Bachelor of Arts in Theology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.168.4.170:4000/handle/20.500.12342/182

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1996 - 199922000 - 20011

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    Passing On Tradition in Christianity and In Africa Case Study in Bamputu People of the Democratic Republic Of Congo
    (Tangaza University College, 2001-02) Luzi, Martin
    The concept of tradition has been one of the most debated topics over the centuries. We see how the world today is divided into different categories of people who follow different ideologies in life. Some people prefer to keep the tradition of their ancestors without deviating from it, so that they may harmonize the style of life in their community. While others do not even want to hear people talking about tradition. They see ancient customs and practices as backward. They live according to the present day trends. It is true that some people misunderstand the concept of tradition in their life. Some strictly follow their traditions and principles without looking at the signs of times. They do not see how their tradition encounters other cultures. On the other hand, there are other people who take into consideration their tradition and try to adapt it to the signs of times and to the different cultures their tradition has encountered so that they may have good harmony in the society. "Tradition, in the true sense of the word, implies a spontaneous assimilation of the past in understanding the present, without a break in the continuity of a society's life, and without considering the past as outmoded". Moreover, we cannot build our society without having a retrospective regard to the past. As Yves Congar puts it, "Tradition remains linked to its roots"2. Most Theologians have been studying, in a systematic way, how the Christian tradition has been handed over from one generation to another and how the same tradition has encountered other cultures. In our work, we will look at the Christian tradition and how it encountered the Bamputu tradition, a tradition within Africa. Congar's view on tradition will help us to understand and get the meaning of the concept of tradition. In understanding the meaning of tradition in Christianity and in the Bamputu people, we will compare them and sort out the similar and the divergent elements of the two traditions and bring out the pastoral implications for the local people so that Christianity may feel at home. Our work is divided into five chapters. The first chapter deals with the understanding of the concept of tradition. The second chapter analyses the foundations of the Christian tradition and how it was handed on from one generation to the next. The third chapter is on the foundation of the Bamputu tradition and its transmission from one generation to another. The fourth chapter is on the parallelism and dissimilarity of the two traditions. The fifth chapter deals with the pastoral implications of the Bamputu tradition and its holistic approach to inculturation. This will be followed by a general conclusion.
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    Marriage Preparation among the Baganda Christians Today
    (Tangaza University College, 1998-02) Mugera, Robert
    In this chapter, I present the meaning and significance of marriage among Baganda, and also according to the Christian (Catholic) teaching. Before we discuss the preparation of marriage in chapters II and III, we need to understand the meaning and significance of marriage. The meaning of marriage that we acquire from this chapter, will help us to consider and to discuss the preparation for marriage
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    Urbanization in Africa
    (Tangaza University College, 1996-02-21) Moscheti, Daniele
    In September 1995, the Pope John Paul II came to Africa to celebrate the African Synod on African soil and bring us the fruits of that Synod in the Apostolic Exhortation "The Church in Africa". He told all Christians in Africa: "The Synod is over, the Synod has just begun". And it is very true! Now, our great challenge is to study and reflect upon the teaching of the Synod, to discuss the important issues in our Christian communities in order to transform our personal lives and our communities in the spirit of the Synod. My personal attention and study have been dedicated to one of the great phenomenon mentioned in the document: Urbanization in Africa as a challenge for the African Church. In fact in "The Church in Africa" we read: "..All the preparatory documents of the Synod, as well as the discussions in the Assembly, clearly showed that issues in Africa such as increasing poverty, urbanization, the international debt... .figure among the fundamental challenges addressed by the Synod"(51). The need to apply the Gospel to concrete life is felt strongly in Africa. How could one proclaim Christ in this immense Continent while forgetting that it is one of the world's poorest regions? And again, during this year we shall assist to one of the most important world appointment: "The city summit" Habitat II UN Conference on Human Settlements which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, in June 1996, twenty years after the first UN Conference on human settlement held in Vancouver, Canada. Habitat II will deepen understanding of urban challenges and opportunities so that realistic steps can be taken at city, country and international levels to overcome the grave deterioration of living conditions and social problems and enrich the potentials of urban life. In 1996, the International Community is celebrating also "The United Nations Year for the Eradication of Poverty" Despite advances in human welfare and technology, there is today a growing polarisation between rich and poor and a failure of political will to address the silent emergency of those people who cannot make ends meet. And in Africa poverty, this most ruthless killer, is on the increase! Poverty and Urbanization go hand in hand, especially in the cities! Not by chance they figure among the first two challenges pointed out by the Apostolic Exhortation. They are "privileged" of a World Conference and a UN year celebration! John Paul II, previously, in Redemptoris hifissio, had already pointed out the necessity for a further reflection on the rapid and profound transformations which characterize today's world "..especially in the southern hemisphere, are having a powerful effect on the overall missionary picture... urbanization and massive growth of cities, especially where the demographic pressure is greatest..."(RM 39b). Hence, he invited the whole Church and the missionaries also to rethink the image of Missio ad Gentes "...today the image of missio ad gentes is perhaps changing: efforts should be concentrated on the big cities, where new customs and styles of living arise together with new forms of culture and communication which then influence the wider population..."(RM 39b) This new phenomenon and new missionary situation, here in Africa, call us to reflect, to interpret, to deepen our efforts and vision for a new missionary presence and ministry among the city and slum-dwellers of our Continent. I have lived my pastoral experience here in Nairobi, for several years, ministering among slumdwellers of the city. This experience has convinced me that the Church has insufficiently paid attention to a missionary/pastoral reflection, presence and action for an effective urban ministry not only here in Nairobi but even in our African cities. For this reason, I have chosen Nairobi as a paradigm of an African city. It represents a religious centre but also a mission field like many other African capitals and secondary cities. In my approach to this long-essay, I tried to be interdisciplinary and to face the phenomenon of urbanization in Africa from different angles: social, demographically, biblical, theological, ecclesiological and missionary-pastoral. In the first chapter, the phenomenon is put within the frame of the overall picture of the world situation which involves the trends of population and urbanization world-wide. The second chapter is dedicated entirely to the trends of this spectacular circumstances which are in Africa: from the historical background of the African cities to the present period of city growth with the increase of poverty and slum areas in its surroundings within the context of the whole Continent at the dawn of the 213` century. In the third chapter, I present how in the Bible and in Church history, the city has always been a concern and challenge for the Plan of God: through his Ministries, Prophets, Jesus, Paul, the Church etc. My personal research on the urbanization in the Church's documents complete the biblical-theological vision. In the last chapter, I dare propose a contribution and reflection for a newly emerging missionary vision and praxis for urban ministry in Africa. A new experience of Church is developing and new models of presence and action are necessary to renew, to change structures, methodologies and being able to answer co-operatively to the different and variegated needs of the city and slum-dwellers of our time& And the answers can not be only spiritual! The annexes, maps and statistics enclosed will help the essay to be more comprehensive and allowing the reader, I hope, to have a broader understanding of the challenge ahead! Of course, the reader has to keep in mind that this long essay is based and dependent upon projections which could change at any time for unexpected factors. In any case, the tendency of this phenomenon of urbanization is irreversible: a complete new world in gestation!