Rev. Prof. Joel K. T. Biwul (original) (raw)
Papers by Rev. Prof. Joel K. T. Biwul
AJET, 2013
The one who lays claim to the pulpit ministry has no other business but that of preaching the Wor... more The one who lays claim to the pulpit ministry has no other business but that of preaching the Word of God. This article argues that biblical preaching is fast disappearing from the Nigerian pulpit because of wrong motivation. It also argues that this situation has adverse effects on Christians' spirituality and the Christian witness. It concludes that preachers of a different gospel in Nigeria must make the Scripture central and be willing to submit themselves to adequate and proper training in hermeneutical principles and homiletical rudiments for effective biblical preaching.
AJET, 2016
The church in Africa is being confronted by predators on all fronts. The scourge of extreme pover... more The church in Africa is being confronted by predators on all fronts. The scourge of extreme poverty in contrast to excessive wealth, the effects of negative ethnicity and tribalism, the negative impact of modern technology, the use of religious terrorism and persecution, the growing challenge of modernised polygamy, religious syncretism that leads to heresy, and the fear of demons and the spirit world are daunting predators devouring Christianity in Africa today. To survive this predation, the African Church must train leaders of the same high quality as the original African fathers, relate the Christian faith to African experiences by effective preaching, preach the gospel to nominal Christians and improve biblical literacy amongst practising Christians, and promote intellectual and theological maturity among church members.
Gindiri Theological Seminary (GTS), 2023
The current experience of democratic politics in the Nigerian political landscape is both syphoni... more The current experience of democratic politics in the Nigerian political landscape is both syphonistic by orientation and dungeonistic by its pragmatic statebecause of the deeply rooted presence of highly egocentric economic and self-aggrandising pests
Old Testament Essays
The evil of humanity's inhumanity to fellow humans via the act of oppression is pervasive acr... more The evil of humanity's inhumanity to fellow humans via the act of oppression is pervasive across human societies. This evil will continue unabated because of the inherent evil inclination of the benefiting perpetrators. The lamentation in Ps 73 reveals the enigmatic irony of divine theodicy, an apparent contradiction of divine promise vis-à-vis prevailing orchestrated oppression in society. The empirical paradox of life unavoidably poses the question: "why should someone happily celebrate the plight of the disadvantaged 'other, ' becoming emotionally insensitive, oppressing fellow humans against good conscience, simply because the oppressor is in position of privilege in society?" This is the aching question many oppressed Nigerians are constantly asking. This article comparatively resonates the emotional torture of the psalmist consequent upon the disadvantaged economic status vis-à-vis the oppressed economic, political, religious, social, and psychological co...
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2021
The application of the anointing oil in contemporary Christian religion in Africa is, to say the ... more The application of the anointing oil in contemporary Christian religion in Africa is, to say the least, not an inherent textually prescribed requisite criterion for Christian spirituality, but merely an outburst of fetish ancestral religious worldview that stands contra the hermeneutics of the biblical text and its ancient tradition. That no Old Testament prophet, not even Jesus nor Paul, mentioned the subject, makes its contemporary application textually and theologically suspect, and therefore, heretically infectious for the spiritual health of the community of faith. These insights sit quite well with the textual hermeneutics within the mainline transdisciplinary religious and multidisplinary theological perspective of this journal.
STJ | Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 2018
The paradigm shift in pastoral ministry in contemporary Nigeria is detrimental to the church and ... more The paradigm shift in pastoral ministry in contemporary Nigeria is detrimental to the church and the gospel. This article examines the emerging trends as well as the motivating factors and implications of this shift. It argues that the emerging distortions are rooted in a lack of basic knowledge of the biblical, theological and ethical foundations and established traditions of the ministry, and argues for an honest return to those foundations.
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2017
Against the background of a disenfranchised and hopeless exilic Israel, Ezekiel received the visi... more Against the background of a disenfranchised and hopeless exilic Israel, Ezekiel received the vision of ‘Dry Bones’, predicting an eschatological resuscitation and resurrection to life and restoration to the land of Yahweh’s covenant people. This article previews the political, social, economic and moral conditions of many African societies as being in a disenfranchised, hopeless exilic state. It nonetheless argues that the theological essence of Ezekiel’s visionary imagery of ‘Dry Bones’ resonates well with such deteriorating and hopeless African societies. It envisages the semblances, relatedness and relevance of Ezekiel’s hope principle of a restorative eschatological theology as a possible reality for Africa’s hopeless present ‘Dry Bones’ state. Upon this hope principle, the article proposes a theological framework of faith against despondency and despair for the realisation of such eschatological reality for Africa. It holds that God is equally capable of displaying his restorat...
