Biblical Christianity in Africa

Theological Perspectives in Africa: No. 2

BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY

IN AFRICA

a collection of

papers and addresses

Byang H. Kato, B.D., S.T.M., Th.D.

AFRICA CHRISTIAN PRESS

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©AFRICA CHRISTIAN PRESS

First edition 1985

ISBN 9964 87 793 5

Theological Perspectives in Africa

A series of monographs designed to provide, in handy format, theological perspectives on vital issues facing Christianity in Africa today.

General Editor Tite Tienou (Bobo Dioulasso, Upper Volta)

Consulting Editors David Gitari (Embu, Kenya)Cornelius Olowola (Igbaja, Nigeria)

Titles issued to date:1 Tite Tienou, The Theological Task of the Church in Africa 2 Byang Kato, Biblical Christianity in Africa

Trade orders to:Nigeria: Challenge Bookshops, PMB 12256, Lagos, and Fellent Ltd, PO Box 5923, LagosKenya: Keswick Bookshop, PO Box 10242, Nairobi, and Kesho Publications, PO Box 30351, NairobiS. Africa: ACLA, PO Box 332, Roodepoort 1725, TransvaalAustralia: Bookhouse, PO Box 115, Flemington Markets, NSW2129UK: ACP, 49 Thombury Road, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 4LE

All other countries:Africa Christian Press, PO Box 30, Achimota, Ghana, W. Africa

Photo typeset by Nuprint Services Ltd, Harpenden, Herts and printedin England by Arrowsmith, Bristol

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CONTENTS

Preface viiSources ix

1 Theological anemia in Africa (February 1973) 112 The theology of eternal salvation (January 1974) 153 Contextualization and religious syncretism in Africa (July 1974) 234 Christianity as an African religion (April 1975) 325 Theological issues in Africa (September 1975) 40

Suggestions for further reading 54

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The views expressed in these monographs are those ofeach author and do not necessarily represent those of theeditors of the series or of the publisher.

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PREFACE

Byang Kato was a man of experience and ability. Born in Nigeria in1936, he was raised in tribal religion by his parents. Under the ministryof a local African teacher he became a Christian and later enteredIgbaja Bible College to train for Christian work. After graduation, Katoserved as a youth leader, as a counsellor with African Challengemagazine, and as a Bible school teacher. He attended London BibleCollege, and in 1966 obtained the University of London B.D. degree.On his return to Nigeria, he was elected general secretary of theEvangelical Churches of West Africa (ECWA). In 1971 Kato completedhis S.T.M. degree, and in 1974 his Th.D. degree, both from DallasTheological Seminary. In 1973 he was elected general secretary of theAssociation of Evangelicals of Africa and Madagascar (AEAM). In 1974 he was chosen as vice-president of the World EvangelicalFellowship (WEF), and in 1975 appointed chairman of its theologicalcommission. In December 1975 the Christian world was shocked toleam of his accidental death by drowning while on holiday.

Byang Kato was a man of commitment and vision. His life wasdominated by his devotion to Jesus Christ, and by his love for Africa.His whole ministry was directed toward the rootage and growth ofbiblical Christianity on the continent. He was especially troubled byevidence of theological indifference and deviation within the church,and sought by every means to strengthen theological life within Africa.In his continental and his international leadership roles, Kato endea-voured to rally Christians to the theological tasks confronting the causeof Christ today. He wrote and spoke, he encouraged and challenged,and he dreamed dreams. From his vision arose an AEAM commissionto give theological direction among Christians in Africa, an accreditingservice for African theological colleges, and two post-graduate schoolsof theology, one for francophone Africa and the other for anglophoneAfrica. His vision continues to influence those who give leadershiptoday in theological life in Africa.

At the time of his death in 1975, Kato had published one book andcompleted two smaller pamphlets. But much of Kato's material wasleft in generally unorganized and unedited form. Several of his paperswere published as articles during his lifetime, and others appearedafterward. These often exist in several different published and unpub-lished versions. In order to meet the continuing interest in Byang Kato,and in what he wrote and said, we have here gathered together inhandy and easily accessible form five major papers and addresses thatByang Kato gave between 1973 and 1975. These have been edited,sometimes abbreviated, and - where different versions exist - also

collated. Footnotes have been left as they appear in Kato's originaltext. Full reference for the sources of these materials is given on pagesix, x.

While these materials are of historical interest, in charting an impor-tant aspect of recent Christian theological life in Africa, they are also ofabiding relevance for all those who today share Kato's vision for aChristianity on the continent that will be, in Kato's phrase, 'trulybiblical and truly African'.

Tite Tienou Upper Volta______________________________________________________

SOURCES

THEOLOGICAL ANEMIA IN AFRICA

Part of this material formed the paper Theological Trends in AfricaToday' presented 4 February 1973 to the Third General Assembly ofthe Association of Evangelicals of Africa and Madagascar, at Limuru,Kenya, and published in Perception No. 1 (March 1974). The revisedand expanded version here presented first appeared in Africa NowNo. 76 (September-October 1974) under the title 'We are at aTurning Point in Africa's Church History'.

THE THEOLOGY OF ETERNAL SALVATION

A paper first read at a theological consultation at Limuru, Kenya,sponsored by the Theological Commission of the Association ofEvangelicals of Africa and Madagascar, 8-10 January 1974, and laterpublished in Perception No. 14 (October 1978).

CONTEXTUALIZATION AND RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM IN AFRICA

An address given at the International Congress on World Evangeliza-tion, Lausanne, Switzerland, 16-25 July 1974, and subsequentlypublished in Let the Earth Hear His Voice, ed. J. D. Douglas(Minneapolis, 1975) 1216-1223, under the title "The Gospel, CulturalContext and Religious Syncretism'.

CHRISTIANITY AS AN AFRICA RELIGION

First given as an address at the Nigerian 'National Congress onEvangelization', University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, 21 April 1975. Firstpublished in Perception No. 16 (May 1979).

THEOLOGICAL ISSUES IN AFRICA

Part of this material was first given as a public lecture at the Universityof Nairobi in Kenya, 27 September 1975, under the title 'BlackTheology and African Theology'. In that form it appeared in Theolo-gical News viii.1 (January 1976), and later in Perception No. 6(October 1976) and the Evangelical Review of Theology i. 1 (October1977). The expanded version here presented appeared first as twoconnected articles in Bibliotheca Sacra cxxxiii.530 (April-June 1976)and cxxxiii.531 (July-September 1976), under the titles TheologicalIssues in Africa' and 'An Evaluation of Black Theology'.

1THEOLOGICAL ANEMIA

IN AFRICA (February 1973)

Biblical Christianity in Africa is being threatened by syncretism,universalism, and Christo-paganism. The spiritual battle for Africaduring this decade will be fought, therefore, largely on theologicalgrounds. But the church is generally unprepared for the challengebecause of its theological and biblical ignorance. There are at least twomajor reasons for this.

First, the church was not prepared for the unexpected phenomenalgrowth evident today. Dr. Raymond Davis of the Sudan InteriorMission bears this out in his statement: 'Neither missions nor thechurch in Africa accurately anticipated and consequently planned forthe magnitude of today's demands. We face an unexpected crisis inmany areas of Africa today as the result of great and unprecedentedchurch expansion.'

Secondly, theological ignorance or neglect by our forebearers.Thank God the picture is changing, but the fact remains that thechurch in Africa is suffering from theological anemia due to the failuresof the past. Professor John Mbiti of Kenya has rightly observed:'Mission Christianity was not from the start prepared to face a seriousencounter with either traditional religions and philosophy or themodem changes taking place in Africa. The church here now findsitself in the situation of trying to exist without a theology.'

In a frantic mood, African theologians have embarked upon the taskof formulating a theology for Africa. That Africans have a uniquecontribution to make to theological debates is undeniable. But thebrand of theology being proposed includes features such as: the use ofsources other than the Scriptures as in equal standing with the revealedWord of God, the possibility of salvation in African traditional religions,

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12 Biblical Christianity in Africa

and a strong emphasis on things African for their own sake. Dr. J. K.Agbeti of Ghana states: 'Materials about African religion are being

collected and collated regionally. From these regional sources couldgrow later a religion which could be truly called African Religion. It willbe from this source that an African theology may be developed.'

This great enthusiasm about African religions is one sad dangerevident in some of the formulations by these theologians. Many ofthem fail to see the unique nature of Biblical revelation. They mayhold the view of a unique Christ, but at the same time assume anerrant Bible. But how can I know for sure about Jesus Christ in anerrant Bible? Inerrant authoritative Scriptures can alone give us reliablefacts about Jesus Christ and man's relationship to Him.

Africans need to formulate theological concepts in the language ofAfrica. But theology itself in its essence must be left alone. The Biblemust remain the basic source of Christian theology. EvangelicalChristians know of only one theology-Biblical theology-though itmay be expressed in the context of each cultural milieu.

Most African universities have a department of religions. The basicphilosophy of many of these departments appears to be a search forpeaceful coexistence between religions in Africa. The prevailingattitude is that Christianity is only one of the many ways of salvation,though it may be understood as a fulfilment of all other religions. Theinfluence of these university departments is going to grow.

The ecumenical movement is exerting enormous pressures withinAfrica. Dr. George Peters says: 'It is evident that evangelical missionshave not taken the ecumenical movement seriously enough. Theevangelical younger churches as a whole are not able to withstand thepressure and the play on nationalism on the one hand, and thepromises and enticements on the other. Bold and tactful indoctrination,rather than cold denunciation, is urgently needed.' The primary goalof ecumenism, according to R. B. Lightner, is 'world-wide cooperationand fellowship among all religious bodies regardless of doctrinalagreement' Since the goal is union, doctrine is played down. Theconstant cry is, 'Doctrine divides, service unites.' 'The real danger tothe ecumenical movement in Africa', Professor John Mbiti warns, 'liesin attaining a church unity which then becomes a theological stagnationfor those who subscribe or belong to it'

Ecumenism offers many attractions. There is an emphasis onnationalism, and the claim of being the champion of unity-attractivefactors to the governments of Africa. There is also the emphasis onleadership training. Nearly a hundred Asian and African students are____________________________________________________

Theological anemia in Africa 13

enrolled in liberal seminaries in the USA through ecumenical scholarship programmes. The World Council of Churches spends $3 million every five years on students from the Third World. Ecumenism has already asserted great influence in Africa.

