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The Evangelical Church in Africa: Towards a Model for Christian

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The Evangelical Church in Africa: Towards a Model for Christian The Evangelical Church in Africa: Towards a Model for Christian Discipleship by Vernon Ellis Light 2010 Table of Contents SUMMARY ........................................................ 10 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................. 11 1. Background to this study ...……………………………………………………..... 11 2. The problem to be addressed ............................................................................... 18 3. Proposed solution to the problem ........................................................................ 19 4. Sub-problems and corresponding proposed solutions ......................................... 20 4.1 The problem of Africans trying to experience Christianity in Western culture, and inculturation of the Gospel as a proposed solution .............. 20 4.2 The problem of writing off all, or nearly all, elements of African cultures, and merely avoiding syncretism and restoring African identity as a proposed solution ................................................................ 21 4.3 The problem of inadequate application of the Gospel to every area of life, and a holistic and comprehensive application as a proposed solution .................................................................................................... 22 4.4 The problem of battling to see Christianity as final revelation and largely as fulfilment of African traditional religions, and teaching the difference between natural and special revelation as a solution ......... 23 5. Structure of the dissertation ..................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER TWO: A PRESENTATION AND DEFENSE OF EVANGELICALISM IN THE CURRENT PHILOSOPHICAL-SCIENTIFIC-RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE ................ 26 1. Evangelicalism ...................................................................................................... 27 1.1 Is evangelicalism a homogeneous movement? ........................................... 27 1.2 A brief history of evangelicalism .............................................................. 27 1.3 Tenets of evangelicalism ............................................................................ 30 1.4 The story-line or plot-line of the Bible ....................................................... 31 1.5 Special challenges facing evangelicals in Africa ........................................ 33 1 2. A defense of the evangelical view of Scripture and the Gospel ........................ 34 2.1 The reasonableness of the existence of an authoritative Bible ................... 35 2.2 The reasonableness of the Bible’s plot-line ................................................ 38 2.2.1 The human tale ............................................................................... 38 2.2.2 The Bible has a solution for real guilt .............................................. 39 2.2.3 Christianity’s harmonizing of a righteous, loving God and evil in the world is reasonable ......................................................... 39 2.2.4 The Bible’s absolute morals can produce a moral society that is stable, safe, caring and productive ....................................... 41 2.2.5 The plot-line of the Bible is rooted in real history .......................... 42 2.2.6 The plot-line of the Bible climaxes in a wonderful eternal future which ultimately all humans desire ...................................... 43 2.2.7 It is logical that humans should serve and obey God and find their ultimate purpose and fulfilment in him .......................... 44 2.2.8 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 44 3. A summary and critique of Modernism and Postmodernism ......................... 46 3.1 Modernism ..................................................................................................47 3.1.1 Premodernism ................................................................................. 47 3.1.2 What constitutes modernism ........................................................... 47 3.1.3 The scientific method ...................................................................... 47 3.1.4 The birth of the scientific method ................................................... 48 3.1.5 The influence of the Enlightenment ................................................ 49 3.1.6 The undermining of theism ............................................................. 49 3.1.7 Modernism found wanting .............................................................. 50 3.1.8 Application to the African Evangelical Church (evangelical churches in Africa) ...................................................... 57 3.2 Postmodernism ...........................................................................................58 3.2.1 Accommodates the scientific method and subjectivity in understanding reality ...................................................................... 59 3.2.2 Absolute knowledge is not possible ............................................... 60 3.2.3 The function of language is limited ................................................ 64 3.2.4 Postmodern Christian theologians cannot escape the authority of the Bible ...................................................................... 66 3.2.5 Some dangers of postmodernism .................................................... 67 3.3.6 Final critique of postmodernism ..................................................... 67 4. Can evangelicals defend exclusivism in the present religious pluralistic climate? ................................................................................................................. 70 4.1 Empirical, cherished and philosophical pluralism ...................................... 71 4.2 Radical religious pluralism, inclusivism and exclusivism .......................... 72 4.2.1 Presentation and critique of radical religious pluralism ........... 73 2 4.2.1.1 All religions are ultimately headed in the same direction and have a common core ................................... 73 4.2.1.2 No religion can claim absolute truth ................................ 75 4.2.1.3 All religions claim some kind of special revelation ......... 76 4.2.1.4 Pluralism permits, even encourages, syncretism .............. 78 4.2.1.5 Final critique of religious pluralism .................................. 80 4.2.2 Presentation and critique of inclusivism .................................... 84 4.2.2.1 Are any evangelicals inclusivists? .................................... 85 4.2.2.2 The two axioms of inclusivism ......................................... 85 4.2.2.3 Arguments of the inclusivists ............................................ 86 4.2.2.3.1 Pagan saints in the Bible were saved ................ 86 4.2.2.3.2 There is an offer of salvation after death ........... 87 4.2.2.3.3 Inclusivism is claimed not to weaken commitment to world mission ......................... 87 4.2.2.3.4 The magnitude and triumph of God’s love ...... 88 4.2.2.3.5 Salvation can be received through good behaviour ........................................................... 90 4.2.2.3.6 Final critique of inclusivism ............................ 90 4.2.3 Exclusivism .................................................................................... 93 5. Summary and implications of the chapter ......................................................... 95 CHAPTER THREE: AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION ............................ 98 1. Overview of African Traditional Religion .......................................................... 99 1.1 Core beliefs ................................................................................................ 99 1.1.1 Belief in a Supreme Being, divinities, spirits, and ancestors .......... 99 1.1.1.1 Hierarchy of spiritual powers ........................................... 99 1.1.1.2 Supreme Being .................................................................. 100 1.1.1.3 Deities/gods ...................................................................... 102 1.1.1.4 Spirits and Ghosts ............................................................. 103 1.1.1.5 Ancestors .......................................................................... 103 1.1.2 The physical and metaphysical/spiritual worlds are inter-related .... 107 1.1.3 Life force and death ........................................................................ 109 1.1.4 Diviners, doctors, mediums, witches, sorcerers, prophets, priests, kings ................................................................................... 110 1.1.5 Community is central ...................................................................... 113 1.2 Special focus on the traditions of the amaXhosa .................................... 116 1.2.1 Beliefs about God and the ancestors (izinyanya) ............................ 116 3 1.2.2 Living in a world of witches, spirits, sprites and people of the river ........................................................................................... 118 1.2.3 Doctors: diviner (igqirha) and herbalist (ixhwele) .......................... 121 1.2.3.1 Their work, call and training ............................................. 121 1.2.3.2 Divining methods .............................................................. 122 1.2.3.3 Rain-making ...................................................................... 122 1.2.3.4 Dress ................................................................................. 122 1.2.4 Community and hospitality
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