It is important to understand a people's world view in order to
administer to them effectively. What do we mean by world view? World
view is defined as the "outlook upon the universe that is characteristic
of a people. It is the picture the members of a society have of the
properties and characters upon their stage of action."
The world
view of a people governs their perception of the material and spiritual
universe and their response to the elements perceived within the
universe. A people's world view determined their social order and their
traditional beliefs. Africans have a world view which has defined for
the African a religious perception. It is no wonder, then, that we find
in many of today's churches in Africa a people living in accordance with
the perceptions of two world views - that of African Traditional
Religion and that of Christianity.
Are we right to say Africans
have a religion of their own? Let's firstly consider that which
constitutes religion. One attempt to define religion expresses it in the
following way. "Any system of beliefs, symbols and rituals that make
life meaningful and intelligible".1 E. Bolaji Idowu looks at religion as
inherent in the innermost being of man and prevalent in the
circumstances of life. It is always with us at every moment of life.2
John S. Mbiti describes Africans as notoriously religious. From
place-to-place within the continent, each people has its own religious
system with a set of beliefs and practices. The religion of the African
permeates into all departments of life in such a way that it becomes
difficult or impossible to always isolate beliefs and practices from
life-style.3
As one travels from place-to-place within the African
continent, Mbiti's statement can readily be substantiated. One
interacts with a people who have a belief system handed down by their
ancestors. That belief system is inherent in the innermost being of the
African. Therefore, we see a people who before the Christian era in
Africa practiced their own religion.
The local church in Africa
has the mission of the church to accomplish. Should it accomplish its
mission through confronting and rejecting African religion or culture?
Or, should it accomplish its mission through a fusion of African
religion and culture which would enhance the mission of the Church and
fulfill its nature while letting the word of God take preeminence?
The
writer would subscribe to the last question. The last question stands
in line with the approach of the mission of the first century church.
Paul incorporated aspects of the people's social framework
(religion/culture) which would enhance the mission of the church while
letting the revelation of God in Scripture take preeminence. It is
important, therefore, for the Pastor who would administer the local
church in an African context to have a perception of African world view.
He does so in order to make his administering both biblically and
contextually relevant to the people.
We will now go on to consider
aspects of African world view and the necessity of African world view
for administering the local church.
Aspects of African World View
1. View about the Universe.
Different
tribal groups have myths which ascribe the creation of the universe to
God. The nature and attributes of God are expressed through different
names. The universe is conceived of as both visible and invisible.
There
is law and order in the universe. This order is seen in the laws of
nature, in moral order which governs community life, in religious order
which prevents the community from offending departed ancestors or the
divinities, in the mystical order which is hidden in the universe. Power
emanates from the mystical order and is available to spirits and to
certain human beings. Man sees himself as the center of the universe.
There he utilizes the power of the universe in order to live in
consonance with the universe.4
2. Belief in a Supreme Being
This
Supreme Being is the Creator God. Myths among various African tribes
ascribe the creation of the universe to God. The Mendes refer to him as
Ngewo; the Konos as Yata; the Temnes as Kuru. The Ashanti people of
Ghana call him Nyame. The Yoruba call him Olorun which means "owner of
the sky." There are various myths also which explain the extreme
transcendence of God.5
3. Belief in spirits
Nature spirits are of two kinds:
i Divinities
These
categories of nature spirits are conceived of as God's agents or
personification. They are associated with major phenomena of nature such
as the sun, the moon, the stars, "the falling stars," rain, storm wind,
thunder and lightening.6For instance, in Yoruba tradition, the divinity
sango represents the manifestation of God's wrath; thus he is the
divinity of thunder and lightening.7
ii Spirits
This
category of spirits are immaterial and incorporeal beings. They may on
occasions, however, assume any form if they wish to be seen. They are
regarded as ubiquitous - "there is no area of the earth, no object or
creature, which has not a spirit of its own." These spirits inhabit
trees, rocks, forests, lakes, streams, rivers, animals insects,
mountains and hills. They are also associated with certain diseases.8
b. Ancestral Spirits
In
African understanding, human life does not end in death. The dead
becomes a "living dead". Ceremonies are performed in honor of the dead
and there is dependence on the dead for protection, provision and good
luck. It is the view that the dead can communicate especially through
dreams. The concept of "living dead" connotes that the ancestors have
merely transferred from physical existence to a spiritual existence but
they still remain an integral part of the human life of the living kith
and kin.9
4. View of Man
In African myths of the created
universe, man is put as the center of the universe. God is transcendent
and he lives in the heavenly part of the universe. Man lives on the
earth and he becomes the one who links the universe with its creator.
