Bachelor of Arts in Theology

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The African Value of Life: A Case of the Igbo and Inculturation
(Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Anichitkwu Ugwu, Stephen
The central concern in contemporary African Christian theological reflections on evangelization is how to help Africans respond positively to and accept the message of salvation. The core message of salvation is that God the Father, in His mercy and love, wills that all human beings be saved from their sinful human condition and then come to the dignity of sharing fully in His divine life. The divine life is a life shared by the Trinity: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That life is often called "eternal life," "a life of love", "the essence of God's existence" and it tells us how God the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit existed together before creation. It is the life brought to all people by Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. This is the noblest value to which every human being is called for the purpose of attaining fullness of life. Sharing in that life means entering into a loving relationship with God the Father, uniting one's life with that of His Son and relying on the Holy Spirit for a transformation in love as Jesus rightly puts it, Al came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly" (Jn 10: 10). As a student of theology and someone who will be involved in the work of evangelization, I have been asking myself these questions: "After my studies, how am I going to present what I have studied, especially the above mentioned value, to my fellow Africans in general and my people the Igbo of Nigeria in West Africa in particular? Since people easily understand an idea related to their cultural values, what value would help the Africans to deepen their relationship with God? What value would help them to appreciate more the person of Jesus and his role in salvation?" While I was reflecting on all these questions, the word "life" struck me. Life is an important Igbo (African) value, an intrinsic good held in high esteem. It is what gives meaning to all the good things obtainable in Igbo society. Life as a value determines how all human beings are related to God, themselves, to each other and the world in which they find themselves. In fact, life is a value that determines how moral, social, spiritual or religious an Igbo person is, and how he or she understands and seeks the realisation of his or her destiny. Believing that life is an important value in Igbo society, I sought to understand this value better. I became more interested in ascertaining the depth of this value when I read from the Synod of African Bishops held in 1994 that we must develop a deep theological concern and reflection on African values if the effort to help Africans welcome Jesus Christ, as the one who fully reveals God and through whom they can deepen their relationship with God, is to bear much fruit. In their conference, the Bishops identified three African cultural values as good tools for theological reflection and inculturation: a religious sense, a sense of community and a sense of life! These values are evident among the Igbo. They are inseparable from each other. But for the sake of the scope of this study, we shall focus on life as an important value in Igbo society. Because the Igbo society sees life as its most important value strongly connected with God, it seems suitable as a basis on which inculturation could start and evangelization bear much fruit not only in Igbo society, but also in all African societies. This essay attempts to highlight the Igbo understanding of life as a value. The study recommends that this value be preserved, protected and promoted, lest it loses its meaning and significance. It also attempts to unveil the incompatibilities and the compatibilities of the Igbo value of life with the Christian's for the purpose of a proper inculturation. From this background, we could learn to see life as a strategic value for evangelization, not only in Igbo society, but also in any other African society. For that reason, this essay will further attempt to disclose the Christian view of the value of life. However, because the issues here are so complex, this essay is somewhat longer than originally anticipated. Reducing the number of pages, I felt, would have required eliminating material essential to the argument. And so I beg the reader's patience at the length. This essay has five chapters. Chapter one gives the clarification of some terms used in this work. Chapter two deals with the meaning of inculturation, its principles, its importance for the Church and for Africa, and the inculturation of the Gospel values into the Igbo society. Chapter three highlights the Igbo understanding of life as a value. Chapter four deals with the Christian teaching on the value of life and the possibility of inculturating that value into the Igbo value of life. And, chapter five gives us the general conclusion of this essay with some recommendations.
Has "Evangelization" Tried To Bring About a Deep Faith In Africa?