The evangelical church in Africa, as a whole, is at a historic turning point. Her future will be decided by what happens in the next few years. If she is to meet the challenge, theological training must be strengthened. Every possible means of teaching the church must be expanded and deepened and strengthened. This must be done at every level, but particularly at the highest leadership levels. While it is true that Africa needs help of many kinds, it is in the area of church leadership that evangelicals are most lacking. This is an expensive proposition, but it must be done. Top priorities include the following:

Seminary training. It is true that Jesus Christ used humble, unlearned Galilean fishermen, but it is also true that He commissioned well- educated men such as Paul and Luke, and gave them vital roles in defining and defending the church's doctrinal position. More seminary-level theological schools need to be established in Africa. The present ones need to be strengthened, and their teaching made accessible to many more church leaders.

Graduate training. There is not a single evangelical theological school in Africa that offers a post-graduate degree, in a continent whose 'Christian' population now exceeds 100 million. Qualified Christianmen and women looking for advanced training have nowhere to turnwithin Africa. The recently-formed Theological Commission, of theAssociation of Evangelicals of Africa and Madagascar, is activelyseeking to establish two such schools, one in English and one inFrench. They will cost money that Africa's evangelicals do not have.

Scholarship programmes. At this stage, when churches are justemerging in many ways, many Africans must be sent abroad fortheological studies. With few exceptions the policy has been to sendmen overseas only for training they cannot get within their owncountry. But there are many qualified students who cannot be sentoverseas because there is not the money to send them. Funds forscholarships within Africa are sorely needed.

Publications. Most theological writing by African authors, at anacademic level, is by liberals or those sympathetic to liberal theology.________________________________________________________


Africa needs an indigenous evangelical theological journal, along thelines of Christianity Today.

Theological society. A theological society should be formed, toprovide evangelical African theologians with a platform for propagatingsound theology and gaining a hearing in educated circles.

There is no way that Africa can adequately finance these needs. Atthis point in our history, the church of Jesus Christ worldwide mustshare its bounty with those members of the body that are in specialneed. It is very important that missionary-minded Christians be alertedto the danger facing the tremendous work they have built in Africaover the years. As they have given to build in the past, if is needful thatthey give now to protect the future. The emphasis must be uponseeing that the Lord's work moves ahead, regardless of who is doing it,missionary or African. I put forward the suggestion that for everymissionary sent to Africa by churches in the West, those churchesundertake the training of at least one African for the church in Africa.

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2 THE THEOLOGY OF

ETERNAL SALVATION (January 1974)

We are engaged in a battle for the survival of sound biblical Christianity in the African continent Should the revealed Christian faith be sacrificed at the altar of syncretistic universalism, in the guise of contextualization? Should the church in Africa exchange eternal values of the Kerygma for 'one morsel'? Or is the evangelical concern for eternal values nothing more than a 'pie-in-the-sky by-and-by' theology? These are issues that require attention in Africa today.

1. The Human Crisis

Some months ago I fell sick while speaking at a church meeting. It wasa sudden stomach seizure. I was rushed to the hospital. At the emer-gency room they took a series of tests to determine the root cause ofmy illness. I was anxious to get some medicine. But after several teststhe doctor sent me home — without a single pill. He could not find the

cause, and so he would not give a treatment. Indeed no doctor worthyof the name would give a prescription without a proper diagnosis. Wecan learn something from this, as we face the far weightier questions ofthe human crisis. Correct diagnosis is necessary before treatment. Awrong theology of sin necessarily ends up with a wrong concept ofsalvation.

Exploitation, disease, abject poverty, and deprivation of the basicnecessities of life have been the lot of the majority of African people.But what is the root cause of these human tragedies? Would man'sproblems be solved after alleviation of physical suffering and materialdeprivation? Is putting clothes on a man's back and food in hisstomach the way to solve man's basic need? Is political liberation the

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final answer? History counters any positive answers to these questions.Man's root problem is beyond these issues.

The high rate of crime, the utter discontentment, and the emptinessprevalent in the industrialized nations of the world is a sad commentaryon our Lord's words that 'man's life does not consist in what he has'.Every inch of the African continent may be liberated from foreigndomination, every family may have two cars in the garage, and everyAfrican may be a college graduate, but that still will not save theAfrican from his fundamental dilemma. These current ills will only bereplaced with new and probably worse tragedies.

Francis Schaeffer is stating universal truth when he says: 'Sincethere are aspirations which separate man from his impersonal universe,man then faces at the heart of his being a terrible, cosmic, finalalienation. He drowns in cosmic alienation, for there is nothing in theuniverse to fulfil him in all that there is.’ The nature of man's funda-1

mental dilemma does not lie in mere physical suffering. It does not lieprimarily in horizontal relationships with his fellow man. All humantragedies, be they sickness, poverty, or exploitation, are meresymptoms of the root cause, which the Bible calls sin.

It is very sad to note that some key church leaders in Africa takethese symptoms for the root causes. Rev. Canon Burgess Carr, generalsecretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, tells the overseaspress:

The most urgent task of the churches in Africa is to ensure that we keep the initiative at this critical moment in the development of our peoples as they struggle for complete liberation. And I say complete liberation because I'm thinking of liberation in the broadest sense, which is not only the liberation from political, colonial domination but the liberation from economic slavery, the liberation from all the human indignities that we suffer across that continent of black Africa. 2

Not once in his interview did I notice Canon Carr mention sin or itssynonym.

After an exhaustive ministry to the sick, teaching and preaching to aless responsive audience, Jesus Christ did not cry for more healthofficers and social workers. Rather, 'He felt compassion for them,because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without ashepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but______________________________________________________

The theology of eternal salvation 17

the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest'" (Matthew 9:36-38). In a similarvein the Lord wept for the cities socially and economically well caredfor, but still spiritually depraved. Then he began to reproach the citiesin which most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent...Woe to you, Chorazin!' (Matthew 11:20-21). He then offered a warminvitation for true liberation: 'Come to me, all who are weary andheavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matthew 11:28). The affluentcity of Jerusalem broke the heart of the Saviour because of spiritualdegradation (Luke 19:41). The sons of Abraham were not aware thatthey were under eternal bondage and had need of him who said, 'Iftherefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed' (John8:36).

Man's fundamental dilemma is alienation from God. The historicalaccount of Genesis 3 gives the root cause of all sufferings here and inthe life to come. As man has armed himself in rebellion against hisCreator, self-assertion or autonomy has become the dominant factorof his being. James says, 'What is the source of quarrels and conflictsamong you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in yourmembers?' (James 4:1). After giving a long catalogue of wickedhuman deeds, Paul sums up: 'For all have sinned and fall short of theglory of God' (Romans 3:23). All human tragedies come as a result ofsin.

2. Redemptive Revelation

If man's fundamental dilemma is sin which is the root cause ofsuffering, to deal with sin will be the logical way to deal with thedilemma. The basic presupposition is that man has sinned againstGod. But how does man know about God unless God has givenHimself to be known? That God has indeed revealed Himself to allmankind is evident in miracles, which postulate other-worldness;nature and history, which indicate a great Master Designer andOperator; and world religions, which show man's craving for somethingbeyond himself. The traditional arguments for the existence of God -cosmological, teleological, ontological, and anthropological - pointnot only to the possibility but to the strong probability of 'the God whois there and is not silent'.

It is rather naive on the part of some scholars of the past to havedenied the possibility of the knowledge of God among Africans. That__________________________________________________


the 'heathen' adherent has some awareness of his Creator is anaxiom, since every human being has been made in the image of God(Genesis 1:27). The original fall, admittedly, has distorted that imageof God; therefore the unregenerate man may be said to be 'dead insins and trespasses' (Ephesians 2:1). But the image of God in man isnot destroyed in the sense of being eradicated; if it were, man wouldbe deprived of a sense of morality, a will to decide, and an ability tomake rational choices. He would be guided by instinct rather than byreason. Man everywhere and in any age is able to have awareness ofGod.

Another source for God's revelation is nature. When the ApostlePaul declared that God 'did not leave Himself without a witness' (Acts14:17), he was referring to the wonderful works of God in nature, andHis provision for the righteous and the wicked. That God has revealedHimself to men everywhere is conclusive from the human point ofview and from what is given in the Scriptures. Although ProfessorJohn Mbiti took too much liberty to systematize the thinking of theworshippers in African traditional religions, nevertheless his bookConcepts of God in Africa indicates the fact of some knowledge ofGod in traditional Africa.

The crucial question which confronts us is whether there can besalvation in such general revelation. Going back farther, how clear are

the 'heathen' in their interpretation of God's general revelation?Although every effort has been put into bringing African traditionalreligions in line with Christian revelation, it is evident that contradictionsand fears are basic factors in worship. Bishop Stephen Neill has rightlyobserved: 'No one can understand the real situation of primitive manwithout taking serious account of the three motive powers of shame,guilt and fear.' The many myths that take God away from human3

affairs and enthrone man to be served by women and children, areindicative of the distortion of man's knowledge of God. The ApostlePaul does admit the possibility of the knowledge of God among the'heathen'. But he also affirms that man's total depravity has led himdown the path of idolatry (Romans 1:20-32).

The most we can say of the African traditional worshipper is thatthere is a craving for a spiritual reality. This craving is turned intoidolatry as man turns to worship creation rather than the Creator.Unfortunately some African theologians seek to justify this idolatry byassociating the idols with God Himself. Professor Bolaji Idowu writes:'From the point of view of the theology of African traditional religion, itwill not be correct to say that the divinities were created. It will be____________________________________________________


correct to say that they were brought into being, or that they came intobeing in the nature of things with regard to divine ordering of theuniverse.... The Divinities are derivatives from Deity.' In biblical4

perspective, while this craving for some spiritual reality may be consi-dered an evidence of general revelation, the worship itself must beseen as an abuse of that revelation.

General revelation does not, and cannot, bring salvation. This is notdue to any limitation on the part of God, but rather to the historical fallof man. G. C. Berkouwer writes: 'When we speak of insufficiency, wecertainly do not intend to cast any reflection on the divine act ofrevelation in this general revelation. On the contrary, it only points tohuman guilt and blindness. This insufficiency is not a deficiency ofrevelation, but it is a deficiency which is historically determined, i.e. inconnection with the fall of man.'5

If the best that religious pluralism can do is demonstrate the thirst inthe human soul, it stands to reason that God's special revelation inJesus Christ alone can save. Besides making ultimate claims about

Himself - the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Door, the Good Shepherd,

One with the Father - and justifying all of them, the Son of God also invites all men to come to Him for salvation (Matthew 11:28-29). Peter, through the Holy Spirit, declared, 'And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved' (Acts 4:12). The Apostle Paul affirms, Therefore also God highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth and under the earth' (Philippians 2:9-10).

The unique revelation of God in Christ is clear - only One Way of salvation for all men, and that is through Jesus Christ. Stephen Neill emphasizes: 'For the human sickness there is one specific remedy, and this is it There is no other.' Some people consider this claim a type of6

cultural pride and neocolonialism. Neill further observes, 'Naturally to the non-Christian hearer this must sound like crazy megalomania and religious imperialism of the very worst kind.' But it must be recalled7

that Christ and His followers suffered worse accusations before the sinful world. Can Christ's servant expect anything better?

We may sum up in this manner. God has revealed Himself in two ways - general non-redemptive revelation on the one hand, and special redemptive revelation on the other. In the context of African traditional religions, the worship is merely an indication of an honest craving for God, which can be fulfilled only in biblical revelation_______________________________________________________


through the incarnate Christ who died and rose again. This should bethe preoccupation of the church in Africa.

3. The Person of Christ

Professor John Mbiti has rightly affirmed, The uniqueness ofChristianity is in Jesus Christ He is the stumbling block of all ideologiesand religious systems; and even if some of His teaching may overlapwith what they teach and proclaim, His Person is greater than can becontained in a religion or ideology. He is "the Man for others" and yetbeyond them.' At the same time in other writings he says, 'Jesus may8

have accepted current notions about Gehenna without necessarilyendorsing them all. ' He further states, The New Testament is explicit9

that Jesus never promised us a heavenly Utopia, but only His own selfand His own companionship both in time and beyond, both in spaceand beyond.' While Jesus Christ affirms eternal suffering in hell10

(Matthew 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Luke 12:5), Mbiti spiritualizes it intosymbolism by saying, 'If people are threatened with being cast into alake of fire in the next life, the effectiveness of the symbol is largely lostand the Christian Gospel is reduced to negative threats which have nolasting impact upon those who receive or reject Christ. Thus, Mbiti11

fails to treat the teaching of Christ with the same seriousness hedevotes to the unique role of Christ.

This is one example of how the Person of Christ and His work havebeen a stumbling block throughout the ages. Christological contro-versies date back to the time Christ was on earth. Religious leaders andgovernment authorities were puzzled about this Son of God and Sonof Man. It was only through the Holy Spirit that men like Peter coulddeclare, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew16:16). Even after the Father had authenticated the ultimate claims ofthe Incarnate Christ by raising Him from the dead and exalting Him atHis right hand, the Person of Christ was still a real problem to Hisfollowers and to pagans of the early centuries of Christianity. The earlyapologists — Justin, Tatian, Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch -bravely wielded the sword against false teaching about Christ Buteven some of them became victims of the heresies they sought torepudiate. As Berkhof explains: The Apologists did not have thebiblical conception of the Logos, but one somewhat resembling that ofPhilo. To them the Logos, as He existed eternally in God, was simplythe divine reason, without personal existence.' Justin succumbed to12

the spirit of the age in declaring, 'We are taught that Christ is the first____________________________________________________


born of God, and we have shown above that He is the reason (Word)of whom the whole human race partake, and those who live accordingto reason are Christians, even though they are accounted atheists.Such were Socrates and Heraclitus among the Greeks, and those likethem....'13

I once had a brief discussion with an African theologian who firmlystated that the Logos spirit was operative in African traditional religions.Therefore to deny salvation to these worshippers is to deny theworking of God in their midst. Second century gnosticism has comeback to life. As Christ has been depersonalized in liberal theology (e.g.Schleiermacher, Ritschi), the same tendency is rising in Africa today assome African theologians seek to glorify African traditional religions. Butit must be maintained that Jesus Christ became incarnate as a

particular person in time and history. John's use of Logos (John1:1-7) was in that particular sense. The Word became flesh byassuming not only the form of man in general (Philippians 2:5-8), butby being born as a particular person in Bethlehem. This was necessaryin view of the work He was going to do. He could be crucified in timeand history only as a particular man. He died and rose as an individualto save each individual sinner.

Christological controversies did not end with His person. It may beagreed that the Incarnate Christ is God-Man eternally since He cameto earth. But the question of His work could still remain an enigma.The historical debate on the atonement need not detain us. Suffice itto indicate that the substitutionary death of Christ for men everywhereat any time is the position held by most evangelical Christians. Whatposes a threat to Christian witness in Africa today is the meaningattached to the contemporary so-called 'Salvation Today' debate.The exponents of that view find salvation in people's experiencesrather than in the objective revelation of God's written and LivingWord.

Thomas Wieser has written, 'Unless we can understand and expressthe Gospel in connection with the contemporary social, political andcultural changes, individual salvation is meaningless.' Writing of the14

various means that provide or express salvation, Wieser states, 'It will,therefore, be necessary to clarify which are important expressions andthis may well be the crucial task for an international-ecumenicalgathering on this theme. In preparation for this task the staff of theCommission are presently engaged in making a collection of textstaken from religious and secular literature. These represent differentaspects of the contemporary experience of salvation which raise the_______________________________________________________


same issues as we have recognized in the traditions incorporated in thescriptural writings; Perhaps it was in this spirit of searching for other15

possible ways of salvation that theologians and church leaders gatheredtogether last year in Ibadan, Nigeria, to dialogue with worshippers oftraditional religions. Since salvation is possible elsewhere than inChrist the dialogue was hardly to promote evangelism.

But if biblical Christianity is to survive and flourish in Afnca, we must hold fast the truth that man's fundamental problem is sin against God, and that salvation is only through Jesus Christ. We must hold to the uniqueness of Christian revelation through the written Word and

through the Living Word. To seek salvation elsewhere than through the shed blood of Christ is heretical. It is the preaching of another gospel, which really is no gospel. As Donald Jacobs has put it. There is no salvation outside of Christ. If there would be, Christianity would be a lie ' The work of Christ is alone fully sufficient for our redemption.16

NOTES

1 Francis Schaeffer, The Church at the End of the 20th Century, 16.2 AACC Bulletin, 26 June 1973.3 Stephen Neill, Christian Faith and Other Faiths, 137. 4 E. Bolaji Idowu, African Traditional Religion: A Definition, 169. 5 G. C. Berkouwer, General Revelation, 132. 6 Stephen Neill, 17. 7 Ibid. 8 John S. Mbiti, African Religions and Philosophy, 363. 9 John S. Mbiti, New Testament Eschatology in an African Background, 66.10 Ibid, 89.11 Ibid, 70. 12 Louis Berkhof, The History of Christian Doctrine, 58.13 Justin, Apology I. xlvi. 2-4.14 International Review of Mission (July, 1971) 383. 15 Ibid, 388.

16 Donald Jacobs, Christian Theology in Africa, 6 ______________________________________________

3

CONTEXTUALIZATION AND RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM IN AFRICA

(July 1974)

'If I had a thousand lives I would give them to the service of Christ inAfrica.' Robert Moffat uttered this passionate cry because he had aclear cut Gospel to proclaim, and Africa (as other parts of the world)was groping in complete darkness without Christ. This is not to denyGod's general revelation through nature, conscience, history, andmiracles. But it is to affirm that 'he who has the Son has life' (1 John

5:12). If there was a time in Africa when there was a need for aclear-cut Gospel, it is today. If there was a time when Christ's sons anddaughters in Africa must be prepared to lay down their lives for theundiluted Gospel, it is today. It is, therefore, a great privilege for me toshare with God's servants my understanding of the challenge whichthe Gospel faces in Africa in the areas of contextualization and syncre-tism.

1 Contextualization

'Contextualization' is a new term imported into theology to express adeeper concept than 'indigenization' ever does. I understand the termto mean making concepts or ideas relevant in a given situation. Inreference to Christian practices, it is an effort to express the neverchanging Word of God in ever changing modes for relevance. Sincethe Gospel message is inspired but the mode of its expression is not,contextualization of the modes of expression is not only right butnecessary. William Barclay has rightly stated:

It is not Jesus' purpose that we should turn all men into one nation, but that there should be Christian Indians and Christian

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Africans, whose unity lies in their Christianity. The oneness in Christ is in Christ, and not in any external change. The unity in Christ produces Christians whose Christianity transcends all their local and racial differences; it produces men who are friends with each other because they are friends with God; it produces men who are one, because they meet in the presence of God to whom they have access.

The New Testament has given us the pattern for cultural adaptations. The incarnation itself is a form of contextualization. TheSon of God condescended to pitch His tent among us to make it possible for us to be redeemed (John 1:14). The unapproachableYahweh, whom no man has seen and lived, has become the Object ofsight and touch through the incarnation (John 14:9; 1 John 1:1). Themoving hymn on the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ theLord (Philippians 2:5-8) was evidently an incentive to the ApostlePaul in his understanding of the ministry, to become 'all things to allmen'. This in turn should motivate us to make the Gospel relevant in

every situation everywhere, without compromising it.

Contextualization can take place in liturgy, dress, language, churchservice, and any other form of expression of the Gospel truth. Musicalinstruments such as organ and piano can be replaced or supplementedwith such indigenous and easily acquired instruments as drums, cymbals, and cornstalk instruments. It must be borne in mind, ofcourse, that the sound of music must not drown the message. Clergydo not have to wear a 'Geneva' gown or even a 'dog collar'. Not onlyshould the message be preached in the language best understood bythe congregation, but the terminology of theology should be expressedthe way common people can understand. Nevertheless, theologicalmeaning must not be sacrificed on the altar of comprehension. Insteadof employing terms that would water down the Gospel, the congre-gations should be taught the original meaning of the term. Oneinstance is the mustard seed. This is a crop not found in America orAfrica. Instead of substituting a local grain for it, the term should beemployed and the explanation given. While the content of God'sword should remain what it is, the expression of it in teaching, preaching, and singing should be made relevant. Drama and story-telling, for instance, should be considered more seriously in Africa. Any method that helps the advance of Christ's message should beemployed.______________________________________________________

Contextualization and religious syncretism 25

2 Religious syncretism

In a recent talk to church leaders in East Africa, the Rev. John R. W.Stott described syncretism as 'a fruit cocktail of religions.' Eric Sharpedefines it as 'any form of religion in which elements from more thanone original religious tradition are combined.'

