BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
ment material however, has enduring value for descriptive purposes.
The Old Testament's final criterion for determining how adequately
wealth was distributed in the land and how much opportunity was of-
fered the poor to better their position was diagnostic, and it can still be
used that way. That is, no matter what the economic system may be, no
matter whether the region is relatively poor or relatively prosperous, one
can judge how good that system is and how well it is administered, by
considering what becomes of people like the widow, people who experi-
ence a sudden, involuntary change of fortune for the worse. One can
observe what happens to people like the orphan, physically and mentally
unable to take care of themselves and dependent on others for all their
needs. One can study what it is like to be a foreigner in that society, how
many opportunities there are, and just how unpleasant it may be to be
foreign”.
4.2 Brotherhood and sisterhood in the New Testament
In the New Testament, brotherhood and sisterhood is also very impor-
tant and mentioned in many instances. It is clear from the gospels,
especially in the Sermon on the Mount, that God expected of his people,
the disciples of Jesus, to look after one another. Therefore, people who
brought peace, love and mercy are the people that will benefit in the
kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not something far away, but
something near to the people living in a special sense of unity with one
another and linking one another to the glorious salvation in God which
he brought about. Brotherhood and sisterhood is then very important for
living with God and living with one another. There are many references
in the synoptic gospels to this kind of life with one another. It is clear
that it should be accepted and that one should live in this very near rela-
tion with one another. Again, those people on the fringes of the com-
munity are welcomed to become brothers and sisters in the new com-
munity of God. Tax collectors and prostitutes are invited to become part
of this community. This community should also reach out to these peo-
ple and help them to become new, so they live as new people in God’s
new community. This means that people in the New Testament and that
the church in the New Testament should look after the needs of other
people in the community and that the church should be there to look
after the needs of those who have very little. The gifts in the church
community should be to the benefit of the whole community, (1 Cor.