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2017
A hermeneutical cloud still dominates ongoing discourse on the meaning and application of הֶבֶל (... more A hermeneutical cloud still dominates ongoing discourse on the meaning and application of הֶבֶל (hebel), a crucial weaving thread in the book of Ecclesiastes. The Hebrew Qoheleth, presumably the disguised author, proposes the theological ideology of hebel as the totality of human existence in this book. What does Qohelethintend to achieve by asserting and dismissing everything in human experience as hebel (vanity, meaningless, worthless, not beneficial, absurd and enigma)? This article proposes a political and economic reading of Ecclesiastes, holding that the author, from personal observation, saw and addressed life from the point of view of ivory tower aristocrats who sought to control their environment by every means to their benefit. It suggests that a political and economic reading of Ecclesiastes locates another perspective on Qoheleth’s purposes for the use of hebel. As such, it argues that the Qoheleth uses hebel as a literary rhetorical device as an evaluative grid to criti...
Old Testament Essays, 2016
The poem appearing in the epilogue of the book of Proverbs (Prov 31:10-31) is classically a paean... more The poem appearing in the epilogue of the book of Proverbs (Prov 31:10-31) is classically a paean poem that eulogises the outstanding qualities of the female figure assumedly portrayed as an epitome of womanhood. This article seeks to address the unbalanced portrayal of the couple in the paean by inviting readers to pay close attention to the mention of the male figure in vv. 11, 23, 28-29 and to discover his salient role often glossed over or overlooked by interpreters. It draws attention to the civilised and humane personality of this male figure who, suggestively, is to be seen to serve as the architect of the achievements and public praise of his wife, given the patrilocal and patriarchal context of ancient Israel. In view of this, it is argued, he also deserves to elicit praise. By implication, it also invites the contemporary African male figure, particularly the Nigerian one, to follow the legacy of this husband by exhibiting the characteristics of responsible African manhood as he functions as husband and father.
Old Testament Essays, 2013
The book of Proverbs falls within wisdom literature with 31:10-31 as part of its epilogue. The He... more The book of Proverbs falls within wisdom literature with 31:10-31 as part of its epilogue. The Hebrew poet here has both theological and literary purpose-to instruct the covenant community in godliness through realistic reflection on society. As such, the characteristic attributes of the godly and industrious female figure portrayed in this acrostic poem may well be taken as an existing reality rather than a mere literary poetic imagination. Therefore, functioning as an epitome of womanhood for all generations, this acrostic poem finds close affinity with the characteristic attributes of the cultured traditional as well as the godly Mɨship woman of Nigeria. This article basically endeavours to show the resemblances between the qualities of the human woman of Prov 31:10-31 and the Mɨship woman within the Nigerian context. A INTRODUCTION 2 Among other themes, the book of Proverbs 3 deals with the figure of womanhood. It presents a vivid description of the woman of virtue (Prov 31:10-31) in 1 The writer of this article is an original Mɨship speaker who is quite familiar with the culture and custom of his people. Therefore, he writes from personal observable experience.
Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies, 2010
Old Testament Essays, 2017
This article discusses the resemblances between the text of the Prophet Obadiah and Nigeria withi... more This article discusses the resemblances between the text of the Prophet Obadiah and Nigeria within the political, economic, ethnic, and religious contexts of conflict and hostility of the latter. It puts forward the divine scandal, parental attitude of favouritism, and the careless disposition as well as the manipulative role of the Israelite and Edomites' progenitors as the foundational root factors for the expression of generational hostility presented in this prophetic book. In contrast, the article holds the British colonial legacy and the Muslim Hausa-Fulani political manipulative domination and its self-imposed superiority de facto status accountable as the propelling aggravating factors for the incessant political and religious conflicts and hostility in Nigeria. It concludes by proposing the application of divine moral laws by people in governance in order to achieve for the country a just, fair, equitable, and a cohesive Nigerian society of true brotherhood and nationhood.