Christianity has gone full circle in Africa. In Africa, or in the ThirdWorld for that matter, Christianity has come to the stage it was at in thesecond century. Just as syncretism plagued the church in the days ofthe apologists, so it challenges the historic faith in Africa today. DonaldMcGavran's evaluation fits the situation in Africa today:

It seems clear that during the next decades Christians again, as inthe first two centuries, will fight the long battle against syncretismand religious relativism. And for the same reason - namely, thatthey are again in intimate contact with multitudes ofnon-Christian peers who believe that many paths lead to the top

of the mountain. The concept of the cosmic Christ, somemaintain, is a way out of the 'arrogance which stains the Christianwhen he proclaims Jesus Christ as the only Way to the Father'.Other Christians believe that the concept of a 'cosmic Christoperating through many religions' sacrifices truth, for if thereare, in fact, many revelations, then each voices an approximationof the truth.... As hundreds of Christian and semi-Christiandenominations spring into being across Africa, Asia, and otherlands of earth, some will inevitably hold biblical and otherssyncretistic views of the Person of Christ.

Incentives for syncretism in Africa are not hard to find. The incentivesfor universalism (the idea that all will be saved in the end) are the samefor syncretism, since only a thin line separates the two ideologies. Thereasons for growing syncretistic tendencies in Africa may be summedup briefly.

(i) The prevailing wind of religious relativism in the older churchesof the West is being carried abroad by the liberal missionaries inperson and through literature.

(ii) The crying need for universal solidarity in the world fostersreligious respect one for the other.

(iii) Political awareness in Africa carries with it a search for__________________________________________________

26 Biblical Christianity in Africa |ideological identity. Some theologians seek to find this identity inAfrican traditional religions.

(iv) Emotional concerns for the ancestors who died before theadvent of Christianity force some theologians to call for recognition of the religious practices of pre-Christian idol worshippers.

(v) Cultural revolution promotes a return to the traditional socio- religio-cultural way of life in Africa. Since it is hard to separate culture from religion, the tendency is to make them identical and cling to idolatrous practices as being an authentic African way of life.

(vi) Inadequate biblical teaching has left the average Christian with an inability in 'rightly handling the Word of truth.' Syncretistic or neoorthodox teachers bring their views, and even Christian leaders

fail to discern what is right according to the teaching of God's Word.

(vii) The African loves to get along with everybody. He is, therefore, not inclined to offend his neighbour by letting him know what the Bible says about non-Christian religions. That is why liberal ecumenism is thriving in Africa.

(viii) Liberal Christianity has done a thorough job in picking up key brains from the Third World and grooming them in liberal schools in the Western world.

(ix) The study of comparative religions, without affirmation of the uniqueness of Christianity, has helped produce theologians of syncretistic persuasion.

(x) The legitimate desire to make Christianity truly African has not been matched with the discernment not to tamper with the inspired inerrant content of the revealed Word of God.

The spirit of syncretism in Africa is predominant today both inside and outside church circles. Otto Stahike accurately describes the contemporary situation when he writes, "The syncretistic tendency, the attempt to blend and reconcile various religions, is not new, but never before has it been so prominently espoused by a leading agency for many Christian churches. Promotion of this point of view has come from philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists, comparative religionists, and some avant garde theologians.'

An African anthropologist, Okot p'Bitek says:

In my view the student of African religions needs to soak himself thoroughly in the day-to-day life of the people whose thought- systems and beliefs he wishes to study.... When attending ceremonies, he must not stand apart as a spectator, but join in__________________________________________________________


fully, singing the songs, chanting the chants and dancing the dances.

P'Bitek calls for syncretism not only in matters of pagan religiousfestivities but also in pagan immoral practices. He considers theChristian teaching that sex be confined to marriage alone as beingWestern, and states that it must be rejected by the African. Realizing

that Christian ethical teaching is based on God's Word, the universitylecturer condemns the Apostle Paul in a derogatory manner:

This ex-Pharisee who has been described as the ugly little Jew, was a small man barely five feet tall, bow-legged, a chronic malaria patient with serious eye trouble. We learn from Acts Chapter IX that he became a mental case for a short time, and on recovery he joined the Christians whom he had formerly persecuted. Paul was a great woman hater.

Since the 'Western world is still a prisoner of St Paul's thwartedsexual morality' the African should outgrow that delusion and followthe type of morality which allows free sex. P'Bitek considers thatAfrican. He writes, 'In most African societies, having sexual intercoursewith married women by persons other than their husbands is strictlyforbidden; but unmarried women enjoy both unmarried and marriedmen.' He suggests, 'It is important for African leaders to considerwhether sexual ethics in their countries should be based on St Paul'sprejudices against women and sex, or built on the African viewpointwhich takes sex as a good thing.'

In political circles, recognition of all religions as being good is idealfor national solidarity. Religious tolerance in almost all African countriesis admirable. Christians should continue to pray for men in governmentthat such a peaceful atmosphere may continue. But religious toleranceis quite different from enforced unity or regulated practice againstone's religious convictions. The philosophy of authenticity in Zaire hasresulted in enforced unity of all Protestant Christians into one Churchof Christ in Zaire, which could lead to compromising syncretisticsituations. But the worst situation is that reported in the Republic ofChad. According to reports, Christians are being forced to undergoinitiation into pagan rites. Some Christian leaders have been impris-oned, churches burnt down, and missionaries expelled, because theyrejected what would amount to syncretism.______________________________________________________


It is rather sad that some Christian leaders are encouraging government interference in religious affairs, because they want to encourage ecumenism. Thus Professor John Mbiti has written: 'Denominationa- lism and its proliferation... are the product of human selfishness and weakness. Our church leaders in Kenya, present and past, African and expatriate, have made a mess of the church through inheriting and agreeing to accept divisions, through multiplying divisions, and through

perpetuating divisions.' The Kenyan theologian therefore expresses a wish that the Kenyan government would 'set up a ministry of religious

affairs' to straighten out this mess. Situations similar to that of Zaire may not be far away in other African countries. When such things take place, syncretistic practices of some semi-Christian groups will likely pervade a wider Christian spectrum.

Apart from secular writing and government encouragement for syncretism, the study of comparative religions is another major factor. Many of the universities in Black Africa have departments of religions. The primary goal of these departments, far from being the spiritual growth of individual Christian students, is academic excellence. The tendency is to study Christianity, Islam, and African traditional religions in a detached manner. The journal of the department of religious studies at the University of Ibadan best illustrates this. The journal is called Orita, a Yoruba word meaning a junction. The design on the cover shows three roads meeting in the centre. One road is labelled Islam, one is labelled African traditional religion, and one is labelled Christianity. The head of the department is a Christian, but the editor of the journal is a Muslim. One explanation of this mixed arrangement would be that the department seeks only to understand the encounter of these three religions in Africa. An evident fact is that the journal presupposes the validity of all these religions, and is silent on the uniqueness of the Christian faith. Thus the seeds of syncretism, and the implication of universalism, are planted in the minds of theological students, many of whom become religious teachers in schools and colleges.' Some find their way to the pulpit. Admittedly, some will survive the test and grow stronger, but not a few will end up proclaiming a syncretistic message.

The teaching of African traditional religions in secondary schools isbecoming increasingly popular. It is being suggested in some circlesthat religious knowledge teachers should present just the objectivefacts of Islam, African traditional religions, and Christianity, withoutshowing what they believe. The young teenagers should then be left tosort out for themselves what to believe. But since there are some good_______________________________________________________


elements in every religion, would it not be easier for an immaturestudent to pick up the good points of each and make up a newreligion? This may fulfil the aspirations of some theologians that Africa

should come up with a religion that is modem and truly African. As amatter of fact, Dr. J. K. Agbeti of Ghana feels that the survival ofChristianity in Africa lies with the traditional religions rather than withthe prophetic Word of God. He writes, "The true theological interpre-tation of the traditional African religious experience could be a strongspringboard from which the tottering Christianity of Africa today maybe rescued and rooted more meaningfully in the African soil.' Evidentlythis is a call for a syncretistic form of Christianity.

Some church leaders today frown upon the missionaries fordeclaring the unique Lordship of Christ as presented in the Scriptures.Criticizing the earlier presentation in Africa of the unique Christ, whowould not share room with idols, Joachim Getonga writes. To beregarded as a true Christian in those days, a person had to abandonalmost all the culture which he had acquired from his own Africansociety. He had to detach himself from virtually all the beliefs of hisparents, throw away his native clothes and put on Western dress orornaments in order to be accepted into the Christian faith. Tribaldances in particular were considered diabolical.' Getonga then appealsto all Christian preachers to 'rethink the place of their cultural heritageand to reconstruct what was destroyed during those pioneering daysof evangelization.' One is tempted to ask Getonga what native clotheshe has in mind and whether he would honestly like to go back tothem? What concerns us here is the question of 'the beliefs of hisparents.' African Christians who have found it necessary to bum everyidol have followed precedents set in the Scriptures (Acts 19). Chris-tianity stands to judge every culture, destroying elements that areincompatible with the Word of God, employing compatible modes ofexpression for its advance, and bringing new life to its adherents, thequalitative life that begins at the moment of conversion and culminateseternally with the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Even some of the most outstanding theologians in Africa have notavoided universalistic tendencies. Professor John Mbiti holds that allmen will be saved in the final analysis. He affirms. There is not a singlesoul, however debased or even unrepentant, which can successfully"flee" from the Spirit of God (Psalm 139:1-18). God's patient waitingfor the soul's repentance must in the end be surely more potent thanthe soul's reluctance to repent and turn to him (2 Peter 3:9). Theharmony of the heavenly worship would be impaired if, out of the one__________________________________________________________


hundred in the sheepfold, there is one soul which continues to languish

in Sheol or ' 'the lake of fire".'

Professor Bolaji Idowu objects to localizing theology. He would alsoeschew syncretism. But one wonders where his high view of Africantraditional religions is leading. He writes, To call African traditionalreligion "idolatry" is to be grossly unfair to its essence.' But if pagangods are not idols, then what are they? Idowu claims with the adherentsthat these gods are ministers of the Almighty God. To recognize thereality of these man-made gods is to reject the scriptural view of these'dumb idols' (Isaiah 2:8; 40:18-20; 41:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6). While it is true that the pagan is conscious of the existence of a Supreme Being through general revelation, his vision of the Supreme Being is distorted because of original sin. The image of God in man, though not obliterated, is disfigured to the point that he is considered dead in 'trespasses and sins' (Ephesians 2:1), until he receives new life in Christ His worship of creatures rather than the Creator can be described adequately only as idolatry. What Africa needs is the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ who declares authoritatively and finally, 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me' (John 14:6).

