The hallmark of this book is two-fold: (a) its redefinition of what territorially constitutes “biblical Africa” and (b) its identification of Put with sub-Saharan Africa. Capitalizing on the tendency to equate Ham(ites) with Africa(ns) as evidenced by the common misconception that Noah’s curse targeted Ham and thus the Africans, the author proposes that his readers consider the equation of “biblical Africa” with the “land of Ham.” Understood as such, “biblical Africa” would therefore encompass all the territories traditionally associated with the descendants of Ham as reflected in the “Table of Nations.” These regions include Saudi Arabia (associated with Seba, Sabteca, Sabtah, Dedan and Havilah), Yemen (associated with Sheba and Raamah), Iraq (associated with Babylon, Erech, Akkad, Calneh, Assyria), Egypt/Sudan (associated with Misrayim), Ethiopia (associated with with Cush), Libya (associated with the Lehabites, Naphtuhites, Pathrusites), Crete (associated with Caphtorites), Israel/Palestine (associated with Canaan), Lebanon (associated with Sidon, Hivites, Arkites), Turkey (associated with Hittites), Jordan (associated with Amorites), and Syria (associated with Arvadites). In other words, an equation of “biblical Africa” with the “land of Ham” expands the definition of what encompasses Africa and who constitutes an African to include not just the continent of Africa and its dwellers, but parts of the Middle East and their respective citizens.
Having argued for a broader definition of “biblical Africa” (part one, chapters 1-4) and catalogued the Africans in the Bible assuming the broader definition (part two, chapters 5-7), the book takes and maintains to the very end a historical slant during which the following historical topics are discussed: (a) the development of Christianity in biblical Africa (part three, chapters 8-10), (b) the growth of Islam in biblical Africa (part four, chapters 11-12), (c) the impact of European colonialism on biblical Africa (part five. Chapters 13-15) and (d) the place of the Bible in present-day biblical Africa (part six, chapters 16-18).
Even if the reader does not buy into the author’s attempt to promote a broad definition of what geographically constitutes biblical Africa and consequently who composes an African biblically, this book remains a wonderful resource to students of church history and students of the Bible in general.