An Interreligious Hermeneutic of Lk 10:25–37 (Parable of the Good Samaritan) in the African Context

This study examines Luke 10:25–37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan, from an interreligious hermeneutical perspective, with particular attention to its implications for pluralistic African societies. Africa, as a continent marked by vibrant religious diversity yet challenged by interreligious and intercultural tensions, provides a fertile context for interpretive approaches that promote inclusive praxis.
The study investigates how the Samaritan, portrayed as a religious outsider yet a moral exemplar, models compassion, solidarity, and inclusive community-building across religious boundaries. Adopting an interreligious exegetical approach that integrates historical-critical exegesis with African contextual hermeneutics, the parable is interpreted within both its original first-century setting and contemporary African realities.
The analysis argues that Luke’s use of literary inversion and narrative perspective calls for a radical redefinition of neighbourliness that transcends religious and cultural boundaries. It critiques traditional Christian interpretations that confine the parable’s relevance to internal faith communities, advocating instead for a broader reading that emphasizes risk-taking compassion and cross-boundary care. These values are shown to resonate with moral teachings found in other religious traditions, including Islam, Bahá’í, African Traditional Religion, and Hinduism.
The study concludes that an interreligious interpretation of the Good Samaritan can serve as a practical framework for addressing exclusion, reducing religious and cultural conflict, and fostering cooperation based on shared ethical commitments among Africa’s diverse religious and ethnic communities.