Contextualizing Mijikenda healthcare system in Matthew 8:1-4 Leper's narrative to procure a transformative evangelical engagement

Abstract

The study attempts to pursue the shifting focus of New Testament scholarship concerns from Biblical criticism models to contextualization perspectives of bible reading that reflect African contextual and existential challenges. Scholars have conceived the leper's narrative as reflective of either application of Jesus' divine power, or manifestation of God's empire, or, a pattern of service to God and humanity, which indicates a shift of focus from traditional biblical criticism toward modern contextualization of Biblical text approach. This contextualization shift compels the use of qualitative data collection and analysis methodology comprising grounded theory informed by oral narratives and biblical theology. Thus, this research poses the question: how can we contextualize the African cultural healthcare system in biblical narratives to procure a transformative evangelical engagement that resonates with the biblical theological significance of Jesus? Mijikenda healthcare practices, often involve traditional healing methods, can in ways be compared to Christian healing such as the role of one’s faith, prayer, and the use of spiritual and physical remedies. However, there are also very significant differences, especially concerning the source of healing power and the role of intermediaries such as ancestors. The thesis proposed for this study is that contextualizing African cultural practices to procure a transformative evangelical engagement, compels the use of biblical theological-based universal significance of Jesus Christ to evaluate the uniqueness of culture. The reading of the leper's narrative in the contexts of a biblical worldview and Mijikenda cultural HCS to procure an evangelical engagement in tune with biblical theological significance of Jesus Christ, points to interdisciplinary study of religion that blends cultural perceptions with Christian Christological perspectives. This approach imparts hermeneutical skills for using biblical narratives to effect inter-cultural church missions.