Bachelor Of Arts Religious Studies

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Browsing Bachelor Of Arts Religious Studies by Subject "PROPHECY IN JEREMIAH AND THE PROPHETIC ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN BURKINA FASO: COMPARATIVE STUDY"

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    PROPHECY IN JEREMIAH AND THE PROPHETIC ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN BURKINA FASO: COMPARATIVE STUDY
    (Tangaza University College, 2005) BAZEMO, BARTHELEMY
    For many of us a prophet is a religious figure, an intermediary between God and his people. His message in most cases comes as a warning about impiety and injustice in the society, encouragement in difficult moments, or a piece of information on any topic that God intends to communicate. In a broader sense, the understanding of the prophet has evolved to mean the one who "speaks" for or on the behalf of someone. Seen from that angle, the prophet is both a social and religious protagonist playing a leading role in the society. It is not a recent phenomenon; it is as old as the beginning of human society because in every society some have been naturally endowed or called to defend and promote the rights of the less fortunate. In this reflection we are going to explore the lives and message of two prophets: Jeremiah a biblical prophet in Israel and the journalist Norbert Zongo a secular prophet in Burkina Faso. Both prophets lived in a context that sparked an intense prophetic revolt against injustice and impiety of their respective communities. Jeremiah struggled against the evil of his community and suffered the consequences of his bold preaching. As a professional journalist, Zongo denied the gross abuses and violations of human dignity and he paid all by his life. We are re-reading the lives of Jeremiah and Norbert Zongo from a Christian perspective. What can we learn from their lives? As Christians, we have always been taught that faith has a charity dimension, and a socio-political thrust toward justice. We are not only moved to compassion but we must also act. We live in a society where exploitation and oppression have been institutionalized; consequently our Christian charity must transform itself into a fight for justice and peace. Our involvement in social struggle for peace and justice can rekindle the hope of many victims of the structure of oppression and injustice. In this perspective, we intend to proceed as follows: in the first chapter, we will discover the figure of the prophet Jeremiah, his call, message and struggle to live up his prophetic mission. In the second chapter, we will analyze the sociopolitical situation in Burkina Faso and the main events that prompted the prophetic reaction of Norbert Zongo and his subsequent death. In the third chapter, we will attempt a comparative approach of the two prophets Jeremiah and Zongo, their common characteristics. In the light of their lives, we will draw all the elements which can inspire us today in our struggle for a just and better society.