(Tangaza University College, 2000-02) Mukuka, Charles
Despite the centuries of achievement in the Church's missionary task, many of the African Christians feel alienated from their Christian faith. The flow of many African Christians to New Religious Movements, African Initiated Churches and the like are certain indications of this truth. This raises the question: Has "evangelization" tried to bring about a deep faith in Africa? In trying to answer this challenging question today, we have proposed that effective "evangelization" is the only way which can bring about a deep faith in Africa. As such, this present work is divided into five chapters. The first chapter wrestles with the question: Has "evangelization" tried to bring about a deep faith in Africa? The second chapter deals with contradictory factors to the statement that "evangelization" tried to bring about a deep faith in Africa. As regards chapter three, deepening African faith through "evangelization": authoritative Church teachings and reflections are its pre-occupations. Chapter four tries to answer the objections raised in chapter two, whereas chapter five is centred on effective "evangelization" as the only way forward for a deep faith in Africa. This chapter is then, completed by a few suggestions on appropriate avenues for the present and future Church in Africa. This scheme does not exhaust everything on "evangelization" as the only way of bringing about a deep faith in Africa, because each local church has some characteristics which distinguish it from other local churches across the continent at many levels. This makes the puzzle complicated. In any case, although generalisations and convenient simplifications necessarily distort, because every local church is at once unique and one of the many, we shall make use of them with great caution on different aspects of the same reality. Owing to the ambiguities which may arise in the use of terms, it is imperative to say that in some parts of this present work, the terms: "evangelization" and "mission" are used interchangeably to mean the same reality. This applies also to the following terminologies: (a) Latin Church or Catholic or Universal Church; (b) The Church in Africa or African Church and in some cases Local Church. However, the topic of this essay is very important. What effective "evangelization" should ultimately bring to the African Christians is a deep faith. The royal path to this greatly coveted faith is effective "evangelization," which entails providing suitable conditions for the spread of the "good news." We hope that many genuine seekers of a deep faith will find their way through this essay.
Hospitality: The Strength of Ghana's Past, How It Could Promote Harmony and Human Relations in the Contemporary Society
(Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Yaw Aknmah, Anthony
There is an Akan maxim, that it takes two heads to decide, but in the Ghanaian society today, it takes only one head to decide in most of the communities. Individualistic approach of doing things is the order of the day for many Ghanaians. Hospitality which was a virtue for almost all the communities, is dying so fast. For example, it is very difficult for a neighbour to go to a neighbours house to ask for some help in the contemporary Ghanaian situation. Forty-one years that I have lived in Ghana, community way of living was highly expressed in all forms. Many people who have lived in Ghana for the past ten years testified to the drastic changes that are taking place in Ghana now. Many indigenous and foreigners who experienced the hospitality of Ghanaians in the past, are now questioning about the falling standards in the country; individualism, bribery and corruption, low morality and division among the same community members. Some communities have lost the sense of where they belong. This paper would attempt to underline what used to be the Ghanaian virtue of hospitality, which every community in Ghana cherished most and was acknowledged by many other countries. The inner cover of this paper has a "stool", a symbol of hospitality in Ghana. If a person enters a home or a community and the person is given a stool to sit on, that person feels accepted in that home or community. That means, he or she is accorded hospitality. Chapter one would attempt to explain what hospitality is and how it was practised in some of the communities. Our reference point would be the Akan communities in Ghana, who are in the majority and have great influence on the other communities. Our objectives and methodology shall be within this chapter. In chapter two, we shall deal with the historical perspective of Ghana; how the indigenous people promoted hospitality in their communities through their festivals, the strangers and visitors that just appeared in their homes. We shall also attempt to show how they were in communion with their ancestors, who were the model of hospitality for them. We shall also see how Ghana was being developed because of the generosity and hospitality of the indigenous people. There were many factors that were hindrances in the way of the Ghanaian people to be hospitable. In our current situation, some of these hindrances are the major factors for the dwindling hospitality and individualistic life-style in most Ghanaian communities. Chapter three will help us to know and understand some of these hindrances that are crippling the contemporary Ghanaian society. Some of the recent hindrances are technology and the many African-Americans residing in Ghana and influencing the Ghanaian youth especially with their own culture and life-style. Scripture has a lot to teach about hospitality. In chapter four, we shall reflect on how people practised hospitality from scriptural point of view and also from the Apostolic times, and in the individual Christians. Most of the people gave themselves up completely in the service of others who were in need. Christian hospitality has been a teaching in the Catholic Church as a model for all Ghanaians. We shall suggest some ways that people may follow in order to go back to what Christ Himself came to do; to serve and not to be served, and that is hospitality. Chapter five deals with personal reflection on hospitality, some humble recommendations that will help many Ghanaians to return to their roots, and general conclusion. In the preamble which begins this chapter, we tried to use the central word for this paper, "hospitality" to give some information on how God expects us to deal with people when it comes to hospitality. In the general conclusion, there is one symbol that most (if not every) Ghanaian is aware of its importance; that is `Sankofa: This symbol is found in many places in Ghana and at the back of many books. It literally means, go back and take. It reminds most Ghanaians who have forgotten the past deeds of our fore-fathers and mothers, to go back to their roots and pick up what is gradually fading out: hospitality and community living.
