CHRISTIAN FAITH AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION: JOHN HOWARD YODER’S SOCIAL ETHICS AS LENS FOR RE- VISIONING THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL IDENTITY OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL SYNOD (SCS) OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA (THE PCN) By Olo Ndukwe Dissertation Presented for the Degree of Doctor of Theology at Stellenbosch University Promoter: Professor Nico Koopman December 2008 DECLARATION By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: December 2008 Copyright © 2009 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The success of this work is a testimony of God’s faithfulness in my life. This very struggle for attaining selfhood has been a very challenging one. But for God’s immeasurable grace, the work would have been a mission impossible. To God be all the glory. I am indebted to all the people God has placed around me. Their presence in, and contributions to my life inspire me to affirm the saying that it takes other human beings for one to become a person. I lack words to express fully my appreciation to all of them. Nevertheless, a few of them deserve mention here. I would like to place on record the immense contributions of my promoter, Professor Nico Koopman, whom I address as My God-given developer . This title summarizes my interpretation of his ministry in my life. The results of his co-operation with Professor Dirkie Smit are also evident in this research. Their critique and overall mentorship cannot be divorced from the work. Their indelible theological formation will manifest in my future theological engagements. I pray that such future theological enterprise will justify the sacrifices they accepted for my sake. I am grateful to the Lord for favouring me with their presence and ministries. My appreciation also goes to the Faculty Dean Professor Elna Mouton and her office. They came to my rescue when I needed it most. In addition, I thank all the lecturers whose modules helped to shape my thinking. The librarians and other non-academic staff of the University who played crucial roles in making this project a success are not left out in my appreciation. Each of these persons or groups contributed concrete blocks of knowledge and experiences for the construction of my nascent intellectual framework. Worthy of mention here are the contributions of various seminar facilitators and authors whose works provided me with resources and inspirations for this project. I acknowledge all of them. The contributions of the Beyers Naude Center for Public Theology to the successful execution of this project are invaluable. The Centre exposed me to various conferences/seminars and finally introduced me to Professor Arne Rasmusson of Umea University Sweden. Professor Rasmusson created a significant space for me to drink from John Howard Yoder’s intellectual spring. His co- operation with the Faculty of Theology and the BNC also favoured me with the prestigious Linnaeus-Palme Scholarship to study the course, Theology, Social and Economic Theories at Umea University, Sweden from January to June 2007. ii I also salute Professor H. J. Hendriks of NETACT. He supported me financially and as a mentor, he gave me the opportunity to serve NETACT as the House Administrator of Weidenhof Housing Project (July 2007- Dec 2008). May the Lord also bless Rev David Hunter and the entire leadership of Stellenbosch United Presbyterian Church for their significant contributions to this study. The Mission Office of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) Stellenbosch also played a crucial role in making this dream a reality. In addition, I also acknowledge the contributions of Dr Robert Vosloo, Leslie van Rooi and Mrs. Wilma Riekert towards this project. My profound gratitude also goes to Chief Echeme Nnana Kalu , Chief Uba E. Obasi and Chief Nwokeka Kalu whose words were their bonds, i.e., to fund my Masters and Doctoral Programs in Stellenbosch University. The contributions of these persons: Mr James Eleanya Onuma, Dr and Mrs P.E.Ukuku, James Okwara, Agwu Asi, Ukaegbu Onwuka, Mike Kalu, Dr Uma Onwunta, Engr Onwunta Kalu, Dr Miracle Ajah, Chief E.K.Otisi, Mr Ukoha Uka and many others too numerous to mention are acknowledged. The General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is also acknowledged. This body relieved me of parish engagements to enable me to embark on this study. I say a big thank you to all. My selfless and inspirational wife Elder Mrs. Grace, and our daughters (Precious and Hope) are a blessing. They denied themselves of many privileges in order to make this dream a reality. Their names are both remarkable and symbolic of what God is doing in me and through me, for humanity. The Lord is faithful! iii ABSTRACT The premise for this research is that Yoder’s restorative vision for an ecclesial theology holds great potential for a more adequate involvement of the South Central Synod (SCS) of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (The PCN) with the public. Significant