An Encounter between the Lozi Traditional Marriage Practices and Christianity
Date
2001-02
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
For any culture, be it European, Asian, American or African such as the Lozi to have
an authentic and meaningful Christian life, that culture should encounter Christ in the Gospel
message and be transformed by Christ in the light of his passion and resurrection. For this
reason, the Lozi traditional marriage practices are no exception. However, in the process of reinterpretation
of the Lozi traditional marriage practices into Christianity and Christianity into
the Lou traditional marriage practices, both parties should be faithful to each other.
Our work, therefore, endeavours to discuss an encounter between the Lou traditional
marriage practices and Christianity. It is systematically divided into four chapters. In the first
chapter, we discuss the origin of the Lou, where they are found, how they trace their descent
and their livelihood. We elaborate at length their practices of marriage and what is involved in
it. Thereafter, we show how marriage has a socio-religious dimension and how it is linked to
their belief in life after death. The approach we have taken in our work is deductive,
inductive, descriptive as well as analytical. The purpose of our work is to discover how the
Lozi traditional marriage practices can become means by which the Lozi can respond in faith
to God's call. For this reason, in our conclusion we make some recommendations which the
Lozi should adhere to in their manifestation of Christian life.
In the second chapter, we elaborate and explicate in depth the historical background of
marriage. We start with Gaudium et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern
World) as an opener to the Christian understanding of marriage, then proceed to the
Scriptures. Later on, we look at the theological and canonical concepts of Christian marriage.
After that, we explain the view of the Magisterium on customary marriage. We show the
stand of Vatican II on Marriage. Furthermore, we discuss the pastoral situation in Loziland
and possible ways of giving pastoral care to couples involved in the Lozi traditional marriage. Chapter three of our thesis examines the impact of Christianity on the Lozi traditional
marriage practices from the time the missionaries arrived in Loziland. While in the fourth
chapter, we discuss inculturation of the Lozi traditional marriage as a means of transforming it
by the Gospel message. We have also made some suggestions pin pointing some Lozi
traditional marriage practices which should be outlawed. Finally, we have proposed that in
order for the Lozi to have an indegeneous Lozi Christian marriage rite, the Lozi themselves
with the help of theologians and anthropologists conversant with the African culture should
spearhead this research.
Description
Keywords
Traditional, Traditional Marriage, Christianity, Ritual, Socio religious