Theology In Africa Research Articles

Health as ᴆagbε in the Ghana-Eυe Context: Lessons from the New Testament

How does the Church in Ghana address the growing concerns of health care delivery especially among the Ghana-Eυe from the perspective of Christianity? This is the question that this study sought to answer. Using literature research, this paper argued that holistic Christian health care is nothing short of ᶑagbε in the Eυe context. ᶑagbε is holistic well-being. Holistic well-being can hardly be separated from the salvation that Jesus offers. At his incarnation, Jesus brought the gospel of the kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven as holistic well-being for human benefit. While preaching his holistic gospel, Jesus also healed and taught people. His spectacular healing ministry and other deeds did not prove his divine sonship or messiahship but attested to the fact that in his life and ministry, the kingdom of God/heaven had come in power and glory. In Jesus then, one finds the full realisation of God’s ᶑagbε to heal the human body, soul and spirit. The study contributes to scholarship in helping to indigenize the meaning of salvation in the Eυe context. This wades into the debate on inculturation theology in Africa. Keywords: ᶑagbε, health, Ghana

Theological ethics expressed through Setswana proverbs: Another way of decolonising theology

he intention of this article is to demonstrate that theological ethics as a discipline can be expressed through some Setswana proverbs and idioms, which is another way of decolonising theology in Africa. Decolonising theology through African proverbs in expressing ethics is another way of decolonising theology since the philosophical elucidations and the meaning embedded in proverbs does not easily change over time. Proverbs are important in the substantiation of philosophical claims, and therefore are a powerful tool for education and moral formation in all sectors of society. The method used in this research is a literature study, as the main tool to gather the information of these proverbs and how they are educatively used in ethical and moral decision-making. The objective of this article is not just to define the proverbs but to point out that African folklore is rich with moral and ethical instructions. Methodologically, various proverbs are quoted to indicate that individuals are responsible for self-development when it comes to ethical and moral formation. The same sentiment prevails that an individual is a member of the community, and that as an individual he or she achieves higher goals of life not in isolation but through the contribution of the community. Application of these Setswana proverbs is didactive when considering an individual’s development and achievement, the importance of community involvement, and the complementarity where an individual cannot live in isolation. The conclusion is made that there is still some hope that although ethics and morality are dwindling in African cultural fabrics, African preachers should embark on popularisation of proverbs, promote school curricula that include proverbs, and articulate theological ethics through proverbs.Contribution: This is an interdisciplinary study engaging disciplines such as linguistics, history, ethics, theology, anthropology, sociology, and communications. This study shows the richness of Setswana proverbs in articulating theological ethics. It shows that proverbs in African languages can be used to unwrap theology from western clutches and make it relevant to the African context. It makes a remarkable contribution towards a theological decolonial project.

Letsema: Communion ecclesiology in action

This article compares a Setswana philosophy of community self-upliftment and self-reliance, known as letsema, with communion ecclesiology. The intention is to contribute towards the decolonisation of theology project. The objectives are to enlighten theologians that African philosophies are vital in decolonising theology and that these philosophies of botho or ubuntu enhance understanding of ecclesiology from the African perspective. A literature review, starts with a philosophical definition of letsema and make a comparison of letsema and communion ecclesiology, showing how the two are complementary and can work symbiotically to decolonise theology in Africa. Letsema, like communion ecclesiology is voluntary, non-hierarchical, goal-oriented, and purposeful. Communion ecclesiology is the perichoretic mutuality of the triune God with those who are called out to be a koinonia of participants in the Kingdom of God. Acts 2:42–47 express the essence of communion ecclesiology. African communities are religious; therefore, using any epistemology to enhance religion is accepted and appreciated. Religion runs deep in the veins of Africans. Letsema is indeed a communion ecclesiology in action (Ac 2:42–47) (the togetherness [homothumadon] of the church) - the community that coherently lives together with the trinitarian God, expressing its identity through doctrine, prayer, eucharist, sharing, and embracing each other indiscriminately.Contribution: Through the interdisciplinary approach, this article engages socio-history, philosophy, anthropology, theology, and psychology to express the importance of African philosophies in the processes of decolonising theology. The Letsema concept is communion ecclesiology in action and the two can work symbiotically to decolonise theology.