Inculturation in the African Independent Churches
(Tangaza University College, 2000-02) Nabuba, Pascoal John
For many years the African Independent Churches have been seen as the antagonists of the Catholic Church and indeed of all Mission Churches. The attitude of the Catholics towards their brothers and sisters of the African Independent Churches has been one of complacence if not condemnation. Of course there are some weaknesses in these African instituted churches. but this is also true for any other church. Furthermore, the shortcomings of one church should not blind us from appreciating the good that is found in it. The effort to inculturate the gospel message in the African context is above all the entry point that the Catholic Church could use to learn from the African Instituted churches. Drawing from the process of inculturation manifested in the African Independent churches, this paper intends to show how this process is relevant to the Catholic Church in Africa. A serious undertaking of inculturation should bring down the message of the gospel to the particular context that the African men and women live in today. Inculturation will also help to reduce the influx of the Catholics to African Independent Churches and other Christian denominations. It is hypothesised here that some faithful leave the Catholic Church after realising that their affiliation to the Catholic Church does not profoundly affect and satisfy their needs in life and also, their membership does not seem significantly worthwhile to them. Certainly, inculturation is not synonymous v‘rith disorder. Bosch is perfectly right to observe that this process does not include the philosophy of "everything goes".' This implies that not everything from a culture can be acceptable as positive for the evangelisation process. We think that in order for a genuine inculturation to take place. there must be a marriage between the gospel message and African culture. In this marriage, just as in any other good marriage, dialogue, mutual understanding and enrichment are paramount and important. In other words, any initiative in the process of inculturation must bear in mind true gospel values. As Luzibetak puts it True contextualization seeks first and foremost the Kingdom of God".2 The preoccupation of how the Christian faith can be expressed in the image and values relevant to specific groups of people is as old as Christianity itself We read in the book of Acts of the Apostles that it was exactly because of this enigma that the apostles had to gather in a council in the first Century, to decide whether the Gentile converts were also obliged to observe the Jewish Law. The ruling of the apostles on this matter was that Christianity could not be mistaken for Jewish tradition and customs. Therefore, the Gentiles could as well become Christians without necessarily observing the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:5-21). With this important decision in the history of the church, the apostles seemed to imply that the gentiles and indeed all people could effectively meet Christ in their own cultural contexts without being compelled to adopt cultural behaviours of other people. It is unfortunate that the implementation of the decision of the apostles in the Catholic Church here in Africa is taking the pace of a snail. In many dioceses the process of inculturation has remained at a superficial level. Some exterior creativity may be made here and there, but the essential part of this process is still far from being materialised.3 This paper is based on library research, direct non- participant observation and informal interviews. It is divided into four chapters. Chapter one deals with the evaluation of the African Independent Churches phenomenon. This will include the reasons responsible for the emergence, growth and divisions in the African Independent churches. Chapter two spells out the approaches of the African Independent churches to the process of inculturation. Particular areas where this process has born fruits are highlighted. Chapter three highlights the importance of dialogue between the Catholic Church and African Tradition Religion. We believe this to be the point of departure towards a complete process of inculturation. Finally, in chapter four, we give a general conclusion of this paper, which followed by recommendations.