African peoples consider the usefulness of the universe to man. Thus,
man seeks what the world can do for him and how he can use the world for
his own good.
Man is not the master of the universe. He is only
the center. Forces outside of Man, in the spirit world, control the
order of the universe. Consequently, Man's primary task is to live in
consonance with the forces that govern the universe through obeying the
Laws of the natural order, the moral order, the religious order and the
mystical order. The natural order has to do with moral laws which the
supreme being has given human communities in order to maintain sanity.
The religious order has to do with obeying of taboos. The mystical order
has to do with the power contained in the universe.10
We have
cited four broad aspects of the African world view. It is these aspects
which account for the nature of the organization of traditional African
communities. The organization is influenced by the underlying philosophy
that the spiritual universe is a unit with the physical universe.
Therefore, for the African, the spiritual universe and the material
universe "intermingle and dovetail into each other so much so that it is
not easy, or even necessary at times to draw a distinction or separate
them"11
Practices within African World View
What practices,
then, emanate from the African Philosophy of the Universe? The pivotal
practice is that of communal living. In a village community, there is
the Chief, the elders and families. In some cases, some families combine
to form clans. Communal living is described as pivotal because it is
around it that other practices revolve.
There are laws which
govern the communal structure. Such laws exist to enable the community
to maintain harmony with the spiritual universe and derive benefits
therewith. Therefore, it is incumbent on everyone to keep the laws. The
breaking of community laws or taboos is sin because it disrupts the
moral and religious order.
Sin falls into two categories: Major
sins and Minor sins. Major sins include violation of tribal taboos, such
as the revealing of the secrets of a secret society; adultery with a
neighbors or the wife of a relative, stealing; murder; and witchcraft.
Minor sins include lying, cheating, trespassing on a neighbor's
property, child abuse, bitterness, disobedience, selfishness, failure to
show hospitality to strangers, unkindness, petty stealing and related
matters.
Major sins are dealt with at community level while minor
sins are dealt with by families or friends. Severe punishments are given
for major sins. We need to note that sin is not an offense against God.
Rather, it is an offense against the community or against cosmic order.
Therefore, forgiveness consists of the acceptance of the guilty
person(s) by the community after the prescribed penalty has been
fulfilled.12
Communal living incorporates several practices. Let
us consider some key practices. First, there is the offering of
sacrifices. Sacrifices are offered to the nature spirits (or divinities)
when a taboo is violated, a sin committed, or when illness occurs in
the family or bad dreams or repeated failures in endeavors. sacrifices
are offered to ward off evil spirits.13 Sacrifices are offered to the
ancestors as an act of propitiation or to seek help.14 Second, there is
the practice of initiation. Initiation transforms the individual from an
outsider in the community to an insider, it marks the dawn of
transition into adulthood; it provides a medium for education on tribal
heritage.15 Third, there is the practice of marriage. The family is the
basic unit of the village. Marriage is considered a sacred act because
God gave it as the means for maintaining an on-going flow of life on
earth. He who refuses to be married is considered as committing a major
offense against society and people will not deal kindly with him.16
Fourthly, there are the observance of various forms of rituals: rituals
for the new-born; rituals for deceased persons; rituals for agricultural
seasons et cetera.