The contribution of Luphurise Mawere’s “Things to do so you are able to succeed financially” to African prosperity theology

Recent scholarship on prosperity theology in Africa has recognized that there has been a tendency to homogenize and flatten its richness and diversity and that more work is needed to understand the nuances of prosperity theology in its local manifestations. This article explores a podcast series produced by Tanzanian Luphurise Mawere from her home at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, it outlines the theology of the podcast and highlights the creation mandate as the dominant feature of it. Second, it locates Mawere’s theology in the mosaic of prosperity theologies in Africa, arguing that her theology ought to be viewed as a legitimate part of prosperity theology in Africa, despite significant differences with other prosperity theologies. Finally, it considers the contribution of Mawere’s theology to African prosperity theology and the study of it, and suggests how it might be applied by mission practitioners.

The Routledge Handbook of African Theology

The Routledge Handbook of African Theology

The scope and influence of Public Theology in Africa

No abstract available.

Black Theology and Insights from African Women's Theologies

AbstractThe rise in the public visibility of anti‐Black racism and intra‐Black xenophobia and racism has created a renewed thirst for responses that are unashamedly “Black centred” across disciplines and spheres. Can “Black theology” capitalize on this renewed thirst to recalibrate itself into a relevant response with the potential to impact lives outside of its traditional contexts of the US and South Africa? Using feminist methodologies, this article seeks to investigate the relationship between Black theology in Africa and African women’s theologies. Framed within similar concerns as feminist theologies, African women's theologies are also characterized by a commitment to prioritize women's experiences where traditionally, only men's experiences have been valued and prioritized. From this methodological approach, two critical questions will be brought to the fore: Where are the women in Black theology? What would Black theology look like if it considered gender a critical variable for theologizing? This article puts forward the following assertions: First, that Black theology in Africa has mainly been South African and failed to make its mark north of Limpopo due to its commitment to dismantle the political system of apartheid. Second, that Black theology in South Africa did not privilege gender as a variable worthy of pursuing because it focused more on what undermined the (South) African man. Third, that within Black theology lies the largely untapped potential to address not only growing waves of anti‐Black racism, but also, using an intentional intersectionality lens, to privilege gender, disability, and ethnicity in its purview.

Eldership in Traditional Africa as a Core Definer of Ubuntu Ecclesiology in Configuration to Pauls’ Conception of Eldership Institution

The growth of Christianity in Africa comes with a strong demand on biblical African ecclesiology that is keen on strong and trusted leadership. There have been multiple of accusations labelled against the African church that centre around her quality of leadership. In the formulation of an Ubuntu ecclesiology, we are keen to have an ecclesiology that is most friendly to the African conceptual framework and one that can indeed be of use in the articulation of theology in Africa. This is in the spirit and letter of contextualization that is bent on an incarnational theology. This is only achievable through an understanding of the eldership framework from an African mindset and the biblical concept of eldership as is captured in the Old and New Testament. The benefits that African Ubuntu ecclesiology can obtain with regard to quality leadership from the concept of eldership in traditional Africa is well articulated to combat the leadership ineptitude that has characterized African ecclesia. Lastly the study at the conclusion has presented a theological reflection on eldership as a core definer of accuracy of leadership within Ubuntu ecclesiology by the observation of church leaders as representatives of the church in the model and pattern of Christ who is the character par excellence in the institution of eldership

Jean-Marc Éla’s Hut and Empty Granary: Rethinking the Social Significance of Theology in Africa

Jean-Marc Éla, in his book My Faith as an African (1988), articulates a pastoral vision for the church in Africa. According to Éla, the “friends of the gospel” must be conscious of God’s presence “in the hut of a mother whose granary is empty.” This awakening arises from the capacity of theologians “to catch the faintest murmurs of the Spirit,” and to stay within earshot of what is happening in the ecclesial community. The vocation of an African theologian, as a witness of the faith and a travelling companion of God’s people, obliges him/her “to get dirty in the precarious conditions of village life.” Decades later, this thought of Éla echoes in Pope Francis’ pastoral vision: “I would prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its security” (Evangelii Gaudium, 49). The purpose of this article is to espouse the pastoral vision of Éla in light of the liberating mission of African theologians. This mission goes beyond armchair theologising toward engaging the people of God “under the tree.” With the granary understood as a metaphor for famine—and famine itself being the messenger of death—the article will also argue that the “friends of the gospel” are not at liberty to shut their eyes and drift off to sleep with a clear conscience, amidst a declining African social context.

