Title: African Public Theology
Publishers: HIPPO-BOOKS Langham Publishers Limited, Cambria, UK
General Editor: Professor (Rev.) Sunday Bobai Agang
Book Reviewer: Richard Abu
Number of Pages: 422
Price; Not Stated
Introduction
The book – African Public Theology written by a renowned theologian, scholar and professor of religious studies, Reverend Professor Sunday Bobai Agang alongside with twenty eight other erudite theological scholars who happen to share the same faith and vision seeks to unravel and reveal God’s plan about his people in Africa. This book runs the same with the agenda 2063 which is a blueprint for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. Agenda 2063 is the continent’s strategic plan designed to deliver sustainable plan for pan- African and African renaissance.
The agenda was fashioned by African leaders on the need to focus and reprioritize Africa’s agenda from the struggle against apartheid to achieve independence for the continent. The book completely subsumed itself with the ideals and philosophy of the agenda which has been the focus of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The document containing the agenda 2063 plays a key role in the ideas behind the writing of the book titled””African Public Theology” edited by Professor Sunday Bobai Agang and other eminent scholars. The book is a must read for both christians and non- christians alike.
The book which was edited by two other associate editors: Dion A. Forster and Jurgens H. Hendriks see Africa as a land loved by God Almighty but has been bedeviled with unpleasant situations that are making God’s children dissatisfied with life thus trying to seek solace elsewhere. But the authors have come with a message of hope concerning the Africa God want for his people.
The twenty nine chapter book states categorically that the church and indeed the entire African continent is currently faced with lot of challenges ranging from high profile corruption, poor leadership, blatant lies, greed, high level insecurity manifest in kidnapping, terrorism, murder and other vices that have defile the land making it a continent God does not want.
It is at the high point of these challenges that God has placed on the minds of his children the task to reawaken the people of God in Africa to rise up and take the leadership challenge so that God himself will use them to bring solutions to the numerous problems confronting Africa. One of such persons is Professor Sunday Bobai Agang with other notable theologians have come together under an umbrella known as ‘Network for African Congregational Theology (NETACT) and have been using the platform to organize workshops, seminars and other congregational platforms outside that of their theological seminaries to mobilize and enlighten the masses of Africa of the need to return to God through the light of his son Jesus Christ.
The book which is presented in three parts, opens with chapter one titled “The Need for Public Theology in Africa” written by the intercontinental Chairman, and Coordinator of NETACT, Professor Sundai Bobai Agang who decry the unpleasant experiences Africa countries are passing through thus making it difficult to say this is the Africa we want as children of God Almighty. According to him, believers in Jesus Christ have to remember that the Bible call Christians who are God’s children as the ‘light of the world’’ charging them to wake up, shine and illuminate over the darkness. He likened Christians to the salt as stated in the Bible urging them to shine the light in Africa.
The authors of the first two chapters, Bobai Agang and Dion A. Forster, provided the rationale for the need of public theology in Africa and also clarify the concept of African public theology. On that foundation, another author Hassan Musa in chapter three proceeds to trace the source of African public theology to the Bible as he categorically harps on the Bible verses that trace the origin, identity, ethics, salvation, worship and social responsibility of God’s people. In chapter four of the book, another theologian, Tersur Aben succinctly captures the doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible and relates it to our public life, explaining that if Christians in Africa will build their relationships with one another after the pattern of the Trinity, they will experience the peace of God which will transform their lives and the entire African continent.
The first part of the Book ends with chapter five where one of the book’s associate editors, Jurgens H. Heendriks clearly captures the issue of identity from the perspective of the Africa we do not want, Africa we do not want to be and the Africa God wants us to be.
The second part of the book which dwells on the crux of the concern of the African continent and the nexus between public theology is captured in 21 chapters authored by veteran theologians. In chapter six, Jane Adhiambo Chirma advocates the need for public theology to permeate the senses of Africans to embrace democratic citizenship so that the nascent democracy achieved by most African countries will grow beyond mere voting for people based on the alphabets or symbols but vote for people based on issues, ideologies, faith and African values. While chapter seven written by the inter-continental coordinator of NETACT himself Professor Sundai Agang again addresses the theology of work, which is a concrete way of demonstrating our love for God, humanity and the rest of the creation, Piet Naude in chapter eight draws the attention of Africans to the harsh economic challenges facing the continent said solutions lie in the power of God to wipe away the tears of his children if they will repent and return to him in the coming kingdom where all tears will be wiped away through Christians being voted into positions of authority.
