Acholi Birth Ceremonies and Infant Baptism: A Pastoral Paper

Abstract

Today's flood of theoretical essays seeking to probe the significance and urgency of the contextualization process has generated a growing protest: “Yes, but how is this to be carried out in a specific culture? What clues and signals should we be looking for?” Hence, it is with real delight that we publish this case study. The fascinating record of Father Glenday's attempts to relate birth ceremonies to infant baptism is a significant contribution to what contextualization can really mean to a people in the particular dimension of their “rites of passage.”