AJET, 2013
The one who lays claim to the pulpit ministry has no other business but that of preaching the Wor... more The one who lays claim to the pulpit ministry has no other business but that of preaching the Word of God. This article argues that biblical preaching is fast disappearing from the Nigerian pulpit because of wrong motivation. It also argues that this situation has adverse effects on Christians' spirituality and the Christian witness. It concludes that preachers of a different gospel in Nigeria must make the Scripture central and be willing to submit themselves to adequate and proper training in hermeneutical principles and homiletical rudiments for effective biblical preaching.
AJET, 2016
The church in Africa is being confronted by predators on all fronts. The scourge of extreme pover... more The church in Africa is being confronted by predators on all fronts. The scourge of extreme poverty in contrast to excessive wealth, the effects of negative ethnicity and tribalism, the negative impact of modern technology, the use of religious terrorism and persecution, the growing challenge of modernised polygamy, religious syncretism that leads to heresy, and the fear of demons and the spirit world are daunting predators devouring Christianity in Africa today. To survive this predation, the African Church must train leaders of the same high quality as the original African fathers, relate the Christian faith to African experiences by effective preaching, preach the gospel to nominal Christians and improve biblical literacy amongst practising Christians, and promote intellectual and theological maturity among church members.
Gindiri Theological Seminary (GTS), 2023
The current experience of democratic politics in the Nigerian political landscape is both syphoni... more The current experience of democratic politics in the Nigerian political landscape is both syphonistic by orientation and dungeonistic by its pragmatic statebecause of the deeply rooted presence of highly egocentric economic and self-aggrandising pests
Old Testament Essays
The evil of humanity's inhumanity to fellow humans via the act of oppression is pervasive acr... more The evil of humanity's inhumanity to fellow humans via the act of oppression is pervasive across human societies. This evil will continue unabated because of the inherent evil inclination of the benefiting perpetrators. The lamentation in Ps 73 reveals the enigmatic irony of divine theodicy, an apparent contradiction of divine promise vis-à-vis prevailing orchestrated oppression in society. The empirical paradox of life unavoidably poses the question: "why should someone happily celebrate the plight of the disadvantaged 'other, ' becoming emotionally insensitive, oppressing fellow humans against good conscience, simply because the oppressor is in position of privilege in society?" This is the aching question many oppressed Nigerians are constantly asking. This article comparatively resonates the emotional torture of the psalmist consequent upon the disadvantaged economic status vis-à-vis the oppressed economic, political, religious, social, and psychological co...
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2021
The application of the anointing oil in contemporary Christian religion in Africa is, to say the ... more The application of the anointing oil in contemporary Christian religion in Africa is, to say the least, not an inherent textually prescribed requisite criterion for Christian spirituality, but merely an outburst of fetish ancestral religious worldview that stands contra the hermeneutics of the biblical text and its ancient tradition. That no Old Testament prophet, not even Jesus nor Paul, mentioned the subject, makes its contemporary application textually and theologically suspect, and therefore, heretically infectious for the spiritual health of the community of faith. These insights sit quite well with the textual hermeneutics within the mainline transdisciplinary religious and multidisplinary theological perspective of this journal.
STJ | Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 2018
The paradigm shift in pastoral ministry in contemporary Nigeria is detrimental to the church and ... more The paradigm shift in pastoral ministry in contemporary Nigeria is detrimental to the church and the gospel. This article examines the emerging trends as well as the motivating factors and implications of this shift. It argues that the emerging distortions are rooted in a lack of basic knowledge of the biblical, theological and ethical foundations and established traditions of the ministry, and argues for an honest return to those foundations.
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2017
Against the background of a disenfranchised and hopeless exilic Israel, Ezekiel received the visi... more Against the background of a disenfranchised and hopeless exilic Israel, Ezekiel received the vision of ‘Dry Bones’, predicting an eschatological resuscitation and resurrection to life and restoration to the land of Yahweh’s covenant people. This article previews the political, social, economic and moral conditions of many African societies as being in a disenfranchised, hopeless exilic state. It nonetheless argues that the theological essence of Ezekiel’s visionary imagery of ‘Dry Bones’ resonates well with such deteriorating and hopeless African societies. It envisages the semblances, relatedness and relevance of Ezekiel’s hope principle of a restorative eschatological theology as a possible reality for Africa’s hopeless present ‘Dry Bones’ state. Upon this hope principle, the article proposes a theological framework of faith against despondency and despair for the realisation of such eschatological reality for Africa. It holds that God is equally capable of displaying his restorat...
