Doing Theology at the Grassroots

A. Kalilombe

Description

Patrick Kalilombe has been distinguished for more than twenty-five years as a pioneering theologian and ecclesiologist. Circumstances have determined that much of his best work has been produced and published outside Malawi and through such diversity of outlets that it is very difficult for students and others to have access to his work as a whole. Hence we are convinced that his collection of his essays will have a very wide appeal, both in Malawi and beyond. The chapters are quite varied in their origins and subjects but the reader will not take long to notice recurrent themes: the author's missionary vocation, the critical role of the "grassroots" in theological construction, the integrity of Chewa traditional beliefs, the combination of Catholic commitment with radical openness to all religious and cultural traditions. Throughout the book is a series of photographs which lead progressively through the events of Bishop Kalilombe's 25th Jubilee celebration at Mua in 1997.

Informations

• Publié par: Luviri Press
• Date de parution: 16 mai 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789996098215
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

Patrick Kalilombe has been disInguished for more than twenty-five years as a pioneering theologian and ecclesiologist. Circumstances have determined that much of his best work has been produced and published outside Malawi and through such diversity of outlets that it is very difficult for students and others to have access to his work as a whole. Hence we are convinced that his collecIon of his essays will have a very wide appeal, both in Malawi and beyond. The chapters are quite varied in their origins and subjects but the reader will not take long to noIce recurrent themes: the author's missionary vocaIon, the criIcal role of the "grassroots" in theological construcIon, the integrity of Chewa tradiIonal beliefs, the combinaIon of Catholic commitment with radical openness to all religious and cultural tradiIons. Throughout the book is a series of photographs which lead progressively through the events of Bishop Kalilombe's 25 Jubilee celebraIon at Mua in 1997.

This book is part of Luviri Press which offers a range of books on religion, culture and society from Malawi

Doing Theology Doing Theology at the Grassroots at the Grassroots Theological Essays from Malawi

Patrick A. Kalilombe

Patrick A. Kalilombe

Luviri Reprints no. 3

Doing Theology at the Grassroots

Copyright 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any from or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission from the publishers. Luviri Press P/Bag 201 Luwinga, Mzuzu 2 Malawi ISBN 978-99960-98-20-8 eISBN 978-99960-98-21-5 Luviri Press is represented outside Malawi by: African Books Collective Oxford ([e-mail]) www.africanbookscollective.com Layout und Index: Marvin Esau First published by Kachere Series, Zomba, 1999

Doing Theology at the Grassroots Theological Essays from Malawi

Patrick A. Kalilombe

Luviri Press

Luviri Reprint no. 2

Mzuzu

2018

Luviri Reprints

Many books have been published on or in Malawi that are no longer available. While some of these books simply have run their course, others are still of interest for scholars and the general public. Some of the classics have been reprinted outside Malawi over the decades, and during the last two decades, first the Kachere Series and then other publishers have achieved "never out of stock status" by joining the African Books Collective's Print on Demand approach, but there are still a good number of books that would be of interest but are no longer in print. The Luviri Reprint Series has taken up the task to make those books on or from Malawi, which are out of print but not out of interest, available again, through Print on Demand and therefore worldwide. While the Luviri Reprint Series concentrates on Malawi, it is also interested in the neighbouring countries and even in those further afield. Luviri Reprints publish the books as they originally were. Usually a new Foreword is added, and where appropriate, new information has been added. All such additions, mostly in footnotes, are marked by an asterisk (*). The Editors

Contents

Series Editors' Preface Introduction: My Life, My Faith, My Theology, and My Country: 1 Christ's Church in Lilongwe Today and Tomorrow 2 Evangelization and the Holy Spirit 3 The African Local Churches and the World-wide Roman Catholic Communion 4 The Salvific Value of African Religions 5 Lessons from African Traditional Religion: Unity from Below 6 Black Theology 7 Doing Theology at the Grassroots: A Challenge for Professional Theologians 8 The Bible and Non-literate Communities: A Malawian Example 9 Spirituality in the African Perspective Index

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6 8 44 74

87 109 126 143

172

203 220 220

Series Editors' Preface

The Kachere Series is an initiative of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Malawi. It aims to promote the emergence of a body of literature which will enable students and others to engage critically with religion in Malawi, its social impact and the theological questions which it raises. An important starting point lies with the publication of essays and theses which until now have been inaccessible to all but the most dedicated specialist. It is also hoped, however, that the development of theological scholarship in Malawi will stimulate the writing of many new books. General works with popular appeