A Dialogical Approach from an African
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SOME ASPECTS OF CHRISTOLOGY: A DIALOGICAL APPROACH FROM AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE THEOLOGY OF OTTO WEBER by Rev.Peter K. C. arap Bisem B.D. Dip.Th. A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE FACULTY OF DIVINITY, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. April, 1991 Peter K.C. arap Bisem. ProQuest Number: 13833802 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 13833802 Published by ProQuest LLC(2019). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 T1I2- GLASGOW UNIVERSITY fl ^LIBRARY CONTENTS Page Title Quotation i Dedication ii Acknowledgements iii - v Copyright vi Summary vii-viii Abbreviations ix Part One: The Context and Intention of Otto Weber’s Theology Introduction 1- 3 CHAPTER One- Otto Weber's Theological Milieu 4-64 - background - Nineteeth Century theology on the crossroads - reckoning with National socialism - revelation and the question of Existential interpretation Chapter Two - Biographical Sketch on Otto Weber 65-70 Chapter Three - Otto Weber's background Anthropol|[y: 7 1 - 8 3 Permeating factor in his approach. Chapter Four - Focus on Christology 84-159 Part Two: Toward an African Perspective Chapter Five - Christianization of Africa and the resultant quest for African theology 161-191 Chapter Six: Emergent Perspectives in Africa's Contemporary theology 192-226 Chapter Seven: Centre for religious authority 222 -271 - revelation and biblical authority - the christological implication Part Three: Inspiration of Faith Chapter Eight: Prospect for contemporary Orientation 273-288 Chapter Nine: Concluding Reflection 289-294 Bibliography 2 9 5 -3 1 5 Although dogmatics certainly is subject to a given criterion which is beyond all questioning, it is equally subject to the process of dialogue and discussion with the fathers and brethren, a process which is also subordinate to the given criterion. O tto W eb er ii 7*/ JSec*. fiudtlK C T H u t & U ?0t4t Secnetatuf tyeu&uil t&e Synod t£e T^e^yttned( £ 4 u n c 6<*£ <5*4/ /4 £ U c a , Cn a^ectltuuvte nememinMce a n d to m y ttu*t6& i S * t6 en , &6e66<M youo fryi Owe CnutteaAwuMe ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am deeply indebted to many people for the prayers, encouragement and support throughout my study in Glasgow. I am particularly grateful to the Synod of the Reformed Church of East Africa through whose recommendation I was able to come and undertake this research. To the Reformed Mission League in the Netherlands Reformed Church and the Langham Trust Third World Scholarship Fund for their generous financial support which made it possible for me to be with my family throughout the course of my study. Many thanks also to Theology and Church History Department of Glasgow Divinity Faculty for financing my research trip to Gottingen over the summer of 1988 and the last days of extended stay. I should also like to thank Rev. Peter Houston and the Kirk session of Renfrew Old Parish Church of Scotland for giving me the privilege of sharing in their ministry as an associate minister during the year 1986 and for understanding whenever my academic concerns became primary. To Rev. Alan Ross for making the initial contact. Special thanks to the ‘Doozers’ who assisted my family to settle to the new life in the Parish. To Rev. Harry Thomson and congregation of Pollokshields Church of Scotland for three years of splendid fellowship. I should like to thank my former teachers at St. Paul’s United Theological College for introducing me to the ways of scholarship during my undergraduate studies. To Rev. Dr. Joseph Pungur, Rev. Enos Ashimala, Rev. Lawford Imunde, and Rev. Dr. Robert Anderson, who did not only stimulate my interest in theology, but was instrumental in a way to my coming to Glasgow. I should also like to thank members of Divinity Faculty at the University of Glasgow whose friendship, encouragement and support throughout the duration of my study made the lonely life of research work bearable. Special thanks to Prof. Robert Davidson, Dr. Gavin White and Dr. John Barclay for their unfailing encouragement. To Rev. John Riches for provoking New Testament lectures and seminars during my first year of study and for continued friendship and readiness to help whenever I have sought one. To Prof. Dr. E. Busch, of Gottingen University, for arranging all the necessary contacts during my research trip over the summer of 1988. To Prof. Dr. R. Smend, Prof. Dr. Hannelore Ehard and Mrs. Anita Weber for their generous information during my interviews