaches reveal a convergence between the biblical author’s original meaning conveyed in the Greek language and its interpretation in the mother tongue. The paper advocates private conflict resolution to avoid gossip, involving witnesses if needed and church leaders if the issue persists. Disciplinary measures may be necessary, emphasising personal dignity and adherence to God’s will. The paper significantly contributes to conflict resolution knowledge, providing valuable insights for fostering peace in Ghana and beyond

A Critical Study of Matthew 18:15-18 in New Testament Greek and Selected Akan Mother-Tongue Translations: Implication for Peace-Making in Ghana

Current research suggests that the globe is growing more fractured, less peaceful, and riskier for future generations. The world has seen family, marriage, community, and national conflicts in recent years. Ghana has ethnic conflict in many areas despite its low sub-regional conflict score. In a country where over 70% of the population is Christian, contextualising the sacred text to provide a biblical peace approach is crucial. The study examined Matthew 18:15–18 exegetically to inform Ghanaian peace-making initiatives. The study proposes that Ghanaian Christians’ peace-making efforts could benefit from Jesus Christ's teachings in Matthew 18:15-18 interpreted in the Akan mothers’ vernacular

The Bible, In-Laws and Family in Africa

The rolelessness of in-laws in the family structure makes in-law and family relationships a difficult problem in Africa. This article investigated the Bible, in-laws and the family in Africa, as well as how Scriptures address in-laws and families in connection to African culture. The research is supported by existing literature by researchers in the research field. It examines relevant Bible material, investigates how the Bible treats the problematic topic of in-laws and situates it in the African setting. The focus of the research is to determine if the Bible’s stance on in-laws conforms to family structure in the African environment by analysing the interaction between them. It establishes that the Bible instructs us to respect and care for our in-laws. The couples consequently must pursue the well-being of their in-laws, as there is a connection between the Bible, in-laws and the family in Africa

Association between transcription factor 7-like-2 polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Ghanaian population

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been strongly associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TCF7L2 gene. This study investigated the association between rs12255372, rs7903146 in the TCF7L2 gene and T2DM in a Ghanaian population. A case-control study design was used for this study. A total of 106 T2DM patients and 110 control participants were selected. Basic data collected included body mass index, blood pressure and socio-demographics. Fasting blood samples were collected and processed for: serum lipid analysis, plasma glucose estimation and plasma HbA1c estimation. Parts of the whole blood samples were used for DNA extraction using a modified salting-out method. Common and allele-specific primers were designed for genotyping using the Modified Tetra-Primer Amplification assay. Associations were evaluated using logistic regression models. The rs7903146 risk variant was significantly associated with 2.16 vs. 4.06 increased odds for T2DM in patients \u3c60 years vs. ≥60 years. Both rs7903146 and rs12255372 were significantly associated with increased odds of T2DM in women, overweight/obese, T2DM negative family history (T2DM-NFH) and low-HDL-C. In a multivariate model, rs7903146 but not rs12255372 was significantly associated with 2.18, 5.01 and 2.25 increased odds of T2DM, under the codominant, recessive and additive model, respectively (p \u3c 0.05). The association between rs7903146 and rs12255372 with T2DM is more highly associated in a subgroup—women and those with T2DM-NFH, yet who have cardiometabolic risk

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Association between Transcription Factor 7-like-2 Polymorphisms and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Ghanaian Population

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been strongly associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TCF7L2 gene. This study investigated the association between rs12255372, rs7903146 in the TCF7L2 gene and T2DM in a Ghanaian population. A case-control study design was used for this study. A total of 106 T2DM patients and 110 control participants were selected. Basic data collected included body mass index, blood pressure and socio-demographics. Fasting blood samples were collected and processed for: serum lipid analysis, plasma glucose estimation and plasma HbA1c estimation. Parts of the whole blood samples were used for DNA extraction using a modified salting-out method. Common and allele-specific primers were designed for genotyping using the Modified Tetra-Primer Amplification assay. Associations were evaluated using logistic regression models. The rs7903146 risk variant was significantly associated with 2.16 vs. 4.06 increased odds for T2DM in patients <60 years vs. ≥60 years. Both rs7903146 and rs12255372 were significantly associated with increased odds of T2DM in women, overweight/obese, T2DM negative family history (T2DM-NFH) and low-HDL-C. In a multivariate model, rs7903146 but not rs12255372 was significantly associated with 2.18, 5.01 and 2.25 increased odds of T2DM, under the codominant, recessive and additive model, respectively (p < 0.05). The association between rs7903146 and rs12255372 with T2DM is more highly associated in a subgroup—women and those with T2DM-NFH, yet who have cardiometabolic risk