Anatomy of inculturation : transforming the church in Africa / Laurenti Magesa.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Magesa, Laurenti, 1946-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Christianity and culture--Africa.

Christianity and culture.

Africa.

Christianity--Africa.

Christianity.

Physical Description:

x, 286 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Maryknoll, N.Y. : Orbis Books, [2004]

Contents:

Part 1 The Current Experience 5

1. Inculturation in Kenya: Is It Happening? 9

Research Procedure 9

Conceptualizations of Inculturation in the Catholic Church 10

Understanding of Inculturation in the AICs 13

Process of Inculturation 16

What Areas Need Inculturating? 17

Women in the Church 29

Church and Development 29

Unity in Diversity 31

Understanding of the Bible 33

African Theology 34

2. Inculturation in Tanzania: Taking Popular Spirituality Seriously 36

Conceptualizations of Inculturation 37

Process and Praxis of Inculturation 40

Ethical Dimensions of Official Inculturation 44

Challenges and Problems 48

Constructive Imagination: Praxis of Inculturation among Ordinary Christians 52

3. Inculturation in Uganda: Appreciating New Ways of Being Church 62

Understanding of Inculturation 63

Facilitating Inculturation 65

The Purpose of Inculturation 67

African Theology, Church as a Family, and Dialogue 68

Church Unity and Development 70

The Liturgy 71

Instruments and Symbols 72

Morality 73

The Bible 74

Recommendations and Observations 75

4. Where Are We? Learning from the Data 77

The Practice of the Faith 77

Worship/Liturgy 79

Healing and Deliverance 81

Symbols, Leadership Structures and Gender Issues 82

The Bible 84

Ecumenism 84

Theology 85

Part 2 The Experience at the Beginning 87

5. Old Testament Foundations 89

Israel and the Nations 90

Change and Growth through Praxis and Experience 92

Divine Inspiration in the Old Testament 94

The Hebrew Bible, History and Myth 96

Africa and the Old Testament 99

6. Christianity in History: Early Beginnings 103

Jesus in Historical Christianity 103

Appropriating the Faith in New Testament Times 106

Africa and the New Testament 109

Interpreting the New Testament in Africa 111

7. Fine-tuning Structures and Doctrine: The Patristic Period 113

Development of Church Structure 113

Struggles about Doctrine 117

The African Contribution 119

8. The Age In-Between: Philosophers and Reformers 123

Thomas Aquinas, Scholasticism and the Enlightenment 123

Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue 125

The African Situation 127

9. The Church in Mission: The Cultural Dynamics of Encounter 133

The Original Missionary Impulse 133

Mission in Modern Times 134

Questions for Mission Today 136

The Practice of Mission 139

The Shape of the Encounter 143

Inculturation and Its Implications 144

The Function of Inculturation 145

Inculturation as Conversion 148

Inculturation and Identity 149

Inculturation and Imagination 153

Inculturation Is Always with Us 154

10. Ways of Imagining and Imaging the Holy 156

Christian Narratives of Revelation and Inculturation 156

Quest for Personal Voice/Agency 159

The African Palaver 160

The Bible as Paradigm 163

Life as the Sacred "Text" of Revelation 168

11. African Constructive Imagination: Review of Literature 171

Theology in a New Key 171

The Urgency of the Process 174

Methods and Strategies of Inculturation 175

A Home-Grown Product 177

Critiquing African Religion Constructively 180

Peace and Reconciliation 181

Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue 183

Official Church Perspectives 185

Part 3 A Look to the Future 189

12. Practical Models of the Church 191

Sources and Resources for "Planned" Inculturation 192

What Is Spirituality? 197

The Power of Ritual Celebration 202

Ritual Words and Actions 215

Sacred Images 221

The Seven Sacraments 225

Other Sacraments in Life 230

13. Christian Initiatives toward New Rites in Africa 234

African Initiated Churches 234

Experimentation in the Catholic Church 237

14. Some Pastoral Dimensions 247

Self-Identity of the African Church 248

Some Pastoral Questions 252

Searching for Unity in Diversity 257

African in the Twenty-First Century 264

Systemic Racism 267

Aspects of Liminality of the Church 268.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 273-279) and index.

ISBN:

1570755299

OCLC:

53331648