In chapter nine, Collium Banda outlines the causes of poverty on the African continent and then challenges African Christians to play a prophetic role as they engage a holistic multidisciplinary approach in combating poverty. In chapter Ten, Olo Nnukwe admonished Christians in Africa to practice public theology to enhance community development and sustenance. Samuel Peni Ango and Esther Rutoro enjoin Africans to embrace education which is the sure way to empowering the citizens towards combating other contextual challenges such as poverty, hunger, insecurity and banditry. Chapter twelve focuses on how public theology impacts on the environment as Ernest Comradie promotes responsible stewardship, land restoration, sustainable development, environmental justice and ecofeminism as the five better approaches towards responding to some theological concerns.
Danie Veldsman in chapter thirteen stresses the need groaning for Africa, stressing that the time to act is now as groaning with discernment and togetherness will bring scientific innovations that will result in healing and joy for the African continent. In chapter fourteen, Daniel Rikichi Kajang encourages public theologians to think of health in terms of holistic wellbeing covering the physical, mental and social life of people rather than limiting it to absence of diseases. Kajit J.Bagu also known as John Paul asserts that pursuing the Africa of our dream demands that we understand human rights as being independent and inclusive- this is the concern of chapter fifteen. The topic of gender inequality is exhaustively handled by Esther Mombo who warns that Africans should desists from holding unto archaic and rigid beliefs of gender discrimination but embraced women as creatures from God that deserve honour. She charges Africans to shun cultural practices that limits women’s role as ending in the kitchen. She encourages African Christians to embrace the fact that all human beings are created in the image and likeness of God and therefore see both genders in terms of mutuality rather than hierarchy.
In chapter Seventeen, Babatunde Adedibu identifies the challenge of migration and human trafficking as one of the basic problems facing the African continent. He identifies the causes of abject poverty in the land to sin, greed, selfishness etc. and proffers solution to the menace by advocating for aggressive campaigns against the menace from both Christians and governments of Africa using the mass media and engaging stakeholders in the industry for them to see the need to desist from such practices. Benaya Nyukuri in chapter Eighteen captures clearly the problem of refugees in the African countries where millions of people have been displaced from their homes as a result of herders-farmers crisis, poor leadership and call on Christians to wake up to the task of interceding for those human beings trapped in this ugly situation. Johnson A. Mbillah advocates for a construction of an African theology interfaith relations that will be rooted in our African identity which is consistent with the Bible. Chapters Twenty and Twenty-one look at how public theology can be applied to the state and her military armed forces respectively. From these contributions of theodros Assefa Teklu and Sipho Mahokoto, it can be deduced that the church can play her apostolic role as they call on the state and her agencies to be cautious against abuse of power.
Land matters has also received her share in the book as Dwight S. M Mutono in chapter Twenty-two harps on land issues using Zimbabwe as a case study. The author challenges Christian public office holders to develop voice of reason through conscience. Bimbo Fafowara and Rahab N. Nyaga trace the relationship between public theology and different forms of media in chapter twenty three. They admonish the church in Africa to use the media to propagate the values that project Christ as the answers to the challenges bedeviling the continent. In chapter Twenty-four, Ofonime and Idoresit Inyang present arts and artistic expression as a means of making room for dialogue as these contribute to communication and connection among people. The church in Africa is then encouraged to utilize the arts in communicating messages that build up our faith and help in creating the Africa that God wants. Leadership and intergenerational issues are the concerns of chapters Twenty-five and twenty-six where Maggie Madibo submits that if we have the Africa that God wants, Christians must be willing to take up positions and lead the way God wants. Nathan Hussaini Chiroma also in the chapter emphasize the need for intentional intergenerational relationships that help foster a sense of identity and belonging and create the right values in the younger generation of Africa.
The concluding part of the book which is the third part focuses on how the church can actually engage public theology in bringing transformation in Africa. In chapter twenty seven, Mathew Michael captures Christianity and the church in Africa pointing out the paradoxes of modern African Christianity and tracing the trend, patterns and trajectories. He harps on themobilization of the church in Africa which should be the concern of all Christians. The Twenty-eight chapter where Alfred Sebahene admonished the church to intensify her witness to God in Jesus Christ towards transiting from the ‘’Africa we do not want’’ to the ‘’Africa God wants’’. In the final chapter, Jurgens H. Hendriks re-echoes the need for the church to take her place in rightful position by raising a movement towards achieving the Africa God wants.
In all, the book is a combination of passion, relevance and reality as the narration in the book chapters dwell on issues that are pertinent to the witness of the church to our God and his son Jesus Christ. While the African Union (AU) is concerned about the state of affairs on the continent to the point of setting an agenda towards the Africa we want, the church should not remain lethargic. We should rise up and take our rightful place using the platform of public theology as we play our role in raising the Africa God wants by our lifestyle and intentional actions.
The book is therefore recommended to the readership of all Christians and non christians alike in Africa who are in the business of raising leaders that are after God’s heart. The theologians who took their time and energies in putting together this information on ink and paper should be encouraged and patronized so that the task of raising leaders for the church as disciples will go out there to shine and be a light for God in the Africa that God wants.
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The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
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