2007/2008 COURSE CATALOGUE

NAIROBI, KENYA

Course: MARY AFST 550: Gospel and Culture: The African Experience

Course Overview
A systematic presentation of the interaction between African Cultures and the Christian Gospel.

Course Description:
Christianity in Africa is challenged by the resilience of African Culture. This has been the case wherever the Gospel has been preached. In turn, Christianity has challenged African Culture as it has done everywhere and throughout the ages.

This course is geared towards articulating this mutual challenge in terms of the resultant African Christian Culture that is still evolving. It will assess how far it contributes to the continuing mission of God in Africa through Christianity.

Approach:

An exploration of the interaction between Christianity and African Culture through lectures, book reviews, discussions and field researches.

I   1.) Introduction

The scope of the search
Life experiences of the interaction
What is Gospel?
What is Culture?
Which Africa?

     2.) "God was here before you"

Religious understanding and Primal World Views

     3.) Humanity and Community

The Core of African Culture

II   1.) Evangelizing Africa: Ancient and Modern

The Methodology of evangelization:
a) by the Euro-American Missionaries of the period 1830-1960
b) by the Churches that resulted from the above
c) by contemporary "charismatics"

     2.) Evangelizing Africa: Ancient and Modern

     3.) Living With Gospel and Culture

     4.) Issues arising from women's experience of the crossroads of Christianity and African Culture

III 1.) Critique of African Culture

a) From African Christian women's perspective
b) From African philosophical standpoint

     2.) Book Reviews

a) West Africa: Evangelization as Inculturation
b) Southern Africa: Evangelization as Incarnation

     3.) Wrap up Session: urgent missiological issues in Africa

a) The language of Christian Theology in Africa
b) The call for dialogue with people of other faiths
c) The "Baptism" of African cultural faiths into Christianity

Bibliography

Ariarajah, S. Wesley. (1994). Gospel and Culture: An On Going Discussion Within the Ecumenical Movement. Geneva: WCC Publications.

Idowu, Bolaji. (1973). Towards an Indigenous Church. Ibadan: Literature Department, Methodist Church. 

______. (1975). African Traditional Religion: A Definition. New York: Orbis. 

Isichei, Elizabeth. (1995). A History of Christianity in Africa From Antiquity to the Present. London: SPCK 

Ogbu, Kalu. Church Presence in Africa: A Historical Analysis of the Evangelization Process.

Mbiti, John. (1975). Prayers of an African Religion. London: SPCK. 

Olowola, Cornelius. (1993). African Traditional Religions and Christian Faith. Achimota, Ghana: African Christian Press.

Bediako, Kwame. (1995). Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of a Non-Western Religion. New York: Orbis. 

Healey, J. & Sybertz D. (Eds.). (1996). Towards an African Narrative Theology. New York: Orbis. 

Olupona, J.K. (1991). African Traditional Religions in Contemporary Society. NY: Paragon House. 

Kemdirin, P.O. and Mercy A.O. (Eds.). (1998). Women, Culture and Theological Education. ENUGU: WAATI. 

Sanneh, Lamin. (1993). Encountering the West. New York: Orbis. 

Abraham, K.C (Ed.). (1990). Third World Theologies: Commonalities & Divergences. New York: Orbis. 

Oduyoye, M.A. (1986). Hearing and Knowing. New York: Orbis.

_______.  (1995). Daughters of Anowa. New York: Orbis. 

Gyekye, Kwame. (1996). African Cultural Values: An Introduction. Philadelphia: Sankofa Publishing Company. 

Liyong, Taban Lo. (1972). Popular Culture of East Africa: Oral Literature. Nairobi: Longman. 

Pobee, J.S. (1992). Skenosis: Christian Faith in an African Context. Gweru, Zimbabwe: Mambo Press.

_________. (1996). West Africa: Christ Would be an African Too. Geneva: WCC Publications. 

Maimela, Simon (Ed.).  (1994). Culture, Religion and Liberation: Proceedings of the EATWOT Pan African Theological Conference Harare, Zimbabwe January 6-11, 1991 . Nairobi: AACC.

Beti, Mungo. (1971). The Poor Christ of Bomba. Oxford: Heinemann. 

wa Thiongo, Ngugi. (1982). I Will Marry When I Want. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers.

Muthume. (1994). Christianity and the Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe. In Maimela, Simon (Ed.), Culture, Religion and Liberation: Proceedings of the EATWOT Pan African Theological Conference Harare, Zimbabwe January 6-11, 1991 . Nairobi: AACC. (pp. 159-164).

Kasenene. (1994). Power, Impoverishment and Cultural Acquiescence. In Maimela, Simon (Ed.), Culture, Religion and Liberation: Proceedings of the EATWOT Pan African Theological Conference Harare, Zimbabwe January 6-11, 1991 . Nairobi: AACC.( pp. 105-115).

Emecheta, Buchi. Head Above Water: An Autobiography. Oxford: Heinemann, 1986.

Nasimiyu-Wasike. (1994). Liberation of Co-opted and Oppressive Culture and Religion.  In Maimela, Simon (Ed.), Culture, Religion and Liberation: Proceedings of the EATWOT Pan African Theological Conference Harare, Zimbabwe January 6-11, 1991 . Nairobi: AACC. (pp. 129-140).

Kanyoro, Musimbi & Nyambura J. Njoroge (Eds.). (1996). Groaning in Faith: African Women in the Household of God. Nairobi: Acton Press.

Moyo, Ambrose. (1996). Zimbabwe: The Risk of Incarnation. Geneva: WCC Publications. 

Kirwen, Michael. (1987). The Missionary and the Diviner: Contending theologies of Christian and African Religions. New York: Orbis.

Dickson, Kwesi A.  (1991).Uncompleted Mission: Christianity and Exclusiveness. New York: Orbis.