Conclusion

Syncretism will increasingly become popular in the Third World. The watered down concept of 'Salvation Today' hatched at Bangkok in 1972-73 will give impetus to syncretistic and universalistic yearnings in the Third World. The persistent urge for cultural revolution in Africa will energize the forces of syncretism. The days of persecution for the Bible-believing Christian may not be too far away. Christians all over the world should pray for grace for the Third World followers and heralds of the unique Christ. Meanwhile, the Bible-believing Christian should respect and pray 'for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and respectful in every way' (1 Timothy 2:2). Christians in Africa should realize that to stand for the uniqueness of Christ will not be popular as ungodliness increases in the world. There may come a time when Christians will have to say, 'For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard' (Acts 4:20). They may even have to say, 'We ought to obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29) and face the consequences that Stephen and others after him have faced._____________________________________________________


We may conclude with this appropriate observation from Dr. DonaldMcGavran about Christianity:

It purges all cultures - Christian, partially Christian, and non- Christian alike. Since it purges twentieth-century Christianity in a way it did not purge seventeenth-century Christianity, it also purges twentieth-century Bantu religion and Marxist religion as their adherents come to believe on Jesus Christ.

The final challenge for the African Christian is to make Christianityculturally relevant while holding fast to its ever-abiding message.______________________________________________________

4CHRISTIANITY AS AN

AFRICAN RELIGION (April 1975)

When I was in Malawi recently, I was told of the leader of a religioussect which promotes traditional ancestor worship. This leader lifted upthe Koran and asked, 'Whose book is this?' His listeners replied, TheArabs' book.' He went on, 'Whose religion is Islam?' The reply was, 'Itis the religion of the Arabs.' He did the same thing with Christianity.The conclusion drawn was that Christianity is the white man's religion.The audience was invited to reject both religions as being foreign.Ancestor worship was then declared the religion of the Africans.

In these challenging days there are many voices being heard whichclaim that Christianity is an alien religion, in which the African should have no hand. Is this a valid claim? It is my conviction that, to the contrary, Christianity is truly an African religion. Let me explain why.

1 African traditional religions

The various ethnic African groups have their traditional religions as an answer to the reality of their existence. The primary question being raised today is that of the nature of these religions in relation to Christianity. The Apostle Paul categorically points out that the worship of pagan gods is a distortion of God's revelation in nature (Romans 1:18-23). Whatever rationalization we may try to make, the worship of gods in Africa is idolatry. This is not a denial of the universality of general revelation. God truly has not left Himself without a witness. His goodness to people irrespective of whether they are good or evil is evidence of His witness to all people (Acts 14:17). His marvellous

work of creation is a further pointer to His supreme power (Psalm 19). But the revelation has been distorted through the disobedience of the

32________________________________________________________

Christianity as an African religion 33

very first commandment. Man has not adhered to the one true Godand to Him alone, as he was commanded to do (Exodus 20:3;Deuteronomy 6:4); rather he has set up his own gods.

The depravity evident in African traditional religions is evidentamong all peoples of the earth. The Psalmist declares. The Lord looksdown from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are anythat act wisely, that seek after God. They have all gone astray, they areall alike corrupt; there is none that does good, no not one' (Psalm14:2,3). Paul echoes this in the New Testament (Romans 3:10-18).The worship of idolatry is as old as man from the Fall. Adam's effort toclothe himself instead of being clothed with God's righteousness wasthe beginning of that search for answers away from God. ThePhilistines, the Babylonians, the Greeks, and the Romans, all indulgedin idolatry. No people are excluded. The Arabs used to worship many'Jinns' (spirits). Stonehenge in southern England is a living evidence ofDruidism, which was the heathen worship of the early inhabitants ofthe United Kingdom. Human sacrifice was a part of Druid worship andwas only abolished in Roman days. While pagan worship was a part of the religion of these respectivepeoples, they could change to other religions of their choice. MostArabs accepted Islam and became Muslims. Islam is now associatedwith Arabs as their religion. Thanks to the faithful witness of Christianmissionaries, the British people no longer claim Druidism as theirreligion. They are now Christians, and Christianity is legitimatelyrecognized as the British religion. Why should this not be the case inAfrica, where at least one-third of all Africans are adherents of theChristian religion in one form or another? Why are there voices stilldenying the fact that Christianity is an African religion, when morethan 150 million people of Africa call themselves Christian? To theseadherents of the Christian faith at least, Christianity is an Africanreligion. They are Africans and Christianity is their religion.

2 Historical Relationship of Christianity and Africa

Although in modem times missionaries from Europe and NorthAmerica brought the gospel to Africa, they are not the first represen-tatives of Christianity on our continent. As a matter of fact, historyshows that Christianity's ties are closer with Africa than with Europe orNorth America.

God's call to man for revealing His will to mankind first came to an______________________________________________________


Asian, Abraham. It was through his descendants, the Jews, that Godgave the message of salvation. But this does not give Jews anymonopoly on the gospel. Nor does this make their culture in any waysuperior to other cultures. God was merely using them to fulfil Hispurpose for the redemption of the world. Jesus was born, brought up,died and rose again in Asia, and not in any European country. I am notaware of any evidence that any of the writers of the books of the Biblewere European. Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, never walkedin Europe. As a matter of fact, Christianity did not reach Europe untilabout 20 years after Christ's death and resurrection, when Lydiabecame the first European convert through the work of Paul (Acts16:15).

In contrast to this, the Bible presents many historical facts on therelationship of Africa with the land of the Bible, Palestine. In the OldTestament, it was out of their bondage in Africa that God redeemedHis people. Egypt is a part of Africa. The Queen of Sheba who visitedSolomon was from Ethiopia in Africa, according to tradition. Moses,the head of the Israeli nation, was married to a girl who was possibly anAfrican (Numbers 12:1). It was an African who rescued Jeremiah froma pit when no one else would do it (Jeremiah 38:7). It was prophesiedlong ago that God's work would some day have tremendous impact inAfrica. Egypt and Ethiopia were spoken of representatively: 'Envoyswill come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands toGod'(Psalm 68:31).

The New Testament, too, presents the direct link of Africa with theHoly Land. In fulfilment of a prophecy made seven hundred yearsearlier, Jesus Christ was brought to Africa as a baby for safety fromwicked King Herod. God said, 'I called my son out of Egypt' (Matthew2:15). So the Saviour born in Asia, walked the soil of Africa. WhenJesus was carrying His cross to the hill for crucifixion, He was unable tocontinue much longer. It was an African who carried the cross the restof the way. On the day of Pentecost, Africa was represented. Settlers

of Cyrene in North Africa were there when the Holy Spirit inauguratedthe Christian church (Acts 2:10). An African from Ethiopia was one ofthe first converts outside native Jewish circles (Acts 8). When the firstmissionary conference was held, an African was there. Mentionedamong the faithful disciples in Antioch was Simeon, nicknamed Niger(Acts 13:1). Niger, from which the river Niger and the countries ofNiger and Nigeria are named, means black.

During the earliest period of Christianity, North Africa and Asia_____________________________________________________


Minor were the two areas with the strongest churches. Africa in the firstfour centuries of our era produced outstanding theologians. Augustineof Hippo has had more lasting influence on Christian theology thanany other person since the Apostle Paul. His African practical mindcan still be noted in both Roman Catholic and Protestant theologies.Cyprian, Athanasius, Tertullian, and Origen were all outstandingAfrican theologians. It was due to internal squabbles and lack of visionthat Christianity then spread northward to western Europe and theBritish Isles. Converted Europe then later brought Christianity toBlack Africa. One may see the cycle of the spread of Christianity toAsia, Africa, Europe, America, and back to Africa, and the rest of theworld. Perhaps the cycle will repeat itself before long, when Africansand Asians will again take the gospel to Europe. Church attendance inGermany today is 2%, England 4%, and Kenya 40%. To claim thatChristianity is a white man's religion only because white missionariesbrought the gospel two hundred years ago is not historically accurate.But this does not give an Asian or an African any monopoly onChristianity. God gave His revelation to the whole world. The invitationcomes to all people of all cultures: Turn to me, and be saved, all theends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other' (Isaiah 45:22).'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give yourest' (Matthew 11:28).

If anyone wants to reject Christianity, he must do so on othergrounds and not on the excuse that it is a white man's religion. We areindebted to modem missionaries for bringing the gospel to Africa, butthey are only messengers. They would fully identify themselves withthe declarations of John the Baptist and of Paul: 'He must increase butI must decrease' (John 3:30); 'Let God be true, and every man a liar'(Romans 3:4). Africans have a right to change their religion fromheathen worship to Christianity. Having done so, Christianity canbecome an African religion. In fact, historically that is what has

happened. Historically Christianity was thriving in Africa long before itreached the British Isles and North America, from where so many ofthe Protestant missionaries came. We can, therefore, rightly callChristianity an African religion.

3 The Nature of Christianity

Particularism and universalism are paradoxically both features ofChristianity. Christianity is both exclusive and inclusive. It is particu-________________________________________________________


laristic right from its inception. When mankind lapsed into idolatry andall forms of godlessness, it pleased God to call a particular man,Abraham, to reveal His will for mankind through him (Genesis 12:1-3). Through a particular line, Abraham's descendants, His message ofredemption would reach all mankind. Through Abraham all mankindwould be blessed. It is not bigotry nor is it nationalism or racism tospeak of the God of Israel. Israel from time to time has becomeintrospective and arrogant, thus failing in its mission to the world.Nevertheless, it was chosen by God to convey the message of salvationto the whole world.

Universalism in the sense of God's revelation for the redemption ofall mankind, is just as much a part of God's revelation as particularismin God's choice of Israel as a nation. Israel was to be a light to theGentiles. The God of Israel extends His invitation to all people: Turnto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and thereis no other. By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth inrighteousness a word that shall not return to me. Every knee shall bow,every tongue shall swear' (Isaiah 45:22, 23). In the New Testamentthe gospel writers interpret Christ's life and message in terms of Hisbenefits to the world. He is the bread and water of life for whoeverwould come. God's love and provision is for the whole world (John3:16), and this includes the African. Jesus Christ, the centre of Christi-anity, is for the African.

In the rest of the New Testament, the universal nature of Christianitybecomes evident both in doctrine and practice. On the day of PentecostAsians, Africans and Europeans were all there (Acts2:9-ll). They canall claim Christianity as their religion. In describing the composition ofthe Church as the body of Christ, Paul sees all men as members of thatone body (1 Corinthians 12:13). In that body'there is neither Jew nor

Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female,for you are all one in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 3:28). No one racial classor sex group has a monopoly on the claims of Christ's Church.Christianity is an African religion to its African adherents, just as it isEuropean to the European, American to the American, or Asian to theAsian followers of Christ.

