Encounter Beyond Routine
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Encounter beyond routine Cultural roots, cultural transition, understanding of faith and cooperation in development International Consultation, Academy of Mission, Hamburg, 17th-23rd January 2011 EMW | DOKUMENTATION | 5 1 NR. 5 | DokumeNtatioN Herausgeber: EMW | Evangelisches Missionswerk in Deutschland e.V. | Normannenweg 17-21 | 20537 Hamburg Tel. (040) 254 56-148 | Fax -448 | [email protected] | www.emw-d.de Redaktion: Owe Boersma (EMW, verantwortl.), Wilfried Neusel (EED) Grafik/Konzept: tjulipp, Hermannsburg Titel: Getty Images/Stockbyte Layout: Birgit Regge Druck: MHD Druck + Service, Hermannsburg Hamburg, Juni 2011 Die Publikationen des EMW können unter der o.a. Adresse kostenlos bezogen werden, Spenden zur Deckung der Herstellungskosten sind willkommen: Spendenkonto des EMW Nr. 400 300 bei der EDG Kiel (BLZ 210 602 36) 2 EMW | DOKUMENTATION | 5 inhalt Rev. Wilfried Neusel and Dr. Owe Boersma Allan Anderson Preface................................................................................ 5 The.Pentecostal.Gospel,.Religion.and. Culture.in.African.Perspective......................................65 Rev. Wilfried Neusel Word.of.Greeting.to.the.Participants.of.the Dr. Viateur Ndikumana International.Africa.Consultation....................................7 Healing.the.Wounds.of.the.Past.and.Promoting Development.in.Rwanda: The.Church‘s.Stance. Rev. Wilfried Neusel on.the.Genocide.and.Civil.War....................................... 71 Encounter.beyond.routine.–. about.the.scope.of.our.consultation................................. 9 Helga Dickow and Valerie Møller Let‘s.Face.The.World!...................................................... 81 Claudia Währisch-Oblau Spiritual.warfare.–.the.royal.road.to.liberation Rev. Dr. Faith K. Lugazia and.development.in.Africa.and.Europe?........................ 12 Transformation.of.Mission.Instituted.Churches. in.Tanzania:.“.Charismatic.Renewal,.Denomination. J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, PhD Tradition,.and.Transformation.of.the.Society.”. “African.Reformation”......................................................25 A.Lutheran.Voice.............................................................. 91 Rev. Francis Mkandawire Rev. Dr. Jean Gottfried Mutombo Mission.and.Development.by.Mission.Instituted. “The.general.situation.of.the.Democratic. Churchesin.Africa:.An.African.Evangelical. Republic.of.Congo..........................................................103 Perspective....................................................................... 32 Werner Kahl Rev. Nathan Iddrisu Samwini, PhD Reverse.Mission.and.Social.Integration...................... 107 “Missionary.Tradition,.African.Worldviews.and the.Growth.of.the.Pentecostal.Movement.– Rev. Dr. Verena Grüter Implications.for.the.Fellowship.with.German. “Cultural Roots,.Cultural.Transition,.Understanding Churches.in.Mission.and.Development”........................39 of.Faith.and.Cooperation.in.Development”.................. 114 Jörg Haustein Lothar Brock Charismatic.Renewal,.Denominational.Tradition. The.Challenge.of.the.“African.Reformation”.for. and.the.Transformation.of.Ethiopian.Society...............45 Fellowship.in.Mission.and.Development..................... 121 Pastor Daniel Akhazemea, PhD Rev. Wilfried Neusel and Pastor Babatunde Adedibu, PhD Shared.memories.in.the.Hamburg.“Encounter The.Redeemed.Christian.Church.Of.God,. beyond.routine”.2011.and.the.way.forward.................125 A.Missionary.Global.Player:.What.Is.Her. Message.Regarding.Human.Development?....................53 Authors...........................................................................128 EMW | DOKUMENTATION | 5 3 4 EMW | DOKUMENTATION | 5 Rev. Wilfried Neusel, Dr. Owe Boersma Preface encounter beyond routine Professional routine is an indispensable part of reliable and European missions and church based development services effective cooperation in mission and development. are rather unconfortable in the sight of these developments in Africa. Since the 1970ies they resorted to a partnership Why then encounter beyond routine? approach, implying that they themselves are no longer oper- ational in the Global South, but rather assist in the mission- The International Africa Consultation at the Mission Acad- ary and developmental efforts of local partners/churches. emy in Hamburg was the answer to the observation, that Christianity in Africa has undergone a decisive paradigm In view of the developments in Africa the question is what shift. this partnership today means for Africans who look at Euro- pean Christianity with suspicion. Prof. Anderson and Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu - speakers at the consultation - named it "the African Reformation". Are Europeans real Christians, or