AFRICAN THEOLOGY LECTURE ONE INTRODUCTION TO THE EMERGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN THEOLOGY

Date: September 9, 2 9 !": Sam#e$ Y% Dere&&a C$a&&: Year III Christianity first came through apostle Mark in 1st century to Egypt In the 2nd century, church historians like Tertulian, Origen and Augustin contri uted a lot to the de!elopment of theology throughout the "orld# Athnesius, the ishop of Egypt, also contri uted to the Christian doctrine from Egypt, "hich adopted the more philosophical type of theology in $2%# Fa$&e &tateme't: &'efore the appearance of Islam (orth Africa "as properly part of the Meditranian "orld, rather than of )'lack Africa*, it is also the case that y the middle of +th century the Christian faith had penetrated south"ards as far as Ethiopia, The -ortuguese Catholic rought Christianity for the first time to the south of the .ahara# And /im a 0ita ecame the first con!ert, "ho associated Christ and 1is disciples to the lack race, and Christ*s role as &li erator from po!erty and oppression, and looked for"ard to a lack millennium on earth#, 12th century is said to e the eginning of &great trust of -rotestant Missions into Africa,, and &their origins in the e!angelical A"akening, There "ere attempts to make to church in Africa Indigenous church, and there "as a special call for the same cause from 3hana, y 'ishop .amuel Ad4ayi Cro"ther and 5ames 5ohnson# Fa$&e &tateme't a(a)': &It has een only "ithin the last forty years or so that a real mo!e to"ards rethinking the Christian faith in African terms, and of doing theology in African conte6t, has got under"ay#,

Fa*t+r& Lea,)'( t+ t-e De.e$+pme't +/ A/r)*a' T-e+$+(" 1) The movement for independence from colonial powers in 1950s and 1960s - It did not gi!e sense for Africans li!ing under colony, that the church remained !ery European, "hilst the nation is getting its independence# 2) The rediscovery of the value of traditional African culture - The African traditional culture started to e more and more appreciated - The & lack Consciousness Mo!ement, in south Africa also took stapes in initiating the idea of appreciating African traditions in 1278s - This lead to the fact that the African tradition e related to &the truth of Christian faith, 3) African Independent hurches - The moti!e to sho" that Africans are a le to lead the church "ithout the help of missionaries - This mo!ement came to sho" itself in African continent from 1288 on"ards

Their contri ution in forming )',)(e'+#& t-e+$+(" "as !ery little, ut could de!elop their o"n liturgy and hymn ooks# 9: The contri ution of the ;esterners - In 1297, <r Temples "rote on !antu "hilosophy, and &sho"ed that African religious thought is systematic and logical#, - -arrinder also started his systematic study of African religion - 12+8, 'ishop .undkler "rote on The hristian #inistry in Africa, and started to e6amine the African Independent churches# S-+rt*+m)'(& +/ t-e 0e&ter' M)&&)+'ar)e& 1) $alse "re%suppositions& &There "as an =a "rong> a"areness that Christianity has een introduced into Africa during the colonial era, and seemed to ha!e prospered largely ecause it had een supported y the ruling European po"ers, Contrary to "hat is mentioned a o!e, the reality was that oloni'ers were wor(in) hand in hand with the church missionaries* and therefore shared the responsi+ility of the in,ustice that has happened in this continent# 2) #issionary attempt to devalue African traditions? They mostly dismissed African @eligion as &heathen and pagan, &this left no room for a sympathetic appreciation of all that "as good in African culture, nor for the assimilation of traditional ideas and rituals into Christianity, ;estern missionaries stressed aspects of discontinuity et"een Christianity and African cultures and traditional religion to such an e6tent that they e6clude aspects of continuity et"een Christianity and African cultures and religion# They condemned "ithout proper e!aluation African religious eliefs and practices and su stantiated ;estern cultural and religious practices# AE# <ashole-Buke in hristianity in Independent Africa, p# $C7: .ome made a complete reak et"een African traditional heritage and Christianity And the others struggled "ithin themsel!es E1p$a'at)+'& -resident /aunda stated that &"ithin himself,, there e6isted &a tension created y collision of t"o "orld-!ie"s,, "hich he al"ays affirmed that he "as ne!er een a le to reconcile# Arch ishop Desmond Tutu e6plains this as Africa eing suffering from &religious schiEophrenia, ecause of the conflict in them et"een Christianity and their identity as an African# The Fuestion is, ho" can I e Christian and African at the same timeG

