The Old Testament in the World Church

"Reading the Old Testament is like eating a large crab: it turns out to be mostly shell, with very little meat on it," said a Chinese pastor. This is one of the many challenging criticisms of the Old Testament in African and Asian churches. This book is a study of the way in which the Old Testament is viewed in the developing churches of the Third World, showing how the experience by which Israel was made ready for Jesus is applicable in the mission field. The author examines the perception and use of the Old Testament by missionaries and indigenous populations in Africa and Asia, and the way in which the pagan background to the Old Testament was perceived. He draws conclusions, particularly relevant to India and China.