resources from Yoder’s Christocentric vision for restoring ecclesial reflections and practices can assist the church to re- vision 1 its distorted ecclesiology. Contemporary challenges within the Nigerian socio-cultural context question the meaningfulness of the Enlightenment-based and Constantinian-Docetic- faced ecclesiology of the SCS to its host religio-cultures . This ecclesiology is in conflict with the Reformed tradition which the SCS upholds, and which does not have a timeless, a-historical ecclesiology. The study adopted a systematic-theological approach focusing on historical, Christological and ecclesiological perspectives. With its theological lens, the historical perspective is used to retrace the dilemma of the SCS to some distressing legacies of the Enlightenment-based projects in Nigeria. These perplexing bequests do not spare the growing mission and projects of Nigerian churches, particularly The PCN which, gave birth to the SCS. Truism, universalism, abstract and competitive ideologies of the Reformation era often characterize the Enlightenment-based violent ethics. Local resources and contexts have less significant respect in their witnesses. Often, their competing ideologies becloud the embodied proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ by the churches. In other words, the social ethics of the SCS compromises the figure of Christ in its theological witnesses. Thus, Yoder’s reflection on Christology is suggested as a restorative vision. Yoder’s reflection on Christology is an ecumenical vision. It is grounded in the historical life and works which the biblical Jesus Christ demonstrated in concrete communities. Yoder’s Christological vision is scripturally rooted in the catholicity of the pre-Constantinian church traditions. It is Barthian in its foundation and orientations; albeit from a nonviolent-resistant Diaspora perspective. It also reflects on historical Christology as a nonviolentnon-violent- resistant ministry for renewing society. Fundamentally, Yoder’s vision also seeks the restoration of shalom in the community. Yoder’s visionary project takes local resources and contexts seriously in its ethical witness. Above all, it expects believers to adopt a Christocentric witness 1 The term re-vision is used here (and throughout the study) in the sense of re- envisioning. It is adopted to underscore the concept of a restored vision. iv to the political (non-violent-resistant) ethics of Jesus as their life responsibility. Yoder’s reflection on Christology envisions an ecclesial witness that is defined and sustained by the merits of the gracious Christ-event. Yoder’s vision for ecclesiology replays the Barthian rhythm: ecclesiology is the Church’s affirmation of the lordship of Jesus Christ over its polity and politics . It envisions a Christocentric corporate and embodied witness of the Kingdom vision as an historical reality. Yoder’s vision for the ecumenical ministry of the Church re-presents believers’ corporate (Christocentric) Kingdom realization as a Christological mandate to the empirical Church in concrete contexts. His vision for ecclesiology re-interprets and appropriates a Christocentric ministry of the whole people of God as a more significant practice of ‘the rule of Christ’ within historical contexts. It is a Christological ecclesiology. For Yoder, ecclesiology is ethics. Yoder’s restorative vision for social ethics is tied to his reflection on Christology. It bespeaks the believers’ embodiment of a Christocentric jesulogical ethics as body politics. His social reflection suggests a multidimensional, exploratory, experimental, often spontaneous and ad hoc practice of trans-community embodiment of the fulness of Christ as a Christocentric social Gospel within historical contexts. It is concerned with the burning issue of restoring and reconstituting human dignity. Yoder’s restorative vision seeks a Christocentric approach to nation building, social transformation and development. His Christocentric vision relocates mission and development to historical Christology. Consequently, the SCS can learn from Yoder’s social vision that historical Christology is a ministry to church renewal; that Christological ecclesiology is an ethical proclamation of Christ’s lordship above the polity and politics of the Church and; that jesulogical social ethics is the historic kerygma of the revolutionary Gospel of Jesus Christ among the nations. His restorative vision for renewal can present the SCS with a more substantive reflection on a reforming church in a reforming society that is in dire need of a reforming economy . v OPSOMMING Die uitgangspunt van hierdie navorsingsprojek is dat Yoder se herstellende visie van ‘n ekklesiale teologie groot potensiaal inhou vir ‘n meer toereikende publieke betrokkenheid deur die Suid-Sentraal Sinode (SSS) van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Nigerië (PKN). Betekenisvolle bronne van Yoder se Christosentriese visie vir die herstel van ekklesiale nadenke en praktyke kan die kerk help om te besin oor haar verdraaide ekklesiologie.