C+'*er'& +/ Pre&e't ,a" C-r)&t)a' T-e+$+(" )' A/r)*a According to -arratt, there e6ists t"o concerns in African theology? One is its relationship to political po"er, and the second is its relationship to the culture Desmond Tutu and 'utheleEi are concerned a out its political dimension (yamiti and Dikcson are concerned a out its cultural dimension -owever* would it +e possi+le to classify the two.

'ishop Tshi angu, contrary to the a o!e argument in classifying the concern in the present day African theology, states that &the political and cultural approaches must e inter"o!en if Christian theology is to deal adeFuately "ith the pro lems "ith "hich it is faced,# Though there are differences in the emphasis, oth &cultural and political theology, said to e !alid in Africa, and are not &mutually e6clusi!e, P+$)t)*a$ *+'*er' is "ith respect to the relationship et"een the state and the church# The /,amma concept introduced y -resident (yerere of TanEania, and the -umanitarianism, "hich "as the idea of -resident /aunda of Him a "e, "ere acked up Asupported: y theology in Africa# 'lack theology of .outh Africa, also, "as a protest against the go!ernment from the Christian African point of !ie"# 1o"e!er, it is different y its nature since it "as de!eloped no in fa!or of the go!ernment, ut against# In the "ritings of .outh Africans, ho"e!er, one can o ser!e that they make clear distinction et"een 'lack theology, "hich is politically oriented, and African theology, "hich for them seem to focus on cultural theology# <or e6ample, Arch ishop Tutu, "hen descri ing a out the contri ution of .outh Africa for African theology, he makes such distinctions# <or lack theology, li eration is not only related to the sal!ation of ones soul, ut li eration from all physical operation, po!erty, sickness, etc 'lack theology is more concerned "ith &orthopra6is,- right action, rather than &Orthodo6y,-the right teaching# 0uestion& It is ri)ht to divide +etween 1orthopra2is3 and 1orthodo2y3 in African conte2t. in other words* can a ri)ht action e2ist without the ri)ht teachin)* if not a matter of concern. According to 'ishop Tutu, African theology "hich focuses on the relationship et"een Christianity and culture should also e gi!en due consideration, for it is ased on the assumption that all cultures are 3od gi!en, and therefore, African tradition is taken as &preparation for the gospel,# In the I adan conference of 12++, it "as asserted that? ;e elie!e that 3od the father of our Bord 5esus Christ, Creator of 1ea!en and earth, Bord of 1istory, has een dealing "ith mankind at all times and in all parts of the "orld# It is "ith this con!iction that "e study the rich African heritage of our African peoples, and "e ha!e e!idence that they kno" of 1im =3od> and "orship 1im# I/no"ledge of 3od is not totally discontinues "ith our people*s pre!ious traditional kno"ledge of 1im#

A/r)*a' T-e+$+(" Re.)&)te, 23+-' S% P+bee4 5ohn -o ee and M iti "ere class meets at Cam ridge Jni!ersity, J/ in 12+8s# They "ere influenced y &social in!ol!ement, intellectual stimulation and rigor,# -o ee first "rote on a ook entitled, &To"ards African Theology, A1272: ;hen they started "riting a out the issue of African Theology, there "ere fe" in!ol!ed, like 1arry .a"yer A12+%: 2nd generation, (yamiti, hrist as Ancestors, A12%9:, 5ean Marc Ela African ry A12%+:, etc $rd de!elopment "ould e the "omen African contri ution

M iti is said to e a pioneer in African Theology Opp+&)t)+'&: .olomon M# Muthukya, 3eneral .ecretary of East African Christian Alliance "rote? The secret ehind the AfricaniEation of Christianity is the "ork of .atan himself, and the spirit of Anti-Christ# 1e =the ad!ocate of African Theology> aims at the heathenisation of the African Church#