The African philosophy of the universe and its
resultant effect in the organization of communal living has led to the
developing of African values. The following ten values are found among
communities of African peoples.
1. Concern for sacredness of life
Myths
among African tribes ascribe the creation of man to God, so life is
considered God-given. Therefore, it must not be willfully and callously
destroyed. In view of this, there are heavy fines and penalties for
murder. Some who commit suicide are denied funeral rites.
2. A people-Centered Orientation
The
people are linked to the Chief who is the divine ruler. A good Chief is
one who is people-centered and that would be reflected in the way he
takes care of his people. Africans place more premium on people.
3. A Sense of Community
The
African does not live in isolation of the community. There is mutual
support between the individual and the community - the individual
contributes to the community and the community contributes to the
individual. Festivals and rituals contribute to the well-being of the
community and give a personal sense of belonging to the individual;
thus, it is mandatory for each one to participate. The more serious
crimes are those committed against society.
4. Respect for Age
Old
age is a crown for the African. In traditional African society, young
men do not sit in councils; rather, it is the old men. This goes with
the belief that wisdom goes with age. The old folks are respected in the
village.
5. A Holistic View of Reality
There is no
dichotomy between the sacred and the secular in African world view; no
dichotomy between individual and community; no dichotomy between the
visible world and the invisible world. Reality is one unit. It cannot be
compartmentalized.
6. Respect for nature and tolerance of other religions
Man
is the center of the universe; yet, he does not consider himself the
master. He acknowledges forces outside of himself, which are powerful.
Nature offers power through herbal medicines so man respects nature by
living in consonance with it. There is also tolerance towards other
religions and, often time, syncretism results.
7. Respect of history
There
is a strong historical consciousness in African world view. History
informs the individual or community as well as instructs. A high regard
is put on historical values and traditions. Such values and traditions
are passed on orally.
8. Concern for Morality
There is
strong regard for morals and ethics. Morals and ethics have more of a
community dimension rather than a personal one. We discussed this
earlier when we considered the category of sins. The motive for ethics
is to maintain honor rather than bring shame to the community.
9. Concern for Power
Man
seeks to have power to maintain harmony with the universe. The African
recognizes his co-existence with good spirits and malevolent spirits. He
seeks to obtain power for his own protection and for the protection and
welfare of the community. It is in this regard that the medicine men,
the diviners, mediums and seers become a legitimate entity.
10. Concern for the Now
There
is no distinct future in the understanding of the African. There is the
emphasis of living well now so as to continue in that same status when
one dies and becomes a part of the invisible world. The invisible world
is interwoven in the visible.17
We have reflected on aspects of
African world view so as to give the pastor of the local church in
Africa a concise understanding of he culture and people which constitute
the sphere of his administration. The local church in the African
context has been strongly influenced by the forms of Western
Christianity brought by missionaries of the colonial and post-colonial
periods. Some have created rifts between Christianity and African
culture out of ignorance of the cultural values. If the local church is
to be administered biblically and contextually, then an understanding of
the African world view ought to be given serious consideration.
Necessity of African world View for Administering the Local Church
Is
a perception of African world view necessary for administering the
local church in Africa? There are several considerations which after
they have been discussed will have the answer implicit in them.
1. The Nature of the Church
We
should note that the Church is the ecclesia of God, the body of Christ
and the Koinonia of redeeming love. The term ecclesia parallels the
African understanding of community. The concept of 'body of Christ'
parallels the understanding of people-centerdness. The term Koinonia
parallels the functional aspect of body-life in the African practice of
community and people-centerdness. The pastor of the local church, then,
already has a people with a social structure which can enhance the
mission of the Church.
2. The Mission of the Church
The
Mission of the church involves warning and teaching everyone in order to
present everyone perfect in Christ. Furthermore, it involves preparing
God's people for works of service.
Many have engaged in carrying
out the mission of the church among African peoples but they have done
so from preconceived notions. Consequently, rather than making a
break-through, barriers were built. Others claim to have a perception of
African world view but lack knowledge of the mission of the church.