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2017
A hermeneutical cloud still dominates ongoing discourse on the meaning and application of הֶבֶל (... more A hermeneutical cloud still dominates ongoing discourse on the meaning and application of הֶבֶל (hebel), a crucial weaving thread in the book of Ecclesiastes. The Hebrew Qoheleth, presumably the disguised author, proposes the theological ideology of hebel as the totality of human existence in this book. What does Qohelethintend to achieve by asserting and dismissing everything in human experience as hebel (vanity, meaningless, worthless, not beneficial, absurd and enigma)? This article proposes a political and economic reading of Ecclesiastes, holding that the author, from personal observation, saw and addressed life from the point of view of ivory tower aristocrats who sought to control their environment by every means to their benefit. It suggests that a political and economic reading of Ecclesiastes locates another perspective on Qoheleth’s purposes for the use of hebel. As such, it argues that the Qoheleth uses hebel as a literary rhetorical device as an evaluative grid to criti...
Old Testament Essays, 2016
The poem appearing in the epilogue of the book of Proverbs (Prov 31:10-31) is classically a paean... more The poem appearing in the epilogue of the book of Proverbs (Prov 31:10-31) is classically a paean poem that eulogises the outstanding qualities of the female figure assumedly portrayed as an epitome of womanhood. This article seeks to address the unbalanced portrayal of the couple in the paean by inviting readers to pay close attention to the mention of the male figure in vv. 11, 23, 28-29 and to discover his salient role often glossed over or overlooked by interpreters. It draws attention to the civilised and humane personality of this male figure who, suggestively, is to be seen to serve as the architect of the achievements and public praise of his wife, given the patrilocal and patriarchal context of ancient Israel. In view of this, it is argued, he also deserves to elicit praise. By implication, it also invites the contemporary African male figure, particularly the Nigerian one, to follow the legacy of this husband by exhibiting the characteristics of responsible African manhood as he functions as husband and father.
Old Testament Essays, 2013
The book of Proverbs falls within wisdom literature with 31:10-31 as part of its epilogue. The He... more The book of Proverbs falls within wisdom literature with 31:10-31 as part of its epilogue. The Hebrew poet here has both theological and literary purpose-to instruct the covenant community in godliness through realistic reflection on society. As such, the characteristic attributes of the godly and industrious female figure portrayed in this acrostic poem may well be taken as an existing reality rather than a mere literary poetic imagination. Therefore, functioning as an epitome of womanhood for all generations, this acrostic poem finds close affinity with the characteristic attributes of the cultured traditional as well as the godly Mɨship woman of Nigeria. This article basically endeavours to show the resemblances between the qualities of the human woman of Prov 31:10-31 and the Mɨship woman within the Nigerian context. A INTRODUCTION 2 Among other themes, the book of Proverbs 3 deals with the figure of womanhood. It presents a vivid description of the woman of virtue (Prov 31:10-31) in 1 The writer of this article is an original Mɨship speaker who is quite familiar with the culture and custom of his people. Therefore, he writes from personal observable experience.
Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies, 2010
Old Testament Essays, 2017
This article discusses the resemblances between the text of the Prophet Obadiah and Nigeria withi... more This article discusses the resemblances between the text of the Prophet Obadiah and Nigeria within the political, economic, ethnic, and religious contexts of conflict and hostility of the latter. It puts forward the divine scandal, parental attitude of favouritism, and the careless disposition as well as the manipulative role of the Israelite and Edomites' progenitors as the foundational root factors for the expression of generational hostility presented in this prophetic book. In contrast, the article holds the British colonial legacy and the Muslim Hausa-Fulani political manipulative domination and its self-imposed superiority de facto status accountable as the propelling aggravating factors for the incessant political and religious conflicts and hostility in Nigeria. It concludes by proposing the application of divine moral laws by people in governance in order to achieve for the country a just, fair, equitable, and a cohesive Nigerian society of true brotherhood and nationhood.