Liberating Africa: A Missionary Challenge
(Tangaza University College, 2000) Alegbemi, Martin Kehinde
Standing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, panning round, one sees a continent in distress. Looking north, south, cast and west, one sees and hears of hunger, war, famine, starvation, killings, domestic violence, unemployment and chains of other social evils. Although Africa is in pain, she is also a continent with hope, one blessed with lots of natural and human resources. Africa has survived very hard and difficult times and longs for a better tomorrow. With Christ's ever redeeming presence continually shining on her, she can hope for a brighter future. Seeing in Christ's mission the liberation of the human race, we can say that Christianity essentially seeks to liberate and bring about a day of salvation. The question is what role can Christianity play in the teligious, socio-political and economic distress facing this continent? This poses a challenge to the missionary nature of the Church. The challenge is that of relevance. Christianity has to wake up to the day to day life of the people in its mission as well as in its theology. It is the aim of this paper to present a response to this challenge. The overall objective is an arrival at a necessary theological foundation that empowers one to face the challenge of a preferential option for the poor within an African context. As such, we need a theology that is people-centred and one that will empower us to face this challenge. It should be a theology that calls God's people into 'being- for —freedom' in the world. We hope to arrive at an African liberating and missionary theology, which will be of great relevance to the people's situation, as well as being an essential tool for future missionaries. The tenets arrived at, should as much as possible be relevant to situations that need an option br the poor even outside Africa. One of the common approaches is to take Africa as a small entity with basically the same problem. This approach is both right and wrong. Basically, Africa is a suffering continent. We shall get as much as possible relevant inputs from any of the countries. It is hoped that whatever conclusions we arrive at might in one way or another be applicable to various African countries. As a launch of our response, chapter one of the work will be on 'Liberation Theology: A new way of doing theology'. Since the approach of this work is to see the Christian liberating rol- in the complex situation of Africa, such a role ought to be based on a theology. Our choice of Liberation theology is not because it is a recent theology in its systematic form, but as a theology that is down to earth in that, it focuses on the daily life of the people. We shall examine its content, development, and its methodology, its missionary dimension and how it can be a paradigm of African liberation. Accepting liberation theology from our first chapter, chapter two will examine the faces of Africa. I lere, we shall examine the situation of Africa by applying the 'see' as the first of the trilogy of liberating praxis. This will involve a search into the religious situation, sustainable development, and the political situation. We shall end this chapter by posing the need for 'judge' to unravel the root cause of African degradation. Chapter three as the application of 'judge', the second of the trilogy will begin with a social analysis and theological reflection. With those two considerations, we shall posit the structure of sin as the root cause of African degradation. Upon that will follow an attempt at identifying the various areas of the challenges so as to be able to act concretely. The identification will range from theology and inculturation to issues of gender and development. The areas identified will form the ground for our missionary response in the next chapter. Providing concrete solutions from a missionary perspective which, is also the application of 'act', the last of the trilogy of liberating praxis is what this last chapter hopes to arrive at. Our response will be a positing that. the solution to African problems is far beyond the numerous international conferences, political systems, economic policies, international organisation and numerous 1\1(i0s. An integral and full emancipation is possible with the uprooting of the structure of sin. The uprooting will be possible through recourse to Jesus as the master liberator and a positing of various ideas and channels. The conclusion will be an attempt at laying a foundation for an African liberating and missionary theology.
Reconciliation as a Model of Mission In Contemporary Africa.
