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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2009
Christianity in Africa is increasing by geometric progression, despite the prognosis of western missionaries based upon the supposed lack of maturity of African Christians, and the gloomy forecasts of some African nationalists, that since Christianity and colonialism came to Africa as Siamese twins, the exodus of the latter will inevitably lead to the demise of the former. African Christianity, in spite of its essentially alien character in many parts of the continent, has shown a remarkable resilience; and perhaps, like her Lord, when African Christianity seems utterly weak and powerless, then we must celebrate with ecstasy the Festival of the Resurrection.
page 385 note 1 Oosthuizen, G. C., Post Christianity in Africa: A Theological and Anthropological Study. C. Hurst London, 1968, p. xiGoogle Scholar.
page 386 note 2 ibid., p. 258.
page 386 note 3 ibid.
page 386 note 4 The ‘Confession of Alexandria’ was drafted and adopted by the General Committee of the A.A.C.C. in February, 1976, in Egypt. It is said to be double-edged: ‘A Confession of Sins’ and ‘A Confession of Faith’. It certainly relates the Christian faith to the African environment and Christians in Africa have been requested to reflect upon it. See von Sicard, S., ‘The Alexandria Confession: Some Implications for African Christian Theology’, Africa Theological Journal, Vol. 7, No. 2, 1978, pp. 20–33Google Scholar.
page 387 note 5 Idowu, E. Bolaji, Towards an Indigenous Church. Oxford University Press, Ibadan, 1965, p. 23Google Scholar.
page 387 note 6 ibid.
page 387 note 7 Sawyerr, Harry, Creative Evangelism: Towards a New Christian Encounter with Africa. Lutterworth, London, 1968Google Scholar. See especially Sections III & IV.
page 387 note 8 Beetham, T. A., Christianity and the New Africa. Pall Mall, London, 1966, pp. 45–50Google Scholar. Beetham claimed in his Preface that, ‘there are as yet not many Africans with a wide geographical knowledge of their continent’, and that is why he wrote this book. It is this type of arrogance that many Africans find offensive, especially as statements of this kind are not grounded on empirical evidence.
page 387 note 9 Mbiti, John, ‘Some African Concepts of Christology’, in Vicedom, G. F. (Ed.), Christ and the Younger Churches. S.P.C.K., London, 1972, p. 51Google Scholar.
page 387 note 10 Sundkler, B., The Christian Ministry in Africa. S.C.M., London, 1960, p. 62Google Scholar.
page 387 note 11 Many of the papers presented at the Consultation were later published in Dickson, K. and Ellingworth, P., Biblical Revelation and African Beliefs. Lutterworth, London, 1969Google Scholar.
page 388 note 12 Pope Paul's speech is quoted in part in Shorter, A., African Culture and the Christian Faith. Chapman, London, 1973, p. 219Google Scholar.
page 388 note 13 cf. Fasholé-Luke, E. W., ‘An African Indigenous Theology: Fact or Fiction?’ Sierra Leone Bulletin of Religion, Vol. 11, 1971, pp. 1–15Google Scholar. The Theological Education Fund of the World Council of Churches has done a great deal to develop theological education in Africa; but some of us were critical of its policies and strategies; particularly of the T.E.F. Study Guides which were meant for Third World Churches, even though nearly all the writers were western Christians. We could not help feeling that the dependence/domination process was being fostered by the T.E.F. In a recent article Prof. James Cone of the Union College, New York, U.S.A. has misunderstood the purpose of my article. See Cone, J., ‘A Black American Perspective on the Future of African Theology’, Africa Theological Journal, Vol. 7, No. 2, 1978, pp. 9–19Google Scholar.
page 390 note 14 Hastings, Adrian, African Christianity. Chapman, London, 1976, p. 58Google Scholar.
page 391 note 15 Shorter, A., African Christian Theology: Adaptation or Incarnation? Chapman, London, 1975Google Scholar.
page 391 note 16 Nyamiti, Charles, African Theology: Its Nature, Problems and Methods. Gaba Publications, Uganda, 1969 (now out of print)Google Scholar; The Scope of African Theology. Gaba Publications, Uganda, 1971.
page 392 note 17 The Africa Theological Journal published by the Lutherans from their Seminary has been revived and in 1979 the Ecumenical Association of African Theologians started its Bulletin of African Theology. It is our hope that these publications will provide the forum for sharing ideas about theologising in Africa.
