A good number of interpretation among scholars in third world coun- tries have surfaced discussing the issue of Bible reading with marginal- ised communities as a political act in Africa and other parts of the third world. Leonardo Boff, (1986:1-11), for example, uses this approach through what is known as Base Ecclesial Communities in Latin Ameri- can context. In a book, Jesus is trick and God is Undemocratic: the kingdom
in Amawoti, Philpot Graham (1993) also conducted a Bible study among
the Amawoti community near Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. He explains how by reading the Bible with this group of people from their context showed their understanding of the role of God in the situation of Apartheid. He also describes the political role of academic theologian and its significance in listening to communities in such a process. I also find support for this perspective in the writings of Itumeleng Mosala (1989), who in a Black hermeneutics and Black theology in South Africa views culture as an important resources for reading the Bible in context of the black. In undertaking a contextual reading and analysis of Psalm 137:1-4 with Basarwa, I recruited in a theological partner, Itumeleng Mosala, who uses a similar approach in reading the Bible to address the land question in Apartheid South Africa. In dealing with the issue of land and politics in the South African context Mosala (1989:5), also reads the Bible and approaches theology from a contextual viewpoint. He sees the Bible as a site, terrain or a weapon (tool) in the struggle for the lib- eration of the poor and exploited. The above named scholars did not only interpret their situation only from a theological perspective. Instead they used socio-political analysis which demonstrates clearly the relationship between Bible and politics. In the case of Botswana the essential rest- lessness of Basarwa/San as the most dispossessed group is in the de- mand for land which is precisely the echo of the biblical voice of the poor in Bible and politics as shown in Exod 2:23-25 and Psalm 137:1-4. When
reading Psalm 137:1-4 with Basarwa, I also followed methods used by Leonardo Boff where by communities are allowed to engage the text from their own situation. From my reading of the Bible with Basarwa, I am persuaded that this is the best way to involve indigenous communi- ties in a contextual theological discourse because through it Basarwa were able to compare their present situation with the Jews in Babylonian captivity. I found Basarwa knowledge of the Bible no matter how little it might be, to be useful in reading Psalm 137:1-4 with them. Basarwa also believed that the Bible was somehow relevant to their political lives as indicated during Bible reading. The Judeo-Christian tradition of libera- tion from which both Psalm 137:1-4 is universally recognized, and there- fore assists theological reflections on issues relating to Bible and politics. Both books talks to us explicitly about what it is like being in exile, but also points us to various ways in which people can be exiled other than through the usual physical form of exile which was experienced by the Israelites. They are also useful because they show how different forms of exile may bring about an indelible psychological scar, both on the vic- tims and the perpetrators. In this regard, I can safely share Bruggerman, s (1984) view that Psalm 137:1-4 has provided communities beyond the Babylonian captivity with the Bible as a valuable resource for doing poli- tics (Bruggeman 1984:15). Peter Sedgwick (1992) is even more direct on this issue as he argues that there is a clear relationship between the nature of society as represented in politics and nature of God in the Bi- ble. According to him the Church by its actions in witness points to the political nature of the world that God has created and that this has pro- found implications for individual Christians in taking theo-political positions. Thus it becomes necessary for Christianity as an institution and a biblical religion play a role in politics. This is so because human freedom is one of the presuppositions of Christian understanding of God’s relationship to the world and it is on that basis that Christian political ethic can be developed. In other words, political freedom is a critical term not only for the enterprise culture, but also for Christianity because God is just (Stout 2003). Coming back to the issue of contextual reading of the Bible with Basarwa, reading sessions were conducted as group discussions, facilitated either by myself, or by a member of the group who was willing to do so. The discussions of these groups were recorded in short-hand. I distributed Bibles and make an invitation to open them. (Realising that it takes long, I helped others) and ask for a volunteered to read. Nashadi (a literate Mosarwa participant with little
knowledge of Setswana language voluntered to read Psalm 137:1-4. as follows “Re ne re ntse fa dinokeng tsa Babilone” By the rivers of Babylon we sat down. From the discussion that followed the reading of this verse, it became clear that Basarwa understood this verse and that Bible is in many ways relevant to their lives in the Kgalagadi district of Botswana as respondents codenamed. Nkaletsang stated “Batho ba mo bokgobeng
jaaka Masarwa” (using the word for Basarwa derogatorily): Indeed this
people (referred to in the Bible) are in captivity just like Masarwa. His sentiments were also shared by Mphiri whoa also stated that “Ehe!! ke a
bona gore lokwalo le bua ka eng; ke gore dilotse mo Baebeleng di a diragala le gompieno ka gore batho ba ba lelela lefatshe la bone”. Ok!! I can now see
what this Psalm is saying, because these people are lamenting for their land and Ditshokolo who concluded the discussion as follows “Ke moka
lekwalo le le buwang ka rona Basarwa”: It would be not far fetched to think
that this Psalm is also talking about us Basarwa. The Bible study group of Basarwa continually interpreted and re-interpreted the book of Psalm 137 in the Bible in relation to their ongoing involvement in their life in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). Basarwa also compared the God they read about in the Bible with the God they had encountered in the conflicts and joys of their community. It was in this commitment to discerning God in the life of Basarwa as a community that is an essential feature of Contextual theological reading Psalm 137:1-4 with indigenous communities. What then is the content of this commitment within Basarwa as a community to God of the Psalms? What does it mean to them as a marginalized group in Botswana? Primarily, this commitment to read the Bible and to understand God of the Bible and relate and compare Him with God who is always with them in their struggle for recognition is in itself at the core of their contextual reading of the Bible. What is therefore fundamental in the Bible is the option of the poor for their own cause (A. Nolan, 1985:192). It must be mentioned here that Biblical faith means knowing history and believing in the God who re- veals himself in it (G. Gutierrez, 1983). A commitment to discerning God in biblical history read from the perspective of the poor, as is the case with Basarwa leads on to a commitment to change the conditions which maintain poverty and powerlessness (Graham Philpot 1993: 108).
Conclusion
In this paper, an attempt is made to show that Bible and politics are closely related. This is done through a contextual theological reading of the Bible with indigenous communities in Botswana. Through this approach, Christians are reminded that they can no longer ignore the complexities of their societies, be they political, economic, or otherwise, but instead, they should collectively exercise moral responsibility to work with and through structures in their various countries, because, the Bible as a Christian document which also deals with political issues provides that forum. This means that Christians should join in an effort to articulate a political ethic for today's world and life situation in order to avoid a wrong politicization of their religion. As already indicated, an attempt is made in the paper to read Psalm 137:1-4 with Basarwa-an indigenous group in contemporary Botswana to show how their prob- lems are similar to those of the biblical times. By reading Psalm 137:1-4, Basarwa also learn and draw inspiration that even during biblical time’s people who have been politically marginalized and displaced from their ancestral lands have always turned to the Bible in order to seek God’s intervention to bring justice. In conclusion, I would point that all these acts are useful for us today to understand clearly that the relationship between the Bible and politics is not something new.
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