Master of Arts in Theology

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Browsing Master of Arts in Theology by Subject "Church"

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    Christian Understanding of Jesus Christ In Relation To the Mission of the Church Towards Muslims
    (Tangaza University College, 2014) Jigeesh Baby, Benjamin
    Encounters between people of different religions are part and parcel of the socio-religious context in the world today which is inevitable in any society. The experience that I acquired gave me a deep desire to promote interreligious dialogue among people of different religions, especially in the field of Christian – Muslim relations. Undoubtedly we can say that it is God who inspires one to engage in dialogue through encounter for one finds one’s origin in God. It is said that, “At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what is right has been acceptable to him. He has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness. He therefore chose the Israelites to be his own people and established a covenant with them. He gradually instructed this people…All these things, however, happened as a preparation for and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ…the New Covenant in his blood; he called together a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit” (Cf. CCC,741). In fact, it is so evident that Jesus had a couple of encounters with gentiles in his public ministry. And those encounters did not just happen by chance but were well planned in the salvific mission for all humanity. These encounters are well immersed into the mission of Jesus including all humanity, regardless of religions, traditions, tribes and gender. Obviously, Jesus had a great concern towards gentiles and the encounters he had created a new dimension of relationship between Jesus and those gentiles. This led eventually to a total transformation. Today the Church is called to carry out the same mission of Jesus Christ towards other religions, especially, with Muslimswith the same spirit of Jesus; a mission that considers encounter as an inevitable element and a threshold to open up dialogue with Muslims as far as the mission of the Church is concerned. It is only through encounter and dialogue that the Church can create a better relationship with Muslims. Jesus in the gospel seemed to have created a good relationship with Gentiles. The encounters he had with them eventually led him to engage in dialogue. Therefore, the aspect of encounter and dialogue isthe principal foundation for evangelization as far as the mission of the Church is concerned towards Muslims. In this long essay, we would like to make a comparative study between the encounters and dialogues of Jesus that are found in John’s Gospel and the encounter and dialogue mission of theChurch today towards Muslim. To see how the encounter of Jesus influenced the mission of Church today towards other religions, especially Muslims, and shaped the perception of the Church by Muslims as far the missionof the Church is concerned. Having had enough encounter and dialogue experience with my Muslims friends during my two years of pastoral period in Northern Ghana, I am prompted to write this long essay on this theme based on that experience in my life. This long essay has helped me to prepare to live an authentic missionary life in relationship with Muslims everywhere in the world, as foreseen by our founder Cardinal Charles Lavigerie and later redefined by the Society of Missionaries of Africa. I am confident that this effort will surely bare sufficient fruits in order to enrich my understanding of relationship with Muslim. And we are sure that this work will enlighten all those who are interested in this area.
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    On-Going Catechesis As An Essential Element For New Evangelization In The Mission Of The Church: A Case Study Of The Writings Of John Paul II
    (Tangaza University College/Duquesne University, 2016) Ndiukwu, Toby
    During the Vatican II Council, Pope Paul VI, wrote his first encyclical about the Church probably inspired by the atmosphere which characterized the Vatican II Council. The Holy Father said, ‘‘We are convinced that the Church must look with penetrating eyes within itself, ponder the mystery of its own being, and draw enlightenment and inspiration from a deeper scrutiny of the doctrine of its own origin, nature, mission, and destiny’’ (ES 9). The Vatican II Council came at an appointed time as pastoral and ecumenical council to review its understanding of the Church guided by the Holy Spirit. The Church never ceases to widen and deepen her understand of the Mission from which she was conceived. The Mission of the Church has been understood differently by different Christians. However, the sole mission of the Church is to proclaim the reign of God on earth. The Church is not separated from the world, and all her activities are exercised in a world of misplaced priority, consumerism and technological advancement, economic meltdown, barriers between the rich and the poor, conglomeration of resources by a few, thus creating a gap between the rich and poor, cases of child abuse, violence, persistent terrorism around the globe, quest for power and affluence, climate change and ecological extinction. These affect and many more affect the world and yet the Church has an indispensable role in being prophetic and the moral conscience in such a society; the Church needs to and has to find its way to accommodate and achieve her purpose in such a diverse society. The Mission of the Church generates newer perspective because the Church has to read the signs of the times and find her rightful place in order to address surging issues that affect humanity. To realize this, there comes a need to understand the mission of the Church more profoundly as Christians and to seek newer ways while upholding the gospel to carry out the mission of the Church is the world. Pope John Paul II proposes New Evangelization as a method of witnessing in the world. However, witnessing in a complex world such as ours requires a joint effort of all Christians. Having understood what the mission of the Church is all about, Christians have the task to involve themselves as well in bringing forth the Good News of Christ in the world by words and deeds.
