Theology of culture for modern Africa

Abstract

This paper will seek to formulate a distinct theology of culture for the modern African context, and one that will respond appropriately to the unique and varied needs of the modern African person. This paper utilises Prof. William Dryness’ description of the culture, which offers a finer definition of the term. The role and place of culture in theological discourses has been a subject of intense controversy among theologians and scholars over the years. This controversy has been fueled by the perceived exclusion of culture as a key player in shaping our theological enterprise and especially in the African context. The foregoing notwithstanding, theology in its nature is contextual. This assertion flows from both the biblical and historical models of theologising. It is notable therefore that, culture plays a vital role in the theological enterprise of a given people in a given place. There is a need to open our spectrum of learning about God in the African context. If we stick only to the conventional theological approach and notions that were in many ways not inclusive, we may lose an opportunity to learn and discover God. This is why a theology of Culture is important because it adds a new arena or platform upon which God’s revelatory possibility is evident.