DEVELOPING A CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY IN AFRICA AND HOW AN AFRICAN THEOLOGIAN CAN CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO THE ‘LOCI’ OF TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY

Abstract

The clamour and quest for the development of African Christian Theology which is
distinct, viable and separate from that of Western Christian theological tradition has
been an issue of concern and interest among African theologians. This concern is
predicated on the claims that the European missionaries who brought Christianity to
Africa replaced African traditional religion with Christianity in order to make Africans
docile to European domination and attacks. Consequently, Africans lost their religion,
culture and identity; and Christianity is associated with these damages. Accordingly,
this awareness gave rise to concerted efforts by Africans to regain their culture, identity
and religion. Thus, the need for the development of African Christian theology became a
matter of concern and interest to both African and non-African theologians. However,
there was no agreement among the African theologians on the concept, methodology and
content for the development of African Christian theology. This work contends that
there is need for the development of African Christian theology and that African
theologians can contribute meaningfully to the ‘loci’ of traditional Christian theology.
An attempt is made to examine some definitions of African Christian theology in order
to clarify the concept and methodology. As a way of expressing the uniqueness of
African culture in Christian theology for the benefit and readership of others in the
Western world and globally, this work underscores the concept and methodology for the
development of African Christian theology and how an African theologian can
contribute meaningfully to the existing literature of traditional Christian theology. The
work also suggests some theological themes that have relevance to the Church in Africa
which should be explored and developed by African theologians. Some identified areas in
basic Christian doctrines which African theologians need to explore in order to
contribute meaningfully to the ‘loci’ of traditional Christian theology are: God,
Christology, Pnuematology, Anthropology, Ecclesiology, Soteriology and Eschatology.
These basic Christian doctrines should be explicated in African cultural terms without
compromising the core message of the Christian gospel.