Bachelor of Arts in Theology

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    Encountering Jesus Christ as an Ancestor And his Mission Among the Sukuma People
    (Tangaza University College., 2002-02) Ihrudayasamy, Adam Fernandez; Ihrudayasamy, Adam Fernandez
    he person of Jesus Christ is at the centre of Christian faith. Though Jesus Christ is 'the same yesterday', today and forever, our experience varies according to the person who experiences him and the social context of that experience. The social context is the life situation in which Christ comes as the Saviour. One of the vital emphases in the contemporary Catholic Christology is the shift away from a rather static vision of Christ, seen in terms of dogmas and definitions. The task of Christology today is not that of repeating the Christologies of the past, but it is to create a new translation. It means that the full humanity of Christ has to be taken with the greatest seriousness, an absolutely essential point for any valid theology of Mculturation. Christ is present in every human situation in every community and every human tradition and this fact must be rendered explicit. For Christianity to be rooted in the African soil is to see Christ as an African, that is through the eyes and aspirations of the African people. African beliefs are centred around the divine. This divine could be in the form of a Supreme Being or divinity. If we see the present day Africans both traditional and modem, they do not have any problems with who God is. The Africans are very clear about the position and function of God in the universe. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe. Jesus Christ, the Son of God is one with the Father. The Father (Yaweh) revealed himself to Africans and they responded in faith. So the same Africans also can discover Christ in their 'acts of faith'.' Since Jesus is one with the Father (in 10:30) and Africans do worship God, Jesus has actually been worshipped in African religion but without a name. According to J. M. Bahemuka: "Jesus of Nazareth may have been unknown in traditional Africa, but Christ as the liberating force for humanity was and is present in various manifestations of African culture in general: in its myths, rituals, beliefs, symbols, art and language"? Africa is already offering interesting ideas for an inculturation of Christology. The African Christian theologians give Jesus Christ different titles, for example, Ancestor, Elder Brother, Ideal Elder, Chief, Master of Initiatioil, Healer, King, Priest and Liberator, which are all related to the concept of Ancestor. They are trying to incarnate Jesus Christ into African traditional religion and develop an incultured African Christian theology which remains basically Christian, and is salvific. These are the images and concepts that could facilitate a better understanding of the figure of Jesus Christ and of his saving mystery in African culture. African people experience Christ in their own communities, within their own cultural traditions. In 1980, in Nairobi, Pope John Paul II told the Kenyan Bishops: "not only is Christianity relevant in Africa, but Christ in his members is himself an African". 3 What does it mean to see Christ as African? It does not mean that the historical Jesus was an African, but that the Christ of faith can be seen authentically by an African only through his culture and thinking categories. African ancestors are at the centre of ATR and play a salvific role in ATR and without them there is no ATR. So to see Christ as an African is to see Christ as an African Ancestor, one who dwells among Africans in their daily events of life. With such an understanding, the examination is made in this essay to show some of the concepts of 'ancestor' in African tradition in relation to Christ. This work is done with special reference to the Sukuma people of Tanzania. The experience of the ancestors is a very significant religious value among the Sukuma, and it should not just be suppressed. The missionaries in the past failed to appreciate the significance of the Sukuma belief, which is also common to many other African cultures - the continuing existence of the dead and their active, good or ambivalent influence upon the living.
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    The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Its Pastoral Activities
    (Tangaza University College, 2000-02-16) Weldegzihabeher, Abenezer Haile Yesus
    This long essay presents the pastoral activity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, particularly in Ethiopia. Before I mention the pastoral dimension of the Orthodox Tewahedo Church, I would like to give the meaning of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The Church is known as the Oriental and non-Chalcedonian Church. "Tewahedo" means "United as one people and one faith" in Ethiopian. So the Church is called the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. In other words, the Church identifies its origin and its foundation of traditional faith. There are many reasons why the Church is called the Non-Chalcedonian Church. However, my long essay presents the background of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and its pastoral dimension inside and outside the Church. Whenever I reflect on the pastoral activities of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, I always feel like expressing its richness in culture, social life, pastoral activities and its theological view. In Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is greatly valued and respected by the government, as well as by the people of Ethiopia. Hence, the Orthodox Tewahedo Church has been challenging the people of Ethiopia inside and outside the country. For many foreigners, the Pastoral Activities in the Mission Dimension and its attraction might not be obvious. However, people who have seen its richness in spiritual development and cultural approach have converted their lives to follow the Church's activities in the liturgical celebration and other functions. Therefore, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is one of the sources of social life within and outside Ethiopia, because the Church brings people together. Many Ethiopians find it very important to go to Church and confess their faith, because they believe that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the mother Church. So the people of Ethiopia like to worship God in their Orthodox Church wherever they live. The Church also gives moral support to the people, so that they may continue to live in their faith. The faith that they have is their culture and social life. This long essay identifies how the life of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, its teaching and its pastoral activities, work in all the world. In truth, the Orthodox Tewahedo Church gives encouragement to the people of Ethiopia in order to keep their culture and faith. Hence, the Church teaches its Christians all the time as its pastoral responsibility inside and outside the country. So this paper focuses on the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and its pastoral activities in Ethiopia. Without fear of exaggeration and without making any contradiction, my long essay will present the origin of the Church's faith and the life of the Church today inside and outside the country.