4 The Practice of Christianity

Since Christianity is truly an African religion, Africans should be madeto feel it so. What remains to be done is to help African Christians feel_________________________________________________________


very much at home in the Church. Christian doctrine should beexpressed in terms that Africans can understand. Practices thatenhance the growth of the Church, the maturity and enjoyment of theAfrican believer, should be promoted. Take for instance the formalprayers written in the 18th century. Both the language and conceptsare not easy for today's British youth to understand, let alone Africanyouth. Should not African clergymen revise them and recast them inlanguage and concepts easily understood by the African youths?Perhaps greater involvement by the congregation in a church servicewould appeal more to the Africans. This should be explored. Clothingand musical instruments are also to be considered. Whatever wouldreflect the glory of Christ in His Church in Africa, and make the Africanfeel that 'this is my faith', should be promoted. If there are any alienbeliefs or practices mingled with Christianity, the answer is not tothrow away the baby with the bathwater. Rather, we should purgebiblical faith in Africa of those alien features and express the unchan-ging biblical faith in Africa for the Africans, since it is as much anAfrican religion as it is a European religion. What we need in today'sAfrica is not a return to the old traditional religions, or even a borrowingof some of the pagan practices to add to Christianity. Our greatestneed is to live up to the claims we make as Christians in Africa, andpromote the Christian message for Africa in all areas of life andeverywhere possible as true ambassadors of Christ.

Recommendations

In conclusion, let me make the following recommendations.

a. Know the truth and defend it, with all at your disposal, includingyour life's blood. Our Lord appeals to us 'to contend for the faith

which was once for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3). The way aheadmay not be easy. Jesus never promised us an easy road. Jesus says, 'Ifany man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up hiscross and follow me' (Mark 8:34). The Word of God further says, 'Forit has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should notonly believe in Him but also suffer for His sake' (Philippians 1:29).

b. Discern the voices. Get your marching orders from the Word ofGod and not from men's voices, be they from within or without thecamp. 'Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to seewhether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out intothe world' (1 John 4:1).______________________________________________________


c. Reject moratorium but promote self-reliance. Some advocatesof moratorium today see the work of missionaries as a part of thesystem of colonial servitude. While we do agree that there have beenfailures on the part of some missionaries to live up to the gospel ofChrist, yet we cannot deny the fact that they came as truly themessengers of good tidings. The One who sent them said, 'If the Sonshall make you free, you will be free indeed' (John 8:36). We should,therefore, be thankful to God and His messengers. The rejection ofmoratorium, however, should not mean that our churches shouldnow maintain a servile, begging attitude. Our priority should be topromote the training of nationals, with missionaries helping asnecessary, so that both black and white will move together as workerswith Christ (2 Corinthians 6:1).

d. Evangelize or perish. It would take a church only two or threegenerations to go out of existence if it does not evangelize. Theyoungest Christian in our churches in Africa today is not likely to bearound in another hundred years. The thing to bear in mind is that ifJesus Christ should come today, millions of people would go to aChristless eternity. This should motivate every Christian in Africa tosay, 'Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel' (1 Corinthians 9:16).

e. Contextualize without compromise. Let Christianity truly findits home in Africa, by adopting local hymnology, using native language,idiom and concepts to express the unchanging faith. But always let ourprimary goal be that Jesus Christ might have the foremost place. 'Sowhether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory ofGod' (1 Corinthians 10:31).

f. Pray for and be prepared for revival. While we should all bethankful for the revivals of the past, such as the East African Revival,dare we dwell on the blessings of the past? While we should rejoiceover the victory of the gospel through the missionaries of the past, andthrough the earlier generation of African Christians, should we notplead with the Lord to provide us with more Joshuas and Timothys fortoday and tomorrow? God has promised, 'Behold I will do a newthing' (Isaiah 43:19). May it happen in our day, even if it means somechanges in our image and our value structures.

g. Become more missionary-minded. Look beyond the bordersof your country and further afield, to the pagan strongholds of ourcontinent, and to the western world trapped in materialistic attractions.The world is the field. The church in Africa and elsewhere is the onlyagent for sowing the seed (Matthew 13:38; Acts 1:8). May the Lord______________________________________________________


help the members of His Body, the Church, as we lift up His banner ofvictory in Africa in particular and the world in general.

________________________________________________________

5THEOLOGICAL ISSUES

IN AFRICA (September 1975)

The political, economic, and social changes that have swept in aspectacular way through Africa in recent years have affected people'smentality. A search for identity has become a leading factor in Africanlife, and not least in African religious life. For here, too, the winds ofchange have been at work. Growth of the Christian community hasbeen phenomenal. New patterns of church relationships haveemerged. Africans have come into the leadership roles. New move-ments have arisen. Influences from abroad continue to make theirmark. All these factors have contributed to a search for ecclesiasticaland theological identity in contemporary Africa. Among the key issueswhich revolve around this quest we may identify: the African culturalrevolution, African theology, the ecumenical movement, and blacktheology.

1 African Cultural Revolution

It is estimated that between eight hundred and a thousand ethnicgroups exist in Africa. Admittedly, certain characteristics may distin-guish Africans from non-Africans, such as the former's practicalapproach to problems, solving problems more often by compromisethan by conflict, and the emphasis on communal life as a family or

tribe. But in addition, major differences exist between Africans them-selves, such as in language, taboos, marriage patterns, and religions. Itis, therefore, difficult to speak of 'African culture' as such. Nevertheless,there are enough similarities to warrant this homogeneous description.

Ironically, the call for a return to African culture does not come somuch from the rural dwellers who are still very much African, but from

40_______________________________________________________

Theological issues in Africa 41

the sophisticated urban dwellers, such as government officials andchurch leaders. Perhaps one reason why this interest stems from thehigher class is the fact that these are the people who have becomemore aware of the need for African personality. They have come faceto face with colonial strictures. While the illiterate rural African isseeking to have a taste of the fruit of technology, the sophisticatedurban African has come to discover that there is more to life thanmaterial pleasure. Cultural background as the basic source of one'spersonality becomes most desirable. Hence the call for authenticity.

The emphasis on cultural revolution is a general trend throughoutAfrica. In Kenya a team of traditional dancers is maintained to performduring official functions. In Ivory Coast and Benin the question ofinitiation and other pagan rites is becoming a dilemma for churches incertain areas. In Swaziland the king's daughters appear topless on thenational currency notes, as a part of that nation's cultural renaissance.And Nigeria plans to host the Festival of Black and African Arts andCulture shortly.

The call for authenticity in Zaire, which began with a change fromwestern and biblical names to authentic Zairean names, has advancedbeyond that stage. Pagan initiation has now been introduced in theschools. A Zairean Christian leader has hailed this as 'a sign of revivalfor the church of Christ.' Christian theological studies have been1

drastically curtailed. It is reported that Christian religious instruction inthe schools has been replaced by political indoctrination. Some church

leaders claim that they are Zaireans first and Christians secondly.

In the Republic of Chad cultural revolution has led to the loss ofhuman lives. The government of the late president Ngarta Tombalbayesaw in pagan initiation a practice worthy of cultural revival. In theancient practice of initiation in Chad, the young candidate is supposedto renounce all his past experiences of any kind and go through a stageof new birth as he is brought into supposed contact with the ancestorsduring a period of isolation from public life lasting about three months.Committed Chadian Christians refused to undergo the pagan practicesand some were tortured to death.

The search for authenticity through culture remains a desirableelement in many African societies. The attitude of Christians towardcultural renaissance need not be negative. Culture as a way of life mustbe maintained. Jesus Christ became a man in order to save men. Inbecoming incarnate, he was involved in the Jewish culture - wearingtheir clothes, eating their food, thinking in their thought patterns. But______________________________________________________


while He went through all that, He was without sin, addressing bothJewish and Gentile people authoritatively as the Son of God. Jesuswould not have come to make Africans become American Christiansnor to cause Europeans to become Indian Christians. It is God's willthat Africans, on accepting Christ as their Saviour, become ChristianAfricans. Africans who become Christians should, therefore, remainAfricans wherever their culture does not conflict with the Bible. It is theBible that must judge the culture. Where a conflict results, the culturalelement must give away.2

2 African Theology

Christian theology needs to address itself specifically to the Africansituation. African theologians of the first four centuries of Christianitymade a vital contribution to the development of theology in theuniversal Church. Those early African theologians include Origen,Athanasius, Tertullian, and Augustine. African theologians todayshould also make their own contribution to theology for the benefit ofthe Church universal. If this is what is meant by African theology, thenit is a noble effort worthy of support.

Unfortunately, many theologians spend their time defending African traditional religions and practices that are incompatible with biblical

teaching. Some writers have recently sought to justify pagan initiationrites. Speaking in support of initiation, Bongeye Senza Masa of the AllAfrica Conference of Churches welcomes 'the decision to turn theschool into a centre of traditional initiation, where ancestral values areintegrated into the modem educational system'. Many Christians in3

Chad have laid down their lives for their objection to initiation rites. I visited Chad and received confirmation from many Chadian Christiansthat these rites are pagan practices. Yet some African Christian leadersare defending the practice. The burning desire to defend Africanpersonality is given precedence over scriptural injunction.

Theology in Africa is increasingly turning to African traditionalreligions rather than to the Bible as its absolute source. Agbeti ofGhana writes, 'When we talk about "African Theology" we shouldmean the interpretation of the pre-Christian and pre-Moslem Africanpeople's experience of their God.' He speaks of African theology as 'a4

theology which will critically systematize the traditional Africanexperience of God'. It seems that Agbeti is advocating a return toAfrican traditional religions rather than expressing Christianity more________________________________________________________


meaningfully to the African. Other advocates of African theology donot qo so far as Agbeti. Various theologians give their interpretations owhat African theology means. Mbiti, who has done extensive originalwork in this area, has said, 'It is all too easy to use the phrase AfricanTheology"; but to state what that means, or even to show its realnature, is an entirely different issue.'6

One thing, however, seems certain concerning most of the advocates of African theology. Turner sums it up well:

It does not seem to help much to speak of 'African Theology'. The term is viewed with suspicion because the interest in traditional religion associated with it calls up in the minds of many a return to paganism. The phrase 'an African Theology' has about it therefore, the quality of a slogan of vindication. It refers first to the attempt to find points of similarity between Christian notions and those drawn from the traditional religions of Africa. Second, it refers to the hope that a systematic theology expressed in the language and concepts of traditional religion and culture, may one day be written.... The phrase implies in its popular usage an attempt to amalgamate elements of Christian and elements of traditional belief.7

African theology seems to be heading for syncretism and universalism. This subject I have discussed at length elsewhere. Suffice it8

here to sound a note of warning that the search for an African personality should not lead Africans to a compromising position. This is not to suggest a moratorium on further research on African thought

patterns. But in the African evangelical effort to express Christianity in the context of Africa, the Bible must remain the absolute source. The Bible is God's written Word addressed to Africans — and to all peoples -within their cultural background.