Others thought that it is a mo!e for &African nationaliEation donning theology, &African theology, is nothing more than the attempt to culture the selfdisclosure of 3od in the African soilK it is a theology minted y African hands,# There is a need to collect and analyEe African theology ased on oral tradition, as has een suggested y M iti as "ell#

Sett)'( a(e',a& /+r A/r)*a' t-e+$+(": 1: C#$t#re: &;ith the attempt of nationhood and politicians emphasiEing the African -ersonality, theology in Africa had to gro" out of the European model so as to engage homo Africans#, ontradictions& ;here should the theologiEing startG &"ould it not e radical to start from the gi!en African realities of culture and "ork ack"ards to ChristianityG, or &"here does the inherited tradition, "hich is still part of the African*s Christian identity fit into theology in AfricaG, - The answer )iven to the a+ove 4uestion must ma(e sure that 1African theolo)y must +e prepared to travel with African people into their past in order to understand their present and future53 2: C+'te1t +/ P$#ra$)&m? African theology should e done in a plural conte6t so that it may address the ma4or religions in Africa, "hich are Islam, Christianity and African Traditional @eligion AAT@:# - &If theology is to ser!e the coherence and peace of the society, then African theology has to e dialectical and dialogical,# - The pro lems comes "hen dealing "ith the nature of 5esus Christ, especially in his di!inity# One should also make take the centrality of 5esus Christ into consideration# $: Area +/ P+$)t)*&? -olitics play ma4or role in Africa, to the e6tent that it affects its theology# Especially, &the political ethics is on the agenda,# &The issue of gods of our time namely po"er, possession, and pride, need further attention# 9: P+.ert"? Including the material po!erty, the issues of &marginaliEation and degradation, of peoples "hich e taken in to consideration "hen talking a out po!erty# Therefore, &African theology needs to de!elop its hermeneutic of the poor more sharply than it has done so far,

C: Area +/ 0+r&-)p? &the homo African dances out religion,# Theology in Africa is mostly e6pressed through song# 'ut, theology in Africa has not gone to the roots, and disco!er this reality so far# +: !)b$)*a$ S*-+$ar&-)p: 'i lical scholarship "as said to ha!e elonged to the ;esterners, ut not Africans# This created a tendency that African theology may depend on Oral traditions# 1o"e!er, for the theology to e de!eloped properly, one has to take note of the fact that scripture the asis of theology# 6ource for the 7ecture& 5ohn -arratt, A 8eader in African Btd#, Bondon, 'ritain: 1227 hristian Theolo)y, ABatimer Trend L Company

5ohn .# -o ee, &African Theology @e!isited, in 5aco /# Olupopa and .ulayman .# (yang, Aeds#:, 8eli)ious "lurality in Africa% 9ssays in -onor of :ohn 65 #+iti A'erlin? Mouton De 3ruyter, 122$:

A/r)*a' T-e+$+(" Le*t#re T5+ A/r)*a' Tra,)t)+'a$ Re$)()+' a& !a&)& /+r 6T-e+$+()a A/r)*a'a7 Date: 28 +/ September, 2 !" Sam#e$ Y+'a& C$a&&: De(ree III 9

3"inyai 1# MuEore"a, The ;ri)in and <evelopment of African Theolo)y A-u lisherG 12%C: Most African theologians take African traditional religion as asis of their theology, &theologia Africana, The ingredients of these theology are? 3od, ancestral spirit, the concept of good and e!il and humanity These are o ser!ed in the "orks of E# 'ola4i Ido"u, 5ohn .# M iti, and 1arry .a"yerr 1arry .a"yerr states? There is a strong case for a )theologia Africana* "hich "ill seek to interpret Christ to the African in such a "ay that he feels at home in the ne" faith The only "ay African can feel at home, according to these African theologians, is if continuity is assured et"een African traditional religion and Christianity In order to make sure this can happen, one should study AT@ !ery carefully