page 393 note 18 Dickson, K. & Ellingworth, P., Biblical Revelation and African Beliefs. London, 1969. (A French edition was also published.)Google Scholar
page 393 note 19 Typed manuscript of Prof. Idowu's paper at the Ibadan Consultation, p. 9.
page 394 note 20 Journal of Religion in Africa Vol. II, Fasc. 3, 1969, pp. 202–205Google Scholar.
page 394 note 21 The Assembly was held at Abidjan, Ivory Coast. See A New Look at Christianity in Africa. W.S.C.F. Books, Vol. II, No. 2, June 1972, p. 1Google Scholar.
page 395 note 22 I have attempted to discuss this problem in an article for the Lambeth Conference, 1978, entitled: ‘People, the Church and Bishops as seen through African Eyes’, Today's Church and Today's World. C.I.O. Publishing House, London, 1978, pp. 3–6Google Scholar.
page 396 note 23 Quoted in Mshana, E. W., ‘The Challenge of Black Theology and African Theology’, Africa Theological journal, No. 5, December, 1972, pp. 19–30Google Scholar. I have found this article useful in writing this section of the paper.
page 397 note 24 The papers read at the Accra Consultation were later published in Journal of Religious Thought, Vol. 32, p. 975.
page 399 note 25 Idowu, E. Bolaji, Keynote Address at WAATI Conference, Institute of Church and Society, August 1974, p. 2 of typescript.Google Scholar
page 400 note 26 Torres, S. & Favella, V. (Eds.), The Emergent Gospel. Orbis Books, New York, 1978, p. 273Google Scholar.
page 401 note 27 Pobee, John S., Toward an African Theology, Abingdon, Nashville, 1979Google Scholar.
page 402 note 28 ‘Holy Father's Address at Conclusion of Synod of Bishops’, 26th October, 1974, L'Osservatore Romano, N.45, November 7th, 1974, p. 9. For a specious defence of Pope Paul's decision, see Shorter, African Christian Theology, pp. 150–5.
page 402 note 29 For an evaluation of pluralism in theology, see Macquarrie, J., Principles of Christian Theology, S.C.M., London, 1967Google Scholar and Moltmann, J., The Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit. London, S.C.M., 1975, pp. 79ffGoogle Scholar.
page 403 note 30 Quoted by Mshana, E. E. in art. cit, p. 24Google Scholar.
page 404 note 31 See ‘Meat and Water instead of Bread and Wine’, Africa Acts, Nairobi, January 1972Google Scholar.
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page 405 note 33 cf. Agbeti, J. K., ‘“African Theology”. What it is’, in Presence, Vol. 5, No. 3, p. 7Google Scholar.
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page 406 note 35 ibid., p. 32.
page 406 note 36 cf. Dickson, K. A., ‘Towards a Theologia Africana’, in Glasswell, M. E. and Fasholé-Luke, E. W., New Testament Christianity for Africa and the World. London, S.P.C.K., 1974, pp. 198–208Google Scholar; J., and Karefa-Smart, R., The Halting Kingdom. New York, Friendship Press, 1959, pp. 68–80.Google Scholar
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page 409 note 41 See Kibicho, S., ‘African Traditional Religion and Christianity’, A New Look at Christianity in Africa. W.S.C.F. Books, Vol. II, No. 2, pp. 14–21Google Scholar.
page 409 note 42 Macquarrie, J., Principles of Christian Theology, p. 23Google Scholar.
page 410 note 43 Fasholé-Luke, E. W., ‘The Quest for African Christian Theologies’, Scottish Journal of Theology, Vol. 29, No. 2, April, 1976, pp. 159–175CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
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page 411 note 45 Mbili, John, ‘Some African Concepts of Christology’, in Christ and the Younger Churches. Ed. Vicedom, C. F., London, S.P.C.K., 1972, pp. 51–62Google Scholar.
page 411 note 46 Pobee, John S., Toward an African Theology, pp. 81–98Google Scholar.
page 412 note 47 Boesak, Allan, Farewell to Innocence: A Social-Ethical Study on Black Theology and Black Power. Johannesberg, 1976, p. 119Google Scholar.
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page 412 note 49 cf. Fasholé-Luke, E. W., (Ed.), Evangelism in Modern Sierra Leone. Freetown, 1975, p. 26Google Scholar.