African Communitarian Ethics in the Theological Work of Bénézet Bujo

Abstract

The community and individual dimensions of morality are problematic especially in communitarian ethics. Bénézet Bujo's work is presented in this essay as a way to reconcile the individual and communal aspects in African communitarian ethics. The central role of the community in shaping an African ethics, from Bujo's perspective, does not in any way negate the sanctity and inviolability of the individual person as a moral agent. African palaver is not useless talk but an inclusive moral discernment process in a community. From a critical study of Bujo's African Christian ethics, the essay evaluates the relevance of his work in contemporary African contexts while also questioning the historical context and the cultural homogeneity presumed. Further, African communitarian ethics is viewed as a viable alternative to western subjectivist ethics and ethical theories applied in Christian ethics.