(Tangaza University College, 1999-02) Chinedu, Ojiekwe Ephraim
It is God's wish to establish a community where brothers and sisters live in unity, through His Son, Jesus Christ.' In this community or society there will be no exploitation and oppression, no more war, hunger and thirst. There will be no more division. Hence, it will be a community of happy and prosperous people. Today, the reverse has been the case. In Africa, there are wars and violence of one kind or another. Poverty and the trauma of the displaced has been the African experience. The words "love", "hospitality", and "peace" which have been important words in the African vocabulary of life have lost their meaning. There appears to be nobody brave enough to accept responsibility for the situation. I believe that the task of building a peaceful, loving and caring African society can only be achieved if individuals and the community as a whole could go into themselves and discover, why they have problems, what they are and what the reasons for them are. Moreover, being able to enter into dialogue and to admit responsibility where it is necessary. This is because, "a civilization that cannot solve the problems it has caused is a decadent civilization'. Hence, the selfexamining, soul - searching and provocative questions which are valid for Africans today are: Why has Africa remained such a shameless beggar in the world of independent men and women? Why is the continent the laughing stock and dumping ground of the civilized world? What has been the nature of the African Church's mission? Has it been quite successful? What model of mission is suitable for Africa today? It is in the line of these questions that I was inspired to write this long essay under the topic: "Reconciliation as a model of mission in contemporary Africa". I am doing so with feelings of eagerness, longing and great desire to see African continent restored to her normal status. It is also my conviction that by taking Jesus as the "focal point" of our mission, we can break all barriers and engage in dialogue with ourselves and other people. Thus, we can build a humanized society where every member experiences the freedom and solidarity of the people of God. In the light of the goal and methodology of the project therefore, I would like to formulate the outline of the project into three chapters thus: CHAPTER 1. SEE: The need for reconciliation in contemporary Africa - What are those areas of life that need to be restored to harmony? CHAPTER 2. JUDGE: The church as mission - Has the Church been a reconciling community in the faces of these conflicts and divisions? CHAPTER 3. ACT: Reconciliation as a model of mission for contemporary Africa - What does God want? In chapter 1, after giving a general view of the African society, I will analyze the present political, socio - economic, and religious conditions experienced by the people. Moreover, I will illustrate more concretely these points with Nigeria and Senegal. In the second chapter, I will try to deliberate on the notion: "The Church as Mission". I shall look at the church's role in this situation. Is their approach to the situation very successful? Lastly, in the third chapter, I will take on what I would call the core of this project namely: in the light of the situation of the contemporary Africa and in the light of our evaluation from a missiological perspective, what line of action are we to adopt? What are to constitute our strategies in addressing the issue? With a general conclusion, I close my long essay.
The Refugee Crisis and Conflict Resolution In Africa: A Pastor's Perspective.
(Tangaza University College, 2000-02) Walimbwa, Charles
The prevalence of the Refugee Crisis in Africa affects the pastoral ministry of the Church. For Christians, and indeed all people who would like to see Africa developing, the problem of refugees has to receive the urgent attention that it deserves. Today no one can claim to be unaware of the millions of people who are suffering innocently. All the people have to work for the total elimination of refugees from the face of the continent. The problem of refugees 'pre-dates independence' and it has persisted and become a 'post-independence' phenomenon. It can be equated to 'a mark of identity', that is, it is synonymous with the name 'Africa'. This project work is divided into five main chapters. The first chapter is basically an introduction. It highlights the seriousness of the Refugee Crisis in Africa. It also provides quantified statistics of refugees, reasons why the study was undertaken, the methods used in the research as well as a brief review of literature' on various aspects of the refugee problem. Chapter two gives reasons that have led to the Refugee Crisis in Africa and how the refugees are treated. Thee third chapter names and outlines the various international agencies that are trying to contain the problem of refugees and the difficulties they meet in their dealings with the crisis. Chapter four deals with conflict resolution in Africa. At this stage an attempt is made to provide a biblical approach to conflict and what the Church teaches about them. It goes on to show which people are involved in finding viable solutions to conflicts in Africa and the problems that hinder true reconciliation, importance of conflict resolution and the difficulties encountered in the process. Chapter five deals with the summary, conclusion and proposals. The bibliography is placed next. The questionnaire and the Tables that follow give additional information about refugees.
