The Emerging of an African TheologyToward an African Theology by John S. Pobee; African Theology En Route by Kofi Appiah-KubiReview by: W. Leslie AveryAfrica Today, Vol. 27, No. 3, African Literature and Literature about Africa (3rd Qtr., 1980),pp. 61-63Published by: Indiana University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4185949 .

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The Emering of an African Theology

W. Leslie Avery

John S. Pobee, TOWARD AN AFRICAN THEOLOGY (Nashville: Abingdon, 1979) 174 pp. Paper $5 95.

Kofi Appiah-Kubi and Sergio Torres, editors, AFRICAN THEOLOGY EN ROUTE (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1979) 214 pp. Paper $7.95.

These two books represent serious attempts to give a distinctive African expression of Biblical and theological interpretation. In his Preface, Pobee writes that his work "is an attempt to hold a dialogue between the Christian faith and African tradition and custom in the flux and turmoil of our day," (p. 10) He concentrates specifically on the Akan of Ghana. Similarly, Appiah-Kubi writes in the Preface of African Theology En Route that the goal of African Christians is "to find a theology that speaks to our people where we are." (iii) He notes that the articles in this book - Papers from the Pan-African Conference of Third World Theologians, held at Accra, Ghana, December 17-23, 1977 - "are an attempt, simply the tip of an iceberg, at the enormous task facing African theology." (ix)

After underlining the need to translate Christianity into genuine African categories and thought forms, Pobee gives some guidelines in the quest for African theology. These are that: 1) It must be rooted in the Bible, take serious notice of the tradition of the church, and be ecumenical. 2) The concern must also be with the revelation in African religion. 3) An effort must be made to confront the two views, not necessarily to make easy reconciliations, but to face their similarities and differences. 4) The approach should be positive, without bitter attacks on the earliest missionaries for their ignorance, timorousness, and stubbornness.

He proceeds to identify five elements in theology: faith; revelation; reflection; participation; and intelligibility and consistency. Formative factors in theology are: experience; revelation; scripture; tradition; culture; and reason. Pobee warns that in the translation of Christianity into African categories we must avoid "frivolous translations" and also "anxious apology." Rather he argues for honest dialogue and a recognition of the world's religious pluralism.

As a preparation for the dialogue between Christianity and African traditional culture, Pobee sets forth the Akan "world view" as an example of how Africans perceive their environment. He brings out its deep and widespread religious outlook, its communality, and its sense of man's finitude.

W. Leslie Avery is Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

3rd Quarter, 1980 61

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He illustrates how early European missionaries took a very negative attitude to African beliefs and practices; he goes on to outline the method of adaptation as a positive approach to non-Christian culture, but warns against accepting everything African as useful in the process.

Then in successive chapters, Pobee proceeds to discuss Christology, Sin and Evil, Christian Marriage, and the Ethics of Power. With detailed illustrations he shows how these may be made meaningful and relevant in traditional Akan society. He makes it clear that we have "to distinguish genuine and nonnegotiable elements of Christianity from European culture, and to distinguish authentic Africanness from phoney Africanness." (p. 56) As a Biblical (New Testament). scholar, Pobee is able to relate the Scriptural concepts to the Akan language in his discussions of Christology and Sin and Evil. The more ethical matters of Marriage (and Divorce) and Power are thoroughly discussed in the light of Akan traditional customs and social relationships.

Pobee argues that the task of the Church is to educate society on Christian principles while maintaining a sensitivity to the traditional values. He is aware of both the necessity and the difficulties of designing an African theology ("To announce the need for African theology is easy and reasonable. But it is far more difficult to construct it." p. 18) Yet in this book he goes beyond vague theorizing and gets down to some specific aspects of Christian theology and ethics, to which he gives a Biblical and African interpretation.

While some Christians may disagree with certain of Pobee's "nonnegotiables" (e.g. "And a statement of no divorce or separation as the norm for a Christian is a nonnegotiable aspect of African theology, though individual cases may be considered on their own merits" p. 133), I believe that his book represents a commendable attempt to adapt and assimilate the best of African (Akan) and Christian religions into an African Christian Theology.

In African Theology En Route, between the Opening Address by Sergio Torres and the Final Communique from the Conference there are three series of papers. Part One focuses on "New Perspectives." Here the seven presentations trace the history of the evangelization process and of theology in Africa, consider the matter of self-reliance of the African Church, assess the current status and task of African theology and underline the fact that to be genuine it must spring not only from intellectual reflection but also from the witness of Christians committed to building a just society.

Part Two considers "Theological Sources." Its six papers stress that the Bible is the basic source of African Theology, note the continuity and discontinuity between the Old Testament and African life and thought, assess the value of African religious beliefs and practices for Christian theology, and sympathetically set forth the contributions of indigenous Christian churches and the theatre and art to authentic African spirituality.

Part Three focuses on "Liberation Currents." The six presentations here consider the role of women in Africa and the Church, the political responsibility of the Church, the theology of liberation, especially in South Africa, and the future of African theology from the perspective of a black American.

A paper written following the Conference on "The Role of Afro-America in the Rise of Third World Theology: A Historical Reappraisal" is included in this book after the Final Communique. It outlines how, rather than being two distinct and separate entities, Black Theology and African Theology overlap 62 AFRICA TODAY

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W. Leslie Avery

and interpenetrate each other; although there are differences, they are united in their desire to interpret the Gospel in the light of the continuing struggle of Christians of the Third World for selfhood and liberation.

In his Opening Address Sergio Torres notes "that the majority of the churches in the Third World still live with a European or North American model of theology, worship and organization" and goes on to say: "Our task is to help clarify and unmask the ideological use of theology" (p. 4). Torres stresses that Third World theology must not (as western theology frequently was and is) be divorced from the social order and its attendant exploitation of the poor and oppressed.

The Final Communique summarizes the main message of the Conference's papers, emphasizing the necessity of relating African theology to the realities of Africa today: "Our task as theologians is to create a theology that arises from and is accountable to African people" (p. 193). While the articles vary in style and content and do not display unanimous agreement on every point, they are united in their concern to make Christian theology in Africa relevant and contextual.

Both of these books are recommended for anyone who wants to know how Africans are approaching the agelong matter of relating the timeless message of the Gospel to the present time.

Missions in the Dock

K. Nyamyaro Mufuka

Walbert Buhlmann THE MISSIONS ON TRIAL: A Moral for the Future from the Archives of the Past (Maryknoll, N.Y. Orbis Books 1979) 160 pp., $5.95 paper

The Reverend Father Walbert Buhlmann, a Roman Catholic missionary in Tanganyika for many years, is already famous for his unorthodox ways and courage of expression. He is the author of the Coming of the Third Church (Maryknoll 1977). In his new book he carries the theme of the third church further than he did in his previous book. As the title implies, this work is presented as a courtroom case. with both prosecution and defense evidence put forward.

First come the criticisms of the missionary church in Africa. These are by now standard, but occasionally even veterans are shocked afresh at the blindness and bigotry of some of the early missionaries. That most were in league with European imperialists cannot now be denied. Secondly, they were blind to the differences between religion and culture. This is the more annoying since it is so obvious to us now. For instance, there is no law in heaven or in earth that requires an African convert to change his meaningful name to an equally pagan name such as "McTavish." Missionaries felt that a Christian

Dr. K. Nyamayaro Mufuka is Associate Professor of African Studies at Lander College, Greenwood, S.C.

3rd Quarter, 1980 63

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