The term 'African theology' has come to mean different things to different people. Furthermore, it has the inherent danger of syncretism. The term therefore, is viewed with suspicion. It is more appropriate to talk of Christian theology, and then to define whatever context it is related to, e.g., reflections from Africa; the context o marriage in Africa- the spirit world in Africa. A continuing effort should be made to relate Christian theology to the changing situations in Africa, but only as the Bible is taken as the absolute Word of God can it have an authoritative and relevant message for Africa.___________________________________________________________


3 Ecumenical Theology

In Africa at least five leading concepts are included in ecumenical theology. Let me mention each in turn.

a. The Bible is becoming relative rather than normative. Amongproponents of ecumenism other documents and experiences arebecoming just as important as the Bible. Much of the emphasis oncontextual theology is making human experiences normative. Theconference of the World Council of Churches held in Bangkok in1973 had as its theme 'Salvation Today'. Conference participantswere encouraged to attend Buddhist temples and to participate inother religious functions in order to discover what these experiencesmay say about salvation.

b. Salvation is interpreted in terms of political, economic, andsocial liberation. The fifth General Assembly of the World Council ofChurches met in Nairobi in 1975 under the general theme 'JesusChrist Frees and Unites'. One of the published documents of theAssembly includes the following statement: 'We see the struggles foreconomic justice, political freedom, and cultural renewal as elements

in the total liberation of the world through the mission of God.... Thiscomprehensive notion of salvation demands of the whole of thepeople of God a matching comprehensive approach to their partici-pation in salvation.'9

c. The Kingdom of God means a search for common humanityirrespective of religion. The old liberal concept of anonymousChristianity is now being revived in the African ecumenical movementIt is held that even non-Christians are already Christians withoutrealizing it The task of Christian missions is simply to make non-Christians aware of their salvation. The World Council Assembly atNairobi included in its pre-Assembly publications an appeal for willing-ness 'to recognize the possibility of salvation among men of otherreligions and their religions themselves as possible means of salvationfor them, because that is all they have until they are actually confrontedwith Christianity.... They may have been granted ultimate salvationby the grace of God, but they do not yet know Christ Jesus theLord.... He is in them but they are not yet in Him.... When gracevisits a Brahmin, a Buddhist, or a Muslim reading his scriptures, it isChrist alone who is received as light.'10

d. Dialogue rather than declaration is the approach to evange-lism. To the minds of many ecumenicals, it is the height of arrogance_______________________________________________________


to declare to men of other religions that Jesus is the only way tosalvation Many evangelicals see dialogue as a tool for better under-standing of other religions, which will enhance an effective proclamation of the gospel. But to many liberal ecumenicals, dialogue is a partof the greater effort that should lead to more peaceful coexistenceamong peoples. Dialogue may lead to the fulfilment of the ecumemcalUtopian vision. It also presupposes Christ's presence in all religions. Itis interesting to note that Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims contributed to the production of the materials that were studied at Nairobi At the Christian-Muslim dialogue at Broumana in 1972, the following declaration was made:

Those who are Christian (not Christians only) and those who are muslim (not Muslim only) are already together, in the sense that they are united not only in their friendship of God but also in their common commitment against false absolutes of our age and against the injustices these engender in the lives of men.11

A number of consultations have been held, in Hong Kong, Ghana, Senegal, and other places, to discuss dialogue. In many cases, worshipping together in different shrines and temples or churches is a part of or even a prerequisite for dialogue. 'Praying together, then, seems to be the beginning and the basis of dialogue.'12

e A moratorium on missions is part of the liberation process. Ecumenical leaders use self-reliance to justify their call for a cessation of mission activites flowing from the West to the Third World. But their pronouncements have shown that the call for a moratorium goes deeper than this. Biblically-based Christian mission is seen as an oppressive measure from which people in the Third World ought to be redeemed. The Barbados Declaration, an ecumenical statement in 1971 respecting the situation in Latin America, categorically states, ‘We conclude that the suspension of all missionary activity is the most appropriate policy for the good of Indian society and for the moralintegrity of the churches involved.'13

Self-assertion is human, and anthropocentric theology, such as ispromoted in ecumenism, fits this innate desire. One may expect theinfluence of ecumenical theology, therefore, to spread in Africa, sinceit makes human experience the basic source of theologizing. Evange-licals, for their part, must learn to move beyond the divinely revealedsource to the human dimension where the action is. Holding the Bible________________________________________________________


as their basic source for Christian theology, they must discover how best to relate to the human situation in all areas, including the socio- politico-economic arena. Unless evangelicals delve more deeply into these human levels, they will find it difficult to gain a hearing in Africa today.

4 Black Theology

Black theology, which became evident among blacks of the UnitedStates in the 1960s, seeks to emphasize black consciousness andthereby to discover the dignity of the black man. Black consciousness does not necessarily refer to the pigmentation of the skin. Rather it means an awareness that the particular class of people called 'black'have been oppressed. Malcolm McVeigh of Nairobi University accur-ately sums up when he says: The primary concern of black theology isliberation, and one sees considerable attention devoted to defining theimplications of Jesus' gospel for the downtrodden in the face of

entrenched political, social and economic injustice.'14

That black theology was born in the United States and is now rooted in Southern Africa is no accident As an ideology seeking to liberate the oppressed, that oppression becomes the root cause. Enslavementof Africans by whites is among the worst evils done by one class ofpeople to another. It may be surpassed only by Hitler's massacre of sixmillion Jews. Until about twenty years ago, American blacksexperienced many kinds of humiliation on account of their race. The270 thousand whites of Rhodesia have tried to dominate the 5.8million Africans of that land, on the assumption that they are preservingChristian civilization. In apartheid South Africa today, the Sowetoblack dweller works to provide comfort for the white suburban inhabi-tants of ultramodern Johannesburg, but he benefits very little from thefruit of his labour. To keep the black man in perpetual bondage, theracist regime is reported to spend about $750 a year for the educationof an average white child and only $45 for a black child.15

While I do not agree with the proponents of black theology forreasons to be given later, I fully identify myself with their condemnationof injustice. The search for human dignity is a scriptural principle. Jesus Christ so values human life that He became incarnate. Not onehair from anyone's head falls to the ground without God's knowledgeand concern (Matthew 10:30). Thank God not all white people havebeen guilty of dehumanization. In fact, many white people have faced ________________________________________________________


ridicule and even death for the sake of the black man. Therefore,generalization should be avoided in discussing this subject

Furthermore, Christianity should be judged by what its Founder hassaid in His Word rather than by what professing followers have doneor not done. The Bible is God's Word. Even if all men become liarsand unfaithful, God remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). Christians mayfail and have failed, but biblical Christianity has not failed becauseJesus never fails. Black theology, though raising the right questions,has been carried away by emotions. Many black theology leaders have cast aside the Bible or stripped it of its absolute authority. Thehumanistic ethical principle that the end justifies the means has becomethe marching orders for liberation enthusiasts. That is why sometheologians go so far as to justify violence on the basis of Christianrevelation. A closer look at the nature of black theology shows that thesystem, as propounded by many of its exponents, is incompatible with

biblical Christianity.

a. Black theology is reactionary. Steve Biko of South Africa gave the motif of black theology in Hegelian terminology: The thesis is in fact a strong white racism and therefore, the antithesis to this must ipso facto be a strong solidarity amongst the blacks on whom this

white racism seeks to prey. Out of these two situations we can therefore hope to reach some kind of balance - a true humanity where power politics will have no place.' According to this thesis, all white people,16

regardless of their relationship to Jesus Christ, are oppressors. Biko described them as 'irresponsible people from Coca Cola and ham- burger cultural backgrounds.' Black people, whether Christians or17

non-Christians, 'must sit as one big unit, and no fragmentation and distraction from the mainstream of events [can] be allowed' in18

opposing the whites. A synthesis, or peaceful coexistence, may then result from this conflict.

This approach may fit Hegelian-Marxist theory, but it is not in keeping with the spirit of Jesus Christ. As the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), Christians should know no race barriers. Tertullian, an African theologian of the third century, spoke in the vein of New Testament Christianity when he declared, 'Christians are members of the third race.' Just as it is wrong for any Christian to support racial prejudice and oppression, so it is wrong for black Christians to lump all whites into one category and condemn them all. Rather than pitting thesis against antithesis on the basis of race, Christians from belligerent camps should stand as the synthesis, with Jesus Christ as the Head of___________________________________________________________


the newly created body, the Church (Ephesians 4:15).

b. Black theology is relativistic and situational. For the Christian,the Bible is the absolute authority on which to base all theological andethical formulations. Black theology, however, sets up humanexperience as the basic term of reference. Basil Moore writes, 'BlackTheology is a situational theology. And the situation is that of the blackman in South Africa.' Biko, in rejecting absolutes, writes of black19

theology, 'It grapples with existential problems and does not claim tobe a theology of absolutes.' A popular motto found on many public20

vehicles in Nigeria is: 'No condition is permanent.' This is an aptdescription of the human condition. Man comes and goes. Humanstruggles constantly shift. Empires rise and fall. A theology that bases

itself on human experience, rather than seeking answers for humanexperience from the absolute Word of God is as helpful as a sailboatwithout sails. Situation ethics, which allows immorality if love dictatesthe situation, must be firmly rejected as being out of line with theabsolute teaching of the Scriptures. Bible-believing Christians shouldreject black theology on the same basis. The absolute Word of Godmust be the measuring rod of the varying, fleeting situations.

c. Black theology is characterized by humanism. It is true thatsalvation history has man as God's object of love and care. 'What isman that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, thatThou dost care for him? Yet Thou has made him a little lower thanGod, and dost crown him with glory and majesty' (Psalm 8:4-5). But itis equally true that the Word of God has the final word on man'snature. The Bible speaks of the dignity of man, God's appointed rulerof His creation (Genesis 2:28). The same Word describes man'sdistorted, dissipating nature following the Fall (Genesis 3; Romans 1).Black theology, on the other hand, sees only man's dignity. 'It beginswith people - specific people, in a specific situation, and with specificproblems to face.' A theology that begins with man will end there,21

missing the One who has spoken (Hebrews 1:1, 2).

