From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective
The move towards contextual Christianity in Africa is an essential venture if Christianity is to communicate with the African cultural heritage. As a universal religion, Christianity has to find an expression within the cultural context. However, the contextualization of Christianity in Africa appea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/12/266 |
| _version_ | 1819058490476331008 |
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| author | Joel Mokhoathi |
| author_facet | Joel Mokhoathi |
| author_sort | Joel Mokhoathi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The move towards contextual Christianity in Africa is an essential venture if Christianity is to communicate with the African cultural heritage. As a universal religion, Christianity has to find an expression within the cultural context. However, the contextualization of Christianity in Africa appears to have permitted the practice of syncretism. It has resulted in the emergence of African Christianity, which is the amalgamation of Christianity and African Traditional Religion. The amalgamation of Christianity and African Traditional Religion appears to overlook the essence of both religions as there is currently no clarity on how Christianity can best be expressed within the African cultural and religious heritage. This paper employs the document review method to explore the things that fall in between—“adiaphora”, which the proponents of contextual Christianity may have overlooked with regard to the African cultural and religious heritage. These include the pragmatic nature of the African cultural and religious heritage, and the African traditional methods of healing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:56:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b49643e0dc3427d8cfdbc0140342e05 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T13:56:02Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b49643e0dc3427d8cfdbc0140342e052022-12-21T19:01:33ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442017-12-0181226610.3390/rel8120266rel8120266From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African PerspectiveJoel Mokhoathi0Faculty of Theology and Religion, Department of Religion Studies, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South AfricaThe move towards contextual Christianity in Africa is an essential venture if Christianity is to communicate with the African cultural heritage. As a universal religion, Christianity has to find an expression within the cultural context. However, the contextualization of Christianity in Africa appears to have permitted the practice of syncretism. It has resulted in the emergence of African Christianity, which is the amalgamation of Christianity and African Traditional Religion. The amalgamation of Christianity and African Traditional Religion appears to overlook the essence of both religions as there is currently no clarity on how Christianity can best be expressed within the African cultural and religious heritage. This paper employs the document review method to explore the things that fall in between—“adiaphora”, which the proponents of contextual Christianity may have overlooked with regard to the African cultural and religious heritage. These include the pragmatic nature of the African cultural and religious heritage, and the African traditional methods of healing.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/12/266contextualizationAfrican ChristianityAfrican Traditional ReligionAfrican cultural and religious heritage |
| spellingShingle | Joel Mokhoathi From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective Religions contextualization African Christianity African Traditional Religion African cultural and religious heritage |
| title | From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective |
| title_full | From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective |
| title_fullStr | From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective |
| title_short | From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective |
| title_sort | from contextual theology to african christianity the consideration of adiaphora from a south african perspective |
| topic | contextualization African Christianity African Traditional Religion African cultural and religious heritage |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/8/12/266 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joelmokhoathi fromcontextualtheologytoafricanchristianitytheconsiderationofadiaphorafromasouthafricanperspective |