Consequently, an African Christian Church is established in which all of
African traditions, rather than Christ, is the center.
The
pastor's task in administering the local church cannot produce positive
results for the Kingdom of God if he lacks two key factors: (i) A
perception of African world view; and (ii) An understanding of the
mission of the church. In Chapters one to six we have discussed the
elements involved in the administering of the local church.
3. The image of Western Christianity
Western
Christianity has been equated with biblical Christianity. As a result,
the cultural elements of the west have filtered along with the gospel as
Western missionaries proclaimed the good news. That image exists today
in the form of church liturgies, the musical instruments that are used,
in the form of dressing, in the style of music, in the structure of
church buildings et cetera.
If a truly biblically-centered African
church is to be established in Africa, Western cultural forms which do
not fit an African world view should be replaced by African
thought-forms and practices.
4. The need to enhance ministry
The
African has a holistic view of reality. There is a no dichotomy between
sacred and secular, individual and community, visible and invisible
world. He is concerned about community, visible and invisible world. He
is concerned about power for protection and the keeping of consonance
with the universe. Will a cold, formal Christianity achieve the
objective of mission among the Africans? No! He wants a vibrant
Christianity - a Christianity with the manifestations of God's power and
the guarantee of protection over him.
The pastor who administers
without a perception of African world view administers a church where
the felt traditional needs of the people are not met. Therefore, the
people hold on to that which meets their felt needs. Christianity, as
such, becomes a religion of convenience or a family heritage or a
community interactive group. It bears no Christ-centered substance for
the people.
5. The fostering of constructive Apologies
Jesus
said, "I am the Way, the Truth and The Life, no one comes to the father
except through me." (Jn.14:6). This claim of Jesus carries two aspects
to it: (i) the claim to particularity; and (ii) the claim to
universality.
Particularity refers to distinctiveness. The
distinctiveness of the claim is that it is through Christ alone, on the
basis of His substitutionary atonement for sinners, that sinful humanity
can obtain forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with God and the
assurance of a future life in God's presence.
Universality, on the
other hand, refers to absoluteness. The universality of the claim
denotes that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not intended only for the
geographical zone where Christ proclaimed His Gospel. Jesus' commission
to the disciples in Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8 confirms the
universality of the mission of Jesus.
Therefore, in administering
the local church in the African context the pastor has to engage himself
in constructive apologetics. This would involve presenting the claims
of Christ and the absolute authority of the word of God in the Bible
over culture. But in doing this, the pastor must firstly fully
understand the Biblical world view and the African world view. Then he
proceeds from this standpoint of comprehensive knowledge of both world
views to determine three aspects of the African world view: (i) aspects
which are diametrically opposed to biblical world view; (ii) aspects
which are amoral in relation to the biblical world view. and need
careful interpretation; and (iii) aspects which are complementary with
the biblical world view.
The pastor should be involved in
administering the local church through organization, through promoting
stewardship, through pastoral nurture, through mobilizing the church for
evangelism and through church planting. The three aspects categorized
above would greatly influence the pastor's task in administering the
local church in the African context. Constructive, contextualized
apologetics cannot be fostered unless the pastor has a thorough
perception of the African view of the world and the implications of that
world view on African thought forms and practices.
The five
aforementioned considerations give us a yes answer to the question which
was posed earlier in this section. a perception of African world view
is certainly necessary for administering the local church in Africa. It
is unfortunate, however, that in some situations pastors do not have a
comprehensive knowledge of the African world view. Consequently, they
end up administering the church with a westernized version of theology.
such uninformed pastors produce a congregation of misinformed people who
may develop any of the following attitudes: (i) reject their cultural
values in the name of a misinformed Christianity; (ii) inwardly reject
the version of Christianity presented to them and firmly hold on to
their African tradition in all its fullness; yet they feel compelled to
remain in the church due to certain external conditions; (iii) reject
the church and its teachings and continue in their African tradition.
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