Theological perspectives on tithing in the Old Testament and their implications for believing communities in Africa

[摘要] This dissertation addresses the topic, 'Theological perspectives on Tithing in the OldTestament and their implications for believing communities in Africa. At the height of'prosperity and 'word of faith theologies, material resources became a central issue in thecontemporary Church in Africa. Opponents query the biblical basis, point to abuses such asthe lifestyles of pastors, and allege the commercialization of the gospel. Dispensationalistsquery the case for tithing in the New Testament, and the degree of reliance on the OldTestament where the situation might be different from ours. The impact has been to providemore resources for the Church and forestall the economic dependency on the West. So theresearch seeks to answer the questions about the theological basis for the adoption of the tithesystem as a means of mobilizing local resources in support of the Church's programmes,among others. And the thesis of the research is that a rigorous study and theologicalinterpretation of the different examples of tithing in the Old Testament can motivate a morereflective theological-ethical understanding of the practice of tithing amongst believingcommunities in Africa.In order to achieve this, chapter two presented a survey of tithing in the Ancient NearEast and Old Testament. It was shown that the concept of tithing was not peculiar to AncientIsrael; it was also found in other Ancient Eastern cultures like Ancient Egypt, Old and NewBabylonia, Assyria, and Ugarit. Whereas the tithe system in the Old Testament was alwaystheologically motivated, it was not always the case in other examples from the Ancient NearEast.Chapters three and four studied the theological perspectives of tithing in Numbers andDeuteronomy. Numbers presented the tithe as the wages for the cult personnel, whileDeuteronomy expanded the beneficiaries to include, the Levites, the foreigners, the orphansand the widows. The Israelites were to tithe as a means of expressing worship to the LORDand obedience to the laws. Both books presented the tithe as a theological obligation on theworshipper.Chapter five was an empirical survey of tithing in the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria.The study revealed an overwhelming support for the adoption and continuation of the tithesystem in the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. Furthermore, it showed that the PCN needed todo more in helping it's members have a holistic understanding of the theological motivation for tithing. The 'worship of God was presented as the theological cornerstone of tithing, andthe 'blessings of God, as the reward of obedience.Finally, the implications and relevance of tithing for the Church in Africa wasevaluated in chapter six. It was shown that by tithing, the Church in Africa would bedemonstrating its gratitude for God's prized redemptive activity in the world, its joyfulparticipation in God's own undying concern for the poor and destitute; that while tithingshould not be pursued as a mere institutionalized legalism, it remains a sound biblicalbenchmark for Christian stewardship.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University