I am the Academic Dean for the Alliance Theological Institute in Côte d'Ivoire and Lecturer of Hebrew and Old Testament at Université de l'Alliance Chrétienne d'Abidjan (UACA), where I am currently a PhD candidate. With my wife Rita and our three children, I also serve as a pastor in the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Cote d’Ivoire.
In Côte d’Ivoire, there are more than 60 ethnic groups, divided into four linguistic groups. From 1999 to 2011, Côte d'Ivoire has experienced deep sociopolitical crises as a result of ethnic tensions, sectarianism, and nationalistic and sometimes xenophobic behavior. Unfortunately, Christians in general and Evangelical Protestants in particular have contributed to these growing tensions.
My doctoral dissertation explores ethnicity in the Book of Esther through an interactionist approach. Rereading biblical texts alongside current ethnicity research is important for at least two reasons. The first is to enable African interpretive communities to become aware of the complexity of ethnicity in the Bible through in-depth studies of relevant texts. Inappropriate interpretations of such texts could be disastrous. The second reason is to help these communities to acquire a relational perspective on ethnicity by developing a concept of “otherness” that facilitates peaceful cohabitation.
Praises
I give thanks for God's love and providential care for my family, for the good progress of my research, and for the quality of the supervision I am receiving.
Prayer Requests
Pray for wisdom and intelligence in my studies. Pray for balance between studies, family life, and spiritual life.
Pray for peace in Côte d'Ivoire. The next presidential elections are scheduled for 2020. We are already observing acute social and political tensions.
Serge-Armand Yao
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