The Inevitability Of Culture And Its Continued Struggle With Christianity: A Challenge For Reformed Theology In South Africa Today

Abstract

This chapter talks about whether African Reformed Christians can continue to assert their Africanness and maintain their reformed ecclesial tendencies. Africa is a continent with numerous religions, and this fact brings the theology of Barth into sharp criticism. As far as African Christian theology is concerned, culture plays a pivotal role in the life of the church. Black theology in South Africa was precipitated by the then dominant Afrikaner theology that subjected black people to its mercy. Black theology and black consciousness should be credited for instilling into black people a sense of self worth and pride. Within theological circles, the subject of 'who and what' and African are prevalent. African culture should be reviewed as something that could enhance the church in Africa. The concept African Reformed theology is more problematic than black theology, in that, it seeks to find ways of reconciling African values with Christianity.Keywords: Barth; Christianity; Church; culture; Reformed theology; South Africa