Spirituality of Liberation in African Pentecostal Worship and Its Implications for Black Theology

ABSTRACT Pentecostal worship is widely studied with but little attention given to its link with a spirituality of liberation. This article uses literary analysis to demonstrate that African Pentecostal Worship (hereafter APW) is an expression of a spirituality of liberation with implications for Black theology. In order to achieve this, the article introduces Black theology within the theoretical framework of a spirituality of liberation. APW, an African style of worship, is discussed in relation to African Pentecostalism and Blackness. Three aspects of APW are discussed; a Spirit of liberation, the music of liberation and the sermons of liberation to illustrate their connection to a Spirituality of liberation. This Spirituality of liberation in APW has some implications for Black theology as it challenges Black theologians to incorporate African Pentecostalism in their studies. Therefore, Black theologians can no longer ignore the contribution of African Pentecostalism to the development of Black theology in Africa.

The african theology as practical theology

The purpose of this article is to show that African theology is both a practical theology as well as a speculative theology. It is a theology which was born from the perspective of finding a proper method of evangelization on the African continent. To do this, this theology went through different stages which led it to its scientific maturity. Thanks to the efforts made, this theology has provided a way to a deeper evangelization in the african cultural context. Inculturation, as one of the ways of doing theology in Africa, has become a key word in African theology. Inculturation has the advantage of frank and uncompromising dialogue between the Gospel and cultures. This dialogue subsequently allows an appropriation of the Gospel message in various african cultural backgrounds.

Prosperity Theology and African Traditional Religion

Studies of Prosperity Theology in Africa have increased as research into Pentecostalism has burgeoned, but few theological analyses have explored the significance of African Traditional Religions and their role in shaping Prosperity Theology. While some studies have explored the resonance of Prosperity Theology and African Traditional Religions, they tend to do so briefly, or with a focus on sociology rather than theology. Through a case study of Nigerian Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, this research tests the thesis that many have intuited: Prosperity Theology resonates with traditional African religion, and these resonances contribute to an explanation of the expression and proliferation of Prosperity Theology in Africa. Evaluating the resonance of Oyakhilome’s teaching with African Traditional Religions (relying especially on John S. Mbiti’s work) demonstrates that Oyakhilome’s emphasis on accessing blessing, spiritual enemies, and activating power draws heavily on the resources of the typical African religious worldview.

Современная христианская философско-теологическая мысль в Африке: особенности и проблемы

 статье представлен междисциплинарный анализ малоизученной проблематики становления и развития профессиональной христианской теологии в странах субсахарской Африки, осуществленный на стыке африканистики, философии и религиоведения. В ранний период развития африканской теологии главной проблемой был поиск точек соприкосновения автохтонной культуры и религиозных верований с христианством, стремление доказать, что можно быть христианином, не отказываясь от своей культуры. Стержнем африканской теологии являются библейские исследования, что объясняется исключительной ролью Библии в странах Африки (Библия – это и сакральный предмет, и основной учебник в начальном и среднем образовании, и книга для чтения, и реальное Слово Божье). Метод библейских исследований – инкультурация герменевтики, то есть интерпретация Священного Писания с позиций африканского контекста. В африканской теологии существуют специфические формы, зависящие от регионально-исторического и гендерного контекста: постколониальная, постапартеидная и феминистская теология. Идеолого-методологическим подходом в африканской теологии является афроцентризм, который, по мнению африканских богословов, определяет «историю цивилизации и спасения с Африкой и африканцами в центре», в связи с чем ведется поиск африканского присутствия в Библии. Основными парадигмами африканской теологии являются Освобождение и Реконструкция, исследуемые на основе библейских прецедентов. Статья основана на малоизвестных африканских материалах. Авторы приходят к выводу, что в Африке существует оригинальное, отличное от Европейского христианское богословие, позволяющее понять специфику культурно-идеологического климата современной Африки.

Practical Theology in Africa: Situation, Approaches, Framework and Agenda Proposition

Abstract Practical Theology’s situation in Sub-Saharan Africa is not well documented except in South Africa, despite a strong theological focus on practical ministry across the continent and considerable discussion of African contextual theologies, including African theology, Black theology, reconstruction theology and women’s theology. The article sketches the context by highlighting the gaps in the discussion of Practical Theology. It discusses embedded Practical Theological practices within contextual theologies and surveys Practical Theology’s focus and aspirations across Africa, highlighting practices in Anglophone Africa, Francophone Africa and Lusophone Africa. Finally, it deduces a framework for Practical Theology in Africa and identifies the challenges and tasks that should be put on the agenda of Practical Theology.

