Explores: Issues of concern in relation to intercultural facilitation of formational discipleship praxis, in African contexts, with particular regard to: theology, pedagogy and mutuality:
African Missiological Imperatives
Theological flexibility · Theology is based in history · Theology involves commitment · Union of theology and spirituality · Theology is innately missionary · Holistic worldview · Centrality of community
Spirituality and Worldview
Pentecostal Spirituality · Hebraic Worldview
African Perception of Covenant
“Madu” – A Testimony
Pedagogy
Scripturally-based Training Models · Learning Methods · Orality and Literacy
Mutuality
Facilitating Contextualisation · Intercultural Mutuality
Overview
The rapid post-WW2 demise of imperial colonialism evoked an ever-growing confidence from liberated peoples. At the height of the era of immediate post-colonial nationalism, a moratorium on Western mission was repeatedly demanded. Whilst never comprehensively implemented, the effect on Western missionary confidence was palpable (Nthamburi 1983, 167; Allmen 1975). Nevertheless, a lingering spectre of Western missionary hegemony lived on, not least via the institution of theological education itself.
The Western hegemony from which African theology needs to be liberated can be summed up in five points.
First, Western theology was centred on an individualistic worldview that did not fit the African believer’s community-oriented worldview.
Second, the Western theological curriculum taught in Africa was a transplantation of Western curricula and was expressed in foreign terms.
Third, African theology was considered non-rational, non-systematic and was denied authority of dialogue with other theologies.
Fourth, the methods used to teach the Western theological content were centred on formal education which was considered the best form of education.
Last, the individualistic worldview did not prepare the African believers to be stewards of their community. Consequently, Africans have remained poor materially, despite the rich resources on the continent. It should, however, be noted that the primary cause for misery in Africa is failure in leadership on the continent. Western imperialism tends to take advantage of African leadership loopholes (Ntamushobora 2009).
Contextualisation theory increased the available leverage for Majority World leaders critiquing the concept and praxis of modern theological education and whether it was culturally-appropriate as the primary form of ecclesiastical ministerial formation and instrumental foundation of Majority World churches’ participation in the missio Dei.
In seeking to resolve identifiable tensions associated with this issue, the theory of contextuality identifies the necessity of discerning contextual missiological factors that indicate the potential of a more effective engagement between Majority World churches and their cultural contexts.
Unified bibliography.