Recognition and justification: Towards a rationalisation approach to inculturation

Josephine N Akah,Aloysius C Obiwulu,Anthony C Ajah

doi:10.4102/hts.v76i3.6186

Josephine N Akah, Aloysius C Obiwulu + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v76i3.6186

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Abstract

Several religious and theological approaches to culture in African studies have assessed the idea of inculturation as a helpless incorporation of cultural values from one culture into another. We showed in this article that this is a limited perspective to the process of inculturation, and that this limitation is the reason for the failure of several attempts at inculturation. We assessed inculturation from the angle of marketisation of cultures, and we argued that the adoption or adaptation of cultural elements from one culture into another should be an agentic rationalisation process. The article demonstrated that the rationalisation process is validated by pre-adoption pragmatic experiences or expectations such that the feature(s) being adopted has either initially proven – or at least is expected – to be more useful than what it is meant to replace or enhance. We concluded that a rationalisation approach to inculturation is based on an initial recognition of conceptual entities and practices, the need to adopt them, and a follow-up justification for this need. Without such perspective, an inculturation effort will not be successfully completed, sustainable or mutually respectful. Contribution: Our primary contribution is that we tried to provide broad, agentic, rational approach to inculturation. This contribution is important in sub-fields of Christian Church History and Philosophy of Religion. It properly aligns with this journal’s focus on history of religions, as well as phenomenology, and philosophy of religion(s).

Highlights

Inculturation remains a central issue in religious, cultural and intercultural studies
We focus on how a true process of inculturation needs to be driven by a sense of usefulness of what is being considered for adoption/ adaptation
We look at inculturation from the angle of marketisation of cultures, to argue that the adoption or adaptation of cultural elements should be an agentic rationalisation process in which those adopting a cultural element consider the overall advantages or usefulness of adopting and retaining one feature from one culture into another cultural framework

Summary

Introduction

Inculturation remains a central issue in religious, cultural and intercultural studies. In this conceptual space individuals trade cultural values and features and make their choices in terms of comparative usefulness, durability, satisfaction and clarity of perception of reality This is the framework that defines our preferred understanding of inculturation as a process that is structured by the principle of marketisation of cultures. Justifications for the inclusion or adoption of a (new) entity, feature or concept into a system or framework are usually driven by usefulness This means that the idea that inculturation is a rationalisation process is based on the other idea that it is a pragmatic process. Attempts at homogenisation like this are unproductive because specific experiences are blurred and lessons from specifics and varieties are lost

Conclusion

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