Western Theology in Africa: Christian Mission in the Light of the Undermining of Scientific Hegemony

AbstractComprehension of the Old Testament in indigenous African Christianity can draw deeply on, confirm, and uphold tribal traditions designed to prevent death, calamity, and infertility. Deep spirituality demonstrated in such comprehension contrasts with “remnant spirituality” in the West. Western people's awareness of their own religious underpinnings has lapsed. As a result, how well are Western Christians able to engage with holistic African communities? Holistic or integral mission can fall short through being a holistic means of introducing dualism. This article questions the legitimacy of science's intrusion on the Christian faith, and draws practical implications for the Western mission enterprise, such as the fact that it generates dependency.

Decolonising the commercialisation and commodification of the university and theological education in South Africa

This article problematises the critical subject of the decolonisation of the university and theological education in South Africa from the neo-colonisation of commercialisation and commodification. The article, written from a decolonial perspective, serves as an epistemic critique of the cultures of corporatisation, rationalisation and entrepreneurship in higher education driven by the marketisation of society by the neoliberal institutions of globalisation. The article engages the role of decolonising theological education by drawing insights from African/Black theologies, the discourse on Africanisation and liberation to counter the strangulation and dominance of the commodification and commercialisation of theological education and prosperity theology in Africa, particularly in South Africa.

The Justin Martyr's Concept of Logos Spermaticos and its Relevance to Theological Conversation in Africa Today

In this article the author argues that in the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Africans are found authentic revelation of the Logos, which should be regarded and appreciated as a preparation for the proclamation of the Gospel message in the African cultural and religious milieu. Indeed in African religious beliefs and practices, there are fundamental values that represent both a preparation for the incarnation of the Logos in the vast religious and cultural African heritage as well as means of salvation for the adherents, until a personal encounter between the individual followers of the African traditional Religion and the incarnate Logos takes place. This knowledge and conviction is fundamental indeed a conditio sine qua non for doing theology in Africa. As a consequence then, it remains a daunting task of the Church in Africa to discern the mysterious presence of the Logos in the African heritage, to purify it from the stains of human sin, which might have contaminated it, and then incorporate it into Christian heritage, so that, one may give witness to the universal character of the Church of Christ that embraces all peoples and cultures.

The impact of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians: French zone on church and African theology issues

We can understand that the Circle must work on two dimensions to provide a future for new woman theology in Africa. The first dimension is based on the intuitive fundamental and innovative sense of a woman from Ghana, Mercy Amba Oduyoye, that leads to the creation of the Circle: she impulsed the idea that women should make their own theology from their dailylife experiences and their subjectivity as women, in order to think on faith and Gospel in a different way. It is necessary to question that intuitive sense. The second dimension aims to revisit the great personalities of African woman theologians of the Circle. What are the essential points of their research? How has the research changed African theology? I particularly think of Musimbi Kanyoro, Nyambura Njoroge and Musa Dub� in the Africa English zone and Helene Yinda, Liz Vuadi, Kasa Dovi and Bernadette Mbuyi Beya in Africa French zone. The essence of their thinking is still actual and that is why they are good enough to project in to the future.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article presents the history of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians from creation to now. Issues related to traditional culture, gender and sexual-based violence, gender-based injustice, and HIV and AIDS are discussed under different approaches such as the biblical approach, hermeneutical approach, ethical approach, historical approach and practical approach. The impact of African Women Theologians speaking French will be particularly highlighted.Keywords: theology; women theologians; women empowerment; HIV/AIDS; gender

Ecclesiology and Ethics: A Critical Self-Reflection1

This contribution is based on the welcoming remarks of the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, the Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape, who opened the conference on “Ecclesiology and Ethics: The State of Ecumenical Theology in Africa,” hosted by the Department of Religion and Theology and the Desmond Tutu Centre for Spirituality, held at the University of the Western Cape on 3–5 June 2015. It is included here in the form in which it was presented at that conference.

Incarnational Theology in Africa: A Christo-Centric Perspective

In the course of this research, I observed two challenges in most of the post–colonial African theological discussions: lack of precision and inadequate methodology. These attempts generally suffer from two weaknesses. First, they rarely go beyond stressing the need for African theology by way of illustration. Secondly, quite often the proponents of such African theologies have gone about their task without a conscious examination of the methodology involved. Generally speaking, this work observed that the varying theological approaches of African theologians have brought the post–colonial African church to cross-roads. This is because African church has been exposed to many options ranging from vain syncretism, universalism, Chris-paganism, humanism, Africanization and so on. The method of approach is descriptive with the review of related extant material. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p263