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    Opportunities and Challenges Related To the Way Authority and Charism Are Exercised In the Church With Reference To The Meropolitan Archdiocese of Ibadan in Nigeria
    (Tangaza University College/Duquesne University, 2017) Kpatcha, Koffi Manzamesso
    Today and all along the history of humanity, the question of authority remains actual in all sectors of society, be it social, traditional, political, cultural as well as in the Church. Societies need to organize themselves for the good of individual persons in particular as well as for the good of the community in general. For, there is no human society which functions without the minimum of means and discipline to attain its purpose and goals. Talking of the organisation of the Church, it is more and more evident that the principal problem that has cut across the life of the Church from its beginning up to today is nothing different from the question of authority in its relation to Charism. Vatican II inaugurated a new and fresh view on the relationship between authority and charism in the Church and its mission. It remains until today one of the biggest challenge contemporary cultures address the Church after more than fifty years of Vatican II. It is evident that authority in the Church has different aspirations from the authority in the secular societies for the simple fact that the Church is both human and divine and her ultimate purpose transcends both the material world and its history. The Church as established by Jesus found its strength from the resurrection, when the risen Lord himself encouraged and commissioned his followers to carry on his mission. The encounter of the disciples with the glorified Jesus, led them to a deeper experience of faith in Him as the expected Messiah. The encounter of the disciples with Jesus transformed them and made of them new people. They, who were terrified by the tragic death of Jesus became bold and courageous and expressed their faith without fear. The conviction they had after the risen Lord had manifested himself to them prompted them to open new Christian communities to new believers from every nation, culture and tribe. The period just after the resurrection of Jesus, was not so easy for the Apostles and their followers. For the new movement which was Christianity was seen as an illicit religion with regard to Judaism seen as the main stream religion of Israel. Thus the first Christian communities experienced persecutions from the members of Judaism. Facing such difficulties, the Church grew in membership and in organising herself in order to clarify the question regarding her identity and authority. The image of the Church as the People of God found its foundation in the letters of the New Testament. Leonardo Boff in his book `Church Charism and Power` highlights that since the fourth century the Church has fallen victim of a kind of power that had nothing to do with the gospel values. The historical realities, preserved in the monarchical model of the Church, gave a different image of the Church regarding her organisation. The monarchical model of the Church was given a different direction by Vatican II, which redefined the Church as the people of God. The Church as the people of God became the central reference during and after Vatican II Council. Such image led the Church back to its primitive dynamics of community where cooperation between authority and Charism is seen as service. The Church as the People of God is organised through its charism and through the exercise of its authority to be at the service of the community. Therefore, the aim of this present research is to explore and expand on, the Challenges and opportunities related to the way how authority and charism are exercised in the Church and its mission as it was intended by Christ and see how this Church of Christ had evolved in her identity and in her organisation. Moreover, in its development, this research will elaborate on the opportunities and challenges related to the way authority is exercised in the Church of Ibadan Archdiocese according to Christ’s mandate to his followers. Furthermore, this research will try to see how the charism can operate in the proclamation of the kingdom of God on earth vis a vis the opportunities and cooperation between charism and authority can be seen as a complementary services rather than domination and oppression.