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Inculturation revisitedBy Laurenti Magesa“The Church in Africa,” Pope John Paul's theological summary of the conclusions of the 1994 African Synod, describe inculturation as the “synthesis between culture and faith” (Ecclesia in Africa #78). This is a phrase with immense significance for the process of contextualising or localising the Gospel and, honestly and faithfully followed, has profound implications for both faith and culture.Faith and culture - unless manipulated by a thousand qualifications - faith and culture hold the same importance in this conceptualisation of inculturation. It means that neither of the two elements should prevail over the other, or should be only at the receiving end. On the contrary, it involves dialectic or living process of give and take, the faith influencing, guiding and even purifying culture at the same time as culture adds on to and transforms the faith or at the very least, our understanding and practical expression of the faith. The one-sided emphasis often placed on the role of the faith has to a certain degree frustrated the success of the inculturation process, at least in the African context. It is in no small measure a consequence of the African Synod itself and, beyond it, of Vatican II. These assemblies, while opening some windows towards the appreciation of the values of African culture, yet remained deeply hesitant and suspicious about them. The windows have therefore stayed practically three-quarters closed. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main ones involves fear of new and therefore unfamiliar) doctrinal language and practical ways of living the faith. The history of the Western church as a “globalising” (new term, old reality) agent in matters of faith expression is long. It was consolidated by the centralising efforts of Pope Pius IX's Vatican I. So it is only understandable that some in the church would emphasise uniformity at the expense of unity in diversity or the communion of local churches (communio ecclesiae). It is an attitude, however, that needs to change. Culture must be allowed to influence, guide and, (dare we say it?), yes, even purify the practice of the faith as we know it at any one time. When we inquire about the contribution of African culture to the church and faith here, this is precisely what we mean. It is also part of the inculturation process described by Pope John Paul's phrase “synthesis between culture and faith.” If, as the Synod's propositions (30–32) put it, “the whole life of the church and the whole process of evangelisation” must be inculturated, incarnated or contextualised, including “theology, liturgy, church structures, and life,” what image of church would emerge in Africa? It would certainly be remarkably different from the one we are up to now accustomed to. Until inculturation goes some way through the process it is not possible to draw precise outlines of the image of the future church. Yet it is possible to imagine the general picture, a necessary step if we have to have some idea of what we should be doing to go where we want. Let us try to imagine briefly and simply, then, the shape theology, liturgy, church structures, and life of this future contextualized church. Theology The main idea here is to develop a theology that reflects the experience of the African people in their relationship with God. African theology in its two main branches, namely, inculturation and liberation, has fortunately started to do so. There is one main source for this endeavour: an active encounter between African religiosity and the Bible. As we have noted, the encounter will not only influence and change Africa's perception of, and vocabulary describing God, ancestors, spirits and other universal forces. It will also influence Africa's interpretation and understanding of biblical truth. The implications will be evident in theological language on the one hand and attitudes to African religious perceptions on the other. So that God, for instance, might be routinely referred to as the Great Ancestor and Jesus as, among other things, Healer and Liberator. But it is perhaps in pastoral practice that the encounter will have the greatest and most visible consequence: baptism of polygamous people as well as the ordination of women and married men to priesthood, for example, might be considered possible by the local African church Liturgy There have been few deep but may surface elements of inculturation in the liturgy in Africa since Vatican II. The latter are well known and include liturgical attire, musical instruments and melodies. The structures of the Mass and forms of prayer, however, have not changed much to reflect African forms of ritual and vocabulary and procedures of prayer. With regards to prayer, for instance, almost all official prayers used in the entire liturgy of the Mass are not African “home-grown.” They are all of them translations from Latin originals. They are consequently not quite capable of being relevant to the African local situation, or expressing in African vocabulary the African spirit of prayer. You don't need examples of this; it is evident in any parish situation. Ecclesiology There is probably no point in the Synod's list of elements to be inculturated as delicate and as touchy as the structures of the church. In our imperfect world and church, anything to do with power is bound to be imperfect, and church structures also partly involve power and control, as Jesus himself noted (see e.g., Mt. 20:28). Church structures are claimed to be divinely instituted, especially in their hierarchical character, and therefore no fundamental change should be foreseen for them, it is usually argued. Yet, if even they should be inculturated, according to the prescriptions of the Synod, the question is unavoidable: how do you localise them in the African context of forms of leadership? One thinks more, not less, authority given to deliberations of Episcopal conferences, synods and councils, the ecclesiastical equivalents of the African palaver – talking under a tree until consensus is reached. These forms of leadership rather than autocracy are more faithful to the church's sense of faith the (sensum fidelium). Church Life To be truly African and truly Christian, the life of the church involves all the above. Do most Africans feel at home in the church, identify with it and recognise their cultural heritage in it? This kind of environment is necessary if, as Pope Paul VI has described the goal of inculturation, Christianity is to become culture. It means that the church must not only have an African skin, but must also have African blood, mind and soul. For this reason, the African church, or that communion of churches making up the African church, will be different from other churches, but united firmly with them in the one belief, as the Apostles' Creed puts it, in Jesus as “the Christ,” the communion of the saints, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Laurenti Magesa, a priest from the Diocese of Musoma (Tanzania), is one of Africa's best-known Catholic theologians. He has taught theology in Africa and America and he is currently involved in pastoral work in his home country
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