are they contaminated by scientism and relativism? What can Africans expect from African Christianity in the last three decades has been European partners who don't understand the vital impor- transformed through Pentecostalism and processes of char- tance of prophesy, healing through prayer and exorcism? ismatisation, be it in Mission Instituted Churches, in African Instituted Churches or in newly emerging ones. Metropoli- The consultation proved that it may well be high time to de- tan, well organised mega churches are a special feature. construct Western patterns of reality-perception and obso- lete views on human development. The Western view proves Each day about 22.000 Africans find a new anchor in this to be one perspective among other valid ones. type of Christianity, reason enough to jointly search for the implications of this paradigm shift. However, the consultation also proved that longstanding partnership is a reliable basis for further dialogue about con- Obviously the discovery of the power of the Holy Spirit in tent and meaning of mission and development. It was again every believers every day life is an overwhelming experi- highlighted how for African Christians mission and develop- ence, leading to new social networks in an environment of ment are two sides of one coin, and their interdependence is rather weak governmental infrastructures, leading to new seen as theologically correct. self consciousness of congregants irrespective of ethnicity, gender, age and social status and helping to ban or break the But what does this all mean for e.g. interfaith dialogue in fear of evil spirits, not only in the personal, but also in the Africa? Does it mean that development efforts are confined political realm. to the Christian community? The charismatisation of African churches is intimately inter- What about the strife for Human Rights and good govern- twined with the spirit-based culture of the African Continent ance? What about respect of fellow human beings who have and at the same time with the traditional concept of blessing another sexual orientation? as prosperity. Are the dualistic world view and the demonisation of God's True believers can expect everything good from God's abun- creation appropriate Christian perspectives? dant grace and power, irrespective of governmental care. Pentecostalism inspires to confidence in an "economy of Can the quest for holiness in such a conceptual framework gifts and sharing". not lead to theocratic political desires? The consultation made clear that this sweeping movement is The consultation gave valuable insights into these issues, to some extent also a political one. Prayer for defeat of cor- and by this proved that the paradigm shift in African Chris- ruption and misuse of power can be a decisive "weapon" in a tianity calls for further dialogue and conceptual analysis. culture in which the material and the spiritual world perme- ate each other every second. May the lectures documented in this booklet help to sensitize European Christians for this upcoming necessary dialogue. EMW | DOKUMENTATION | 5 5 6 EMW | DOKUMENTATION | 5 Rev. Wilfried Neusel Word of Greeting to the Participants of the international africa Consultation “encounter beyond Routine“ on behalf of the “evangelischer entwicklungsdienst“ and “Brot für die Welt“ Honourable Colleagues, dear Sisters and Brothers, for Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. One colleague had the splendid idea to invite also Bread for the World and it is a pleasant privilege to me to welcome you here at the Evangelisches Missionswerk (EMW) and members of the Mission Academy at the University of Hamburg. EMW. Reverend Dr. Boersma of EMW, Rev. Dr. Währisch- Oblau of the international mission society “United Evangeli- I welcome you with sincere thanks to God for his guidance cal Mission” Rev. Dr. Fröchtling of the Hermansburg Mis- in the preparation of our conference and for his protection sion (ELM), Rev. Seitz of “Mission Einewelt” of the church during your often not easy travel with all what goes along of Bavaria, Rev. Vollprecht of the mission of the Moravian with it. church in Germany and Rev. Dinkelaker of “Evangelisches Missionswerk in Südwestdeutschland”, better known by the And I welcome you in great gratitude for your readiness to initials “ems”, put heads and hands together in preparation make time and all efforts to share diligently on the topic of this our consultation. Unfortunately the latter ones, broth- “Cultural roots, cultural transition, understanding of faith ers Vollprecht and Dinkelaker are unable to come because of and cooperation in mission and development”. urgent obligations at home resp. of illness. They also greet you very cordially. I do it with the lovely verses of Psalm 133: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in uni-