The Bible is called on to conform to what black theology has saidabout man. Mpunzi states, 'Black theology has no room for thetraditional Christian pessimistic view of man, the view that we are allby nature overwhelmingly and sinfully selfish.... This pessimism aboutman is therefore an ally in our own undermining of ourselves.' 22

Human dignity, in the sense that man is the master of his own fate, isthe position advocated by radical proponents of black theology. Thelogical outcome of humanism is a replacement of God with man. That________________________________________________________


is what black theology seems to be doing.

d. Black theology dethrones the Omnipotent God andenthrones man. The gospel is described as 'black power'. JamesCone of Union Theological Seminary in New York declares, 'BlackTheology puts black identity in a theological context, showing thatblack power is not only consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ, butthat it is the gospel of Jesus Christ.' If black power, which is23

described as the secular term for black theology, is the gospel, it is24

appropriate then to find out what this gospel has to say about God.Basil Moore attempts to strip God bare of all absolute attributes

derived from the pages of the Scriptures through centuries of biblicalstudies. He argues:

Concepts such as omnipotence and omniscience ring fearfully of the immovable, military-backed South African government and its Special Branch. These, however, are the images learned from Western Theology, and their biblical justification is dubious. Black Theology cannot afford to have any truck with these

images which lend religious support to a fascist type of authoritarianism. Nor should it lend ear to the pious clap-trap which asserts that man cannot be free, he can only choose whose slave he will be - Christ's or the state's.25

Moore describes the god of black theology, made in the image ofthe oppressed who are crying for liberation:

Thus Black Theology needs to explore images of God which are not sickening reflections of the white man's power-made authoritarianism.... God is no authoritarian king issuing commandments and rewarding or punishing according to our obedience or disobedience. Rather, God is discovered and known in the search for and experience of liberation, which is the wholeness of human life found only in the unity of liberating, life-affirming and dignifying relationships.... An appropriate symbol of this understanding of God would be that 'God is Freedom'.26

Satan's attempt to usurp God's throne ended in utter failure.Throughout the ages he has also energized man to try to dethroneGod. The fact that a racist regime has abused power is no reason forman to deprive God, his Creator, of His rightful kingship. The Almighty____________________________________________________________


God, Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, has authoritatively declared, 'Iam God and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me'(Isaiah 46:9). The highest human dignity a person can bring to hisfellow Africans or anyone else is to invite them to bow to the Lordshipof Christ and the Father, joining all other loyal creatures in singing,'Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honourand power and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen'(Revelation 7:12).

e. Black theology denies hell. With God dethroned, man canreconstruct a theology to the delight of the natural man who wants tohave his cake and eat it too. He wants to live in rebellion against Godwith impunity. Biko said that pagan African religions have no hell andthat Christianity must be seen in the light of that fact. He declares:

There was no hell in our religion. We believed in the inherent goodness of man - hence we took it for granted that all people at death joined the community of saints and therefore merited our respect. It was the missionaries who confused the people with their new religion. They scared our people with stories of hell. They painted their God as a demanding God who wanted worship 'or else'.27

To reject the fact of hell is to reject clear New Testament teaching. Manypassages deal with the subject (e.g. Matthew 5:30; 25:46; Luke 16:23;Revelation 1:18). The way to escape hell is through placing faith inJesus Christ, and not by brushing aside biblical teaching on thesubject.

f. Black theology is racialistic. Some advocates of black theologyhold a view similar to that of the Black Muslims in the United States.Many American Black Muslims teach that black people are the onlytrue human beings. Therefore, paradise is prepared only for theblacks, though a handful of 'human' whites might also be favoured.The thought of blackness and oppression so occupy the minds ofblack theologians that Jesus is limited to the black oppressed only.Moore writes along this line:

Jesus as a Jew in first-century Israel was one of the poor, the colonised, the oppressed. Through the incarnation God identi- fied himself in Christ with this group of people. Thus a meaningful symbol of God's identification with the oppressed is to say Christ is black.... Belonging to the oppressed, Christ is black.28

________________________________________________________


Black theology, along with other humanistic theological systemssuch as liberation theology, is anchored in the liberal understanding ofthe Incarnation, and in the liberal understanding of liberation. TheIncarnation of our Lord is the assumption of humanity in general, andthis includes both the rich and the poor, the oppressor and theoppressed, the black and the white. The classic passage on the Incar-nation (Philippians 2:5-11) indicates that Jesus Christ became man in

general. The form of a servant does not depict only a section ofhumanity; it indicates the vicarious suffering of the Servant of Yahweh(Isaiah 52:13-53:12) on behalf of all members of the human race,since 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans3:23). The Incarnation has made all men savable, but a person issaved only when he puts his trust in the incarnate Christ who died androse again in order to reconcile men to God (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

The concept of liberation is a confusing one today. Beginning withthe promise that the oppressed are the object of Christ's mission, theliberal ecumenicals go on to limit the goal of Christ's mission to social,political, and economic liberation. If Christ came only for the down-trodden, in the narrow sense of the physically oppressed, why did Hehave any dealings at all with the religious leaders, the Pharisees; or thearistocrats, the Sadducees; or wealthy businesswomen, like Mary andMartha; or well-to-do fishermen, like the sons of Zebedee; or successfulcivil servants, like Matthew and Zacchaeus? Why did God allow HisSon to be buried in the tomb of 'capitalistic' Joseph of Arimathea? IfChrist's mission was for political liberation, why did He not organize agang resistance to the Roman oppressors instead of urging Hisfollowers to go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41)?

While New Testament Christianity respects human dignity and callsfor justice, liberation in terms of what Christ came to do must beunderstood as meaning liberation primarily from man's fundamentaldilemma, which is sin. When Christ talked of freedom, the Jewishleaders thought of political freedom. But He made it plain that Hemeant freedom from sin (John 8:31-38). Both the oppressed and theoppressor need this message. The liberated person must, therefore,see his fellow men as equal before God. The heart of Paul's socialethics is summed up in Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew norGreek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female;for you are all one in Christ Jesus'. The unity of believers will providethem a base from which they can launch out into a world which is fullof problems and confusion.

Theology, which is the science of God and His creation, needs to be_________________________________________________________


interpreted in such a way that it becomes meaningful to the listeners.The Bible addresses itself to the black man in his plight It has done soin pointing out both the dignity and depravity of all men. It is theresponsibility of Christian theologians to bring these facts to the know-

ledge of the public. If black theology is understood in that sense, then Iam all for it. Unfortunately, black theology seeks to usurp the place ofGod's revelation. Its proponents have set up human experience as thebasis for theologizing. Where biblical concepts are used at all, they areused only to support the preconceived notions of the theologian. I,therefore, see black theology as a worse danger than western libera-lism. Rather than adhering to black theology, I appeal to my Christianbrothers, Africans and non-Africans, to search the Scriptures, andstand by scriptural principles. According to the Bible, believers, underwhatever human condition, are already liberated. 'For freedom Christhas set us free' (Galatians 5:1). But our freedom in Christ shouldchallenge us to seek for justice through peaceful means. It is, therefore,not black theology we need, but the application of Christian theologyto the black situation.

In the search of the African church for theological identity, evange-licals have a great potential for keeping the church biblical. Practicallyall the churches started out evangelical, and many of them are stillevangelical. If adequate leadership is produced now within theevangelical sphere, the church in Africa will have a proper biblicalperspective to hand on to forthcoming generations of AfricanChristians. May the Lord help us all to experience the life of Christ,stand by His sure Word of truth, and proclaim it firmly and unmis-takably throughout our continent, so that Africa may hear the voice of Him who is saying: 'Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matthew 11:28).

NOTES

1 Bongeye Senza Masa, 'Reviving the Traditional Initiation School in Zaire' AACC Bulletin 8 (January-March 1975), 16. 2 For a more extended treatment of Christianity and African culture by Byang Kato, see his book African Cultural Revolution and the Christian Faith (Challenge Publications, PMB 2010, Jos, Nigeria, n.d.). 3 Bongeye Senza Masa, op cit 4 J. K. Agbeti, 'African Theology: What It Is' Presence v (1972) 6. 5 Ibid.__________________________________________________________


6 John S. Mbiti, New Testament Eschatology in an African Background (London: Oxford University Press, 1971) 185. 7 Philip Turner, The Wisdom of the Fathers and the Gospel of Christ: Some Notes on Christian Adaptation in Africa' Journal of Religion in Africa iv

(1971)64-65. 8 Byang H. Kato, Theological Pitfalls in Africa (Nairobi: Evangel Publishing House, 1975). 9 'How Does Christ Set Free?' Paper No. 3, in Structures of Injustice and Struggles for Liberation, booklet 5 of Notes for Sections, Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches (Geneva: WCC, 1974) 31.10 'Seeking Community: Where People of Different Faiths Live Together' paper No. 1, in Seeking Community: The Common Search of People of Various Faiths, Cultures and Ideologies, booklet 3 of Notes /or

Sections, Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches (Geneva: WCC,1974)14,15,17.11 'Seeking Community: Where People Live in Cultural Crisis' Paper No. 5, in Seeking Community, booklet 3 of Notes for Sections, Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches (Geneva: WCC, 1974) 52.12 Ibid.13 'For the Liberation of the Indians,' International Review of Missions 60 (April 1971) 280.14 Malcolm McVeigh, 'Sources for an African Christian Theology' Presence v(1972)2.15 Radio South Africa, June 17,1975.16 Steve Biko, 'Black Consciousness and the Quest for a True Humanity' Black Theology: South African Voice, ed. Basil Moore (London: C. Hurst, 1974) 39.17 Ibid, 40.18 Ibid, 47.19 Basil Moore, 'What is Black Theology?' Black Theology, 5.20 Steve Biko, 'Black Consciousness....', 43.21 Basil Moore, 'What is Black Theology?', 6.22 Ananias Mpunzi, 'Black Theology as Liberation Theology' Black Theology 137-38.23 James H. Cone, 'Black Theology and Black Liberation' Black Theology, 48.24 Ibid.25 Moore, 'What is Black Theology?', 8-9.26 Ibid, 9-10.27 Biko, 'Black Consciousness....', 42.28 Moore, 'What is Black Theology?', 8.__________________________________________________________________________________________________

SUGGESTIONS FORFURTHER READING

Byang Kato, Theological Pitfalls in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya: Evangel

Publishing House, 1975).Byang Kato, The Spirits: What the Bible Teaches (Achimota, Ghana: Africa Christian Press, 1975).Byang Kato, African Cultural Revolution and Christian Faith (Jos, Nigeria: Challenge Publications, 1976).Paul Bowers, 'Evangelical Theology in Africa: Byang Kato's Legacy' Evangelical Review of Theology 5:1 (April 1981) 35-39.

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