Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025) – OralityTalks

Beyond the Western Mind

Charles Madinger — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:14:00 +0000

This issue explores diverse Applications of Orality, a distribution model for oral Bible study materials in rural Africa, the role of emotion in Bible translation for the Deaf, a book review on ethnohermeneutics, and a preview of an upcoming publication.

Gospel Joy International’s Audio Bible Study Distribution Model

Emily Pohl — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:13:00 +0000

Gospel Joy International produces audio Bible studies for rural African women. It has developed a distribution model that capitalizes on denominational networks and relationships to disseminate its materials and disciple women in rural villages. This paper explains its distribution model and how it has created a network of leaders across rural Africa in its effort to support the church’s mission to disciple its flock.

From Silence to Sign: Emotional Exegesis and Oral Hermeneutics in Pakistan Sign Language

Salas Rashid — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:10:00 +0000

This paper explores the intersection of emotion, sign language, and oral hermeneutics within the Pakistani Deaf community, highlighting the integral role of emotional expression in interpreting Scripture through Pakistan Sign Language (PSL). Drawing on personal experience and emerging scholarship, the study argues that sign language is not merely a visual form of communication, but a fully embodied oral-visual language rich in emotional and theological meaning. It highlights the role of emotional and linguistic markers, facial expressions, and body movements in conveying biblical narratives, emphasizing the concept of “emotional exegesis,” which involves interpreting Scripture through the lens of emotional expression. The paper also examines emotional triggers and their role in making biblical stories resonate personally with Deaf audiences. By applying oral hermeneutics and embracing multisensory communication, the research advocates for more inclusive and effective ministry practices that honor the lived experiences and linguistic realities of Deaf communities. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how Scripture can be faithfully and powerfully communicated in a non-written, emotion-centered modality.

The Bible in Culture: Reading the Bible With All the World Using Ethnohermeneutics

Josafá Correia — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:09:59 +0000

Ethnohermeneutics is a discipline born of necessity as Caldwell’s students in the Philippines struggled to grasp the Western grammatic-historical method of Bible interpretation. This book is the result of more than four decades of experience, including teaching hermeneutics and Caldwell’s research at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he earned his PhD in 1990. It addresses the challenge of interpreting the Bible while respecting the diverse cultures of the world and raises a critical question: Why can we no longer assume that our way is the best or only way?

Caldwell, L. (2025). The Bible in Culture: Reading the Bible With All the World Using Ethnohermeneutics. William Carey Publishing. ISBN 978 1 6450 8658 1.

Reading the Environment: Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Communicating in Context (Part 1)

Jay Mātenga — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:08:24 +0000

Together with around 20 experts and practitioners in orality, theological education, anthropology, and missiology, editors Danyal Qalb and Charles Madinger are developing a three-volume book series. The project explores orality from multiple angles while offering diverse insights from both research and practice. The first volume is scheduled for release in the fall of 2025 as a free eBook by OralityResources.International under the title Connected Communication: Bridging the Orality Gap. It follows a preview that features the first part of Jay Mātenga’s chapter, which explores the intersection of orality and a people’s seen and unseen world.