Veneration of Ancestors as a Vital Element of African Tradition Religion And The Possibilities of Its Inculturation In The Catholic Church in Africa.
(Tangaza University College, 2001-02-07) Dominik, Waclaw
In 1842, at the end of his retreat, before leaving for India, Marion Brasillac, the future founder of the Society of African Missions wrote several ideas that were to be his guidelines for mission. In his diary he noted: "Here are the special resolutions I made at the end of the retreat: I. To be a missionary with all my heart. 2. To neglect nothing for the advancement of God's work. 3. To seize every opportunity of preaching God's word. 4. To use every means I have - all my strength, all my study and effort - to contribute towards the formation of a native clergy". These words have been a point of reference for hundreds of SMA missionaries who following the example of our Founder, gave their lives in the service of people of African origin. Today, almost 144 years after the foundation of our Society, I want to engage myself definitively in the service of the African Church, as a missionary, especially among those who have not yet heard about Jesus Christ. The political, social, economic situation of contemporary Africa is a complicated one. It is within this context that I want to go to proclaim the Good News of salvation of Jesus Christ. My 9 years of formation helped me to find my own answer to the question 'Why do I want to spread the Gospel in Africa'. However, as good as this answer may be, lam convinced that it is not enough to be relevant to people among whom I am going to work. The basic question I have to find answer to, in line with the charism of SMA and my personal gifts. is 'How', by what means. I am to do so as to be relevant to people having their wn, highly structured culture'. This work is an attempt to give answer to this question. It is also an attempt to present a particular way in which the second and the third resolution of Marion Brasillac, mentioned above are understood by me in the present situation of Africa. To proclaim the Gospel among those who have not yet heard about Jesus Christ and have their own culture and religion, it is necessary to know the position of the Catholic Church concerning other religions and their relationship to Christ. For this reason, the first chapter deals with this issue. Further in the first chapter, after having looked at the position of the Church towards world religions with a special attention to African Traditional Religion, we will present the process of inculturation as the most appropriate way of proclaiming Jesus Christ in the contemporary Africa. People in Africa have very rich cultures, with their particular religious background. This culture is very different from my native Polish culture. It is distinct to such an extend that I find it indispensable to be well acquainted with this culture before starting my ministry. That is the reason for choosing such an approach in the second chapter. It would be impossible to look at all elements of African culture and religion. That is why I have chosen to look at the notion of ancestors in African Traditional Religion. There are basically two reasons for this choice: ancestors play a very important role in Africa and they have a special place in the pyramid of life. Because of this special place, some other elements of African Traditional Religion are going to be mentioned. The process of inculturation is not an easy one and usually requires a deep theological knowledge of Christianity and of local customs. These are the reasons for looking at the ways in which others considered the process of inculturat on of ancestor veneration. The second part of the third chapter deals with my personal proposals how to use this veneration in the practical situation of the proclamation of the Gospel in Africa at the beginning of the XXI century. The Christian approach to African Traditional Religion as presented above, seems to be well grounded in the Gospel and in the contemporary teaching of the Church. It is, basically, an approach of openness, of respect and of humility. We are aware that we do not 'bring God' from outside, but we try to discover his presence in African religious beliefs. This approach helps to achieve two things. First, we carry on the process of evangelisation as Jesus Christ asked us to do (cf , Mt 28: 19-20). Secondly, it allows us to deepen our own faith and understanding of God's action in the world. Looking at the mysterious ways in which God is to be found in ancestor veneration of African people, we can only stand in awe and repeat the words of the psalmist:

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