Moral Evaluation of Adultery In African Christian Perspective
Date
1998-02
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
Marriage has been one of the most important aspect of the
people of Africa. thus in Africa, each and every person was
expected to marry for that was very important. Despite having
that important aspect, there have been problems in marriages and
one of the problem is adultery. This problem has been there and
will continue to be there. It is from this point of view that I
have taken a moral evaluation of adultery in an African
perspective.
Thus in chapter one I have tried to see how the African
looked at the matter of adultery in their own cultures and how
reason made them arrive at the condemnation of it. This is
clearly shown on how African look at marriage, obligations and
duties of the partners in marriages where sex is concerned. Thus
you find that the questions of childlessness, widow inheritance,
hospitality and leviratic unions arises. What did they mean to
the people and what was their concern? Thus I have tried to look
at all these and in the end also tried to see what where their
fears concerning adultery and how they condemned it and what
punishment was given.
In chapter two, I have taken a look at the biblical concept
of adultery. This starting with the old testament view, seeing
how marriage and sex was taken in a Jewish culture. How this took
a turn from being natural law to divine law especially with the
covenant bringing in the relationship between Yahweh and his
people being considered as marriage and thus Faithfulness and
fidelity being the important aspect of that covenant. This gives
way to the teaching to Jesus Christ who comes with the perfection
of that law by going back to the divine intention of God from the
beginning. So this portrays the weakness of African culture and
Jewish culture and strives for the real understanding of marriage
as taught by the Christ. Thus marriage is a sacrament as taught
by the Christ and sex has its proper place, that is in a validly
contracted marriage where unity is an essential element and thus
adultery is forbidden.
It is from here that I take a look at the real situation
here in Africa and the teaching of the church on marriage and sex
in chapter three. Thus you see that there is some opposition
especially concerning some African practices in marriages where
sex is concerned and so you find that the church has taken a
negative altitude and even tries to punish the people who
practice these customs and so the faithful feel the church do not
understand them. The church is very clear in its teaching on
marriage and emphasises on the essential element of unity and
thus excluding any third party in marriage and calls for
faithfullnes,fidelity and even to be moderate as the previous
popes proposed. Also sex in marriage should have a purpose of
enhancing and portraying the love the couple has for each other
and for procreation and thus adultery forbiden.Despite this
adultery is still rampant in Africa and a lot has to be done to
impart the gospel values. It is from this perspective that I
chose this topic and it also helped me to re-live some of my past
experiences like when my father died in 1988, and I had to
convince my mother no to accept the widow inheritance ritual as
practised by my bemba culture. I have also been having
difficulties trying to understand why my uncle divorced his wife
when he caught her committing adultery while he himself has at
one time and another committed adultery.
The methodology used in this essay is book research, my
personal experiences and contact with different cultures of the
countries I have been to in Africa mainly Zambia, Botswana, South
Africa and Kenya. I have also read about other African cultures
in my research and so I am not limited to those countries. It has
been difficult to get statistics as the matter of adultery is a
delicate issue in Africa and people are not open to talk about
it. Inf act I nearly earned myself a good beating in Zambia when
I started to ask some questions and taken that I am not married
people thought I was being rude and not respecting elders.
Despite this I was able to get some information from my uncle
though he was very reluctant to do so and he allowed me to use
his case as I have done in chapter two. I have also looked at the
current teaching of the church on marriage and what the Vatican
and canon law says. Thus this paper has really helped me in
understanding some of the African customs and their values and
obligations of marriage as well as understanding the church's
teaching on marriage and the place of sex in marriage. Thus in
the end I have come up with some suggestions which may help bring
the two aspects together and see how the Christian values can
influence the African culture.
Description
Keywords
African practices, Widow inheritance, Childless marriages, Leviratic marriages, Consequences of Adultery, judgement, Biblical concept of Adultery, arriage, Sex in marriage, Church's altitude