From System To Story
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Date
1996-02
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
"Once upon a time ", that is common phrase; easy to oppose a truth but impossible to
resist a story. Many spiritual teachers of humanity, like Buddha and Jesus brought to light their
teachings in stories. Through stories they warmed the way into hearts of their listeners, and broke
dim n barriers hindering human hearts from "touching" the divine.
In the light o the revival of story telling and increased interest of many for narrative theology I
would like to give my thoughts to this subject. This research will be combined with my reflections
upon the theological system used for the preparation of future ministers at Tangaza.
I feel we are still dominated by creeds, catechisms which form our thought patterns. Our
theological preparation for the near future ministry in Africa takes an analytical path which fits
very well to our computer age. Our "knowledge energy" stressing rational and logical patterns in
theology, stands in a dilemma with hungry people for experience of God and holistic vision of
their lives. I think the revival of story-telling here in Africa calls louder than anywhere else .
African culture fades away front its imaginative elements of life, from story-telling. People have
stopped telling stories. Perhaps this fact too, has contributed to the lack of personal contact among
the people.
We are on the threshold of a new face of Evangelization of Africa. The recent post-synodal
Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa" No.11 says that: "... the local Churches of Africa hold a
right ful place in the communion of the Church, that they are entitled to preserve and develop their
own traditions without in any way lessening the primacy of the chair of Peter."
In connection with this quotation I think that storytelling is very much part of the African
culture, as the preservation of values and its developments.
The same concern For the revival of story-telling should find its place in theology. We should
invi live in our theological studies the elements of imagination and feelings. Maybe in such an
approach to theology we would find it easier to express it to the people without lessening its gist.
in the world at large there is already a well-established section of theology called "Narrative
Theology" with leading theologians such as John Shea, John Navone, William Bausch. This
nanalive approach to theology raises many important issues. One of them is that story could be a
very good means to transmit the intellectually elaborated theology to simple people who search
rather for something to notuish their feelings and imagination. however, this requires preparation.
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A Minister engaged in storytelling must be able to interpret stories, and must understand how the
Christian story finds resonance in the hearts and minds of story-hungry people.
The whole theme of storytelling covers a large field. In my paper I will be selective. I want to
depart front the theological context, look at the narrative reality of a man, then looit closely at
story itself and its teller and finally Twill bring story to a pastoral context. In the first chapter I will
try to make a move from a theology embodied in system to story. The following chapter.
"Tow ards theology of Story" will insert us in the broad context of a story.
The third chapter is devoted to the pastoral application of storytelling in the area of Catechetics,
Liturgy and moral teaching of the Church. At the end of this paper, in the appendix I would like to
give some practical suggestions for the storyteller.
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Keywords
System, Stories are Communal, Effective Tool kw Teaching, Theology of Story