with them. To my fellow students, Rev. Tom McGill, Bryson Arthur and Lesslie Milton I say many thanks for allowing me to practice a bit of dialogical discussion on issues theological over many cups of coffee. My greatest indebtedness, however, goes to my Supervisor, Prof. George Newlands who did not only introduce me to Otto Weber, but on countless occasions gave knowledgeable advice, criticism and unfailing encouragement. If theological research is at times thought of as a ‘Valley of dry bones’, I am fortunate to have had a supervisor whose partnership in this pilgrimage made me realise that ours is one where there is breadth of life. V Of the many who proof-read this thesis I want to thank Jojo Orleans Pobee for accepting to do so in spite of a heavy schedule. Special thanks to Pauline Connelly for her professionalism in the typing and forbearance whenever corrections had to be made. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to my family and friends whose love and support made four years of stay in Scotland look like two days. To my mother, brothers and sisters to our children; Gladys, Judy, Beverley, Bethuel, Naomi and Josiah who must be glad that at last Dad's fbig book* is finished. And to my wife, Beatrice, who had to endure the burden of a lone return to Kenya and single-handed settling of the Bisem clan. Thanks for patience and forbearance during the last months of unexpected separation. And since English cannot tell her all I want to say, I must resort to Kalenjin and say - Kongo! Kainyu ne leel mo chee bo tany University of Glasgow, April, 1991. VI Copyright On expiry of Library restriction, permission is given for the use of the contents of this work within copyright-laws.However,where other uses may be needed, requests may be directed to the author: St.Paul's United Theological College P.O.Private Bag Limuru Kenya. Tel.0154-40965. VII Summary Otto Weber’s dialogical Christology distinguishes itself in not only offering a framework that eliminates the problem of a one-sided emphasis on incamational Christology over that of the Cross, the ‘above* over that of the ‘below’ by correlating both, but also as one in which there is an exemplification of the Christological discourse in its character of a continuous dialogue and critical engagement with predecessors and contemporaries; in which the particular or contextual finds continuity and critique in the universal, the cultural in the biblical, and one in which the concern to do justice to the inner dynamic in the Christian witness do not conceal the variety of its representation. Recent Christological discussions and debates show the recognition of the problem and shortcomings of a one-sided approach and the stress on one aspect against others. But few attempts seem to have been made to address the subject in a way that this is overcome and what belongs to the very nature of Christological discourse is exemplified. Hence the concern to do so in this attempt. In order to set Otto Weber’s contribution in perspective, Chapter One examines the context and intention of his theology. This starts with a panorama of the theological trends in the German Protestantism of his upbringing; highlights on the theological crisis of the 1920s resulting from the experiences of the First World War and the emergence of dialectic theology; a process which culminated in Hitler’s rise to power and the re examination of the central question of the criterion of Christian witness and theology; the shift from the ontological question for theology to the relationship between revelation and history. After a brief biographical sketch in Chapter two, there is an examination of Otto Weber’s background anthropology in Chapter Three. An undertaking that shows his concern to align the Christian acknowledgement of God’s Lordship in faith with the character of Christian conduct and experience. The over-riding thesis being that the person and event of Jesus Christ exemplifies what humanity really is before God. In Chapter four is a preoccupation with Otto Weber’s Christology. The immediate concern is an outline of his aim, method and structure of representation. This involves an analysis of ‘above* and ‘below* approaches to Christology, the former exemplifying classical Christology* s concern to VIII speak of the reality of God’s prior superiority and majesty. And yet the criticism that is directed to its exponents such as Karl Barth is whether adequate attention has been paid to the fact that God’s majesty is encountered solely in his condescension. Contemporary formulations of Christology exemplify the dominance of the latter.