Interculturalisation as transforming praxis : the case of the church of Central Africa Presbyterian Blantyre synod urban ministry

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: From within the epistemological framework of missional praxis in ParticipatoryDevelopment Theology, the researcher addresses ethnocentrism, poverty and regionalismin the historical contexts of the CCAP Blantyre Synod and Malawi. Over-against thiscondition, he advocates for a change in mindset to a hermeneutic of hospitality, respectand caring based on the construct of Interculturalisation in Development Theology. Inaccordance with his contextual and identity analyses' and in line with participatorydevelopment challenges, he succeeds in designing a model for an intercultural missionalapproach which he argues would assist the CCAP Blantyre Synod to affect its calling andbeing as liberating, reconciling and transforming public entity.The thesis also includes thorough background information about Malawi such as of theearly history, the geography and aspects of the economy. The role of the missionaries andthe colonial administration is highlighted and there is a description of all the churchesactive in Malawi.'Interculturalisation' has the potential to provide a forum where people of differentethnic, regional, denominational, cultural, national, religious and ideological backgroundscan meet and engage in a respectful intercultural dialogue because of its emphasis onhospitality and interdependence based on the Biblical anthropological principles andKingdom values of acknowledging the other and the dignity of all human beings.Through intercultural-dialogue they can come to an understanding about the meaning ofdevelopment as transformation, globally as well as locally. Interculturalisation thereforeserves to facilitate and strengthen ecumenical formation and to nurture ecumenicalconsciousness. This mission model will enable people to concentrate on things that unitethem rather than on those that divide them. Our submission here is that it is only with aunited voice that other development partners can take the Church seriously.At present, however, the CCAP Blantyre Synod struggles with these issues because of theongoing divisions among churches (particularly within the CCAP family) and churchesnot doing mission in unity. The result is that ecumenical work and addressing issues likepoverty is difficult because there is no cooperation between denominations. The humandignity of all parties suffers and the gospel is neutralized. Ecumenism does not necessarily focus on individual development. The Church is both social and sacred; it isinfluenced by what happens outside as well as inside (cf. Heitink 1999: 9). We now livein a globalized world. The CCAP's social task therefore is to be a missionaltransformation church – a church for all peoples regardless of class, race, ethnicity orculture. When she does that she will not need to have another social ethic because, by herlife and witness, it will be clear that she is already that (Hauerwas 1983:104).White and black missionaries who established Blantyre Mission worked together– whenworking together, there was real progress, when not working together, there was notangible progress. So let us also learn to live and work together as brothers and sisterscreated in the image of God and called into the kingdom of God, who should find our firstand primary identity through our baptism into the one body of Christ (Ephesians 4:4-6).The 'scandal of the disunity of the CCAP family is very painful when we consider thechurch's social task. This disunity exists in our time in the face of the alarmingly everincreasingproportions of unemployment, poverty, inequality. HIV/Aids, hunger,nepotism, corruption, women and child abuse, property-grabbing and lack of moral fibreadversely affecting the Church and society at large in Malawi. How can we justify thesituation in which we who have been called to be the forerunners of God's peaceablekingdom cannot, it seems, maintain unity among ourselves?Schreiter (1985:29) argues that, 'if Christianity is alive at all in a situation, it willcertainly change things about the culture. The Christian message, after all, is aboutchange: repentance, salvation, and an eschatological reality to be realized. Therefore, tothink that Christianity will not change the situation [in Malawi] is to rob the Christianmessage of its most important part. The researcher refers to the fact that some of theearliest Scottish missionaries were culturally sensitive and respected all people.Everybody was treated with dignity. Where and when this was practiced, ethnocentrismdid not take hold and the gospel reached across all boundaries. The church should followthis example. As brothers and sisters created in the image of God, we should find our firstand primary identity through our baptism into the one body of Jesus Christ (Ephesians4:4-6; cf. Ephesians 2:14).

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University