T-e C+'*ept +/ G+, )' A/r)*a Most African theologians elie!e that Africans ha!e one concept of 3od Ido"u states that &there is no place, age, or generation "hich did not recei!e at some point in its history some form of re!elation, Thus, de!eloping African theology can ase its theologian tenants on the one 3od "hose re!elation has occurred in different forms to !arious race and generations# According to Ido"u, there is one 3od in Africa, ut named differently Malcolm 5# Mc0eigh also states? The 3od of African Traditional @eligion and Christianity is in fact the same 3od# 3od "ho recei!ed himself fully in 5esus Christ is none other than the one "ho has continually made himself kno"n to African religious e6perience# The re!elation to "hich Ido"u and Mc0eigh refers is one of the asis on "hich African traditionalists claim to kno" 3od This leads us to the concept of natural theology The use of oth general and special re!elation ena les African theologians to present 3od oth as immanent and transcendent# +

M iti states, &strictly speaking, Theo-Bogy has to do primarily "ith 3od, and all other things must spring from it, Attri+utes of =od? - 3#&t)*e is an attri ute of 3od on "hich African Theology should also take into consideration - In traditional life, 3od al"ays is elie!ed to inter!ene into humans life for the sake of securing 4ustice - Therefore* it !ital for African theologians to include the issue of 4ustice "hile theologiEing in order to address politics - I'.)&)b$e: Africans also elie!e that 3od is in!isi le - In oth Christianity and African Traditional @eligion, 3od is a spirit eing Ain!isi le: - African theology elie!es that 3od is an in!isi le spirit, and yet, can e felt physically# T-e C+'*ept +/ A'*e&tra$ Sp)r)t The elief in the continuity of life keeps African to think of their community as a li!ing community# Ancestors are elie!ed to ha!e supernatural po"er in African Traditional religion The reason as to "hy it is important for African theologians to take the issue of ancestors into their theologiEing effort is that ancestorology places great emphasis on the spirit "orld# Ancestors make a link "ith spirit "orld and the li!ing human eings A li!ing human eing can make a con!ersation "ith the spiritual or the li!ing dead# Therefore, ancestral "orship has spiritual dimension# This then ma(es African Traditional 8eli)ion a live +ac()round for a relevant theolo)y 5ohn -o ee states? &3od the .upreme 'eing has delegated the authority to the a+osum Agods: and the mpanyinto Athe ancestors:, "ho, therefore, act in loco <ei and pro <ei,# 'ased on this, African Theology can de!elop a doctrine of pneumatology "ithin the frame"ork of ansesterology Asince the role of the 1oly .pirit is to mediate et"een the li!ing human eings and 3od: T-e C+'*ept +/ G++, a', E.)$ African concept of good and e!il is related to myths mostly told among Africans# According to the myths, e!erything that 3od created at first is good, and that e!il came later to destroy it# Therefore, "hen Africans deal "ith the issue of e!il, it is "ith the moti!e of capturing the original ideal state# ;hen "est take much time on esta lishing the origin of e!il, African theology deals "ith its cause and effect African theology therefore takes the form of pro lem-sol!ing theology, rather than pro lem-oriented theology an one +e realistic without the other. According to African Traditional @eligion, e!il e6ists, though no one kno"s its origin E!il has agents such as human, spiritual and natural forces

-o ee classifies e!il according to its cause and secondary cause? ;itches are in the first category, and human eings "ho does "rong are in a second category# The difference is& "itches are taken o!er y e!il in!oluntarily, "hile human eings do e!il y choice# That does not mean the "itch is e!il, ut the spirit that possess her Ashe is good:

T-e C+'*ept +/ H#ma')t" M iti states? .ince African people consider the uni!erse to e centered on man, it is to e e6pected that there "ould e more myths a out man*s o"n origin and early state than a out anything else Therefore, the concept of humanity takes central part of African Theology African humanity is defined in the conte6t of community African humanity is est defined in terms of ser!ing ones o"n kinship, folk, and through de!eloping a sense of elonging# (o humanity "ithout sharing the sense of community, or else, heMshe is considered to e an enemy# In the "ords of Mercy Oduyoye? Africans recogniEe life as life-in-community# ;e can truly kno" oursel!es if "e remain true to our community, past, present and future# The concept of indi!idual success or failure is secondary# The Ethnic group, the !illage, the locality, are crucial in one*s estimation of oneself# Our nature as eingin-relation is a t"o-"ay relation? "ith 3od and "ith our fello" human eings# This is the reason "hy African theologians argue that &doing African theology should e a process of AfricaniEation,#