Historically, Christians have not interpreted or used the Bible as a magic book or powerful charm, unlike many other holy books. Within the Christian faith, the mere quoting of biblical verses is not what the Bible itself asks for and certainly not what this conference is aiming to promote. As we shall see in the pages below, the Bible itself sharply critiques the empty use of religious language and, instead, proposes a profound ethical challenge for a transformed way of life in the world.

In other words, the passion of Scripture and the passion of this conference is to explore, articulate, and take up a biblical imagination of public life, such that this imagination would shape leadership, policy, and our public life together. Again, our goal is not the proliferation of biblical quotations throughout public life in Africa (this is already taking place with little or no effect) but the inculcation of a biblical vision and imagination for what it means to flourish as humans made in the image of God who share many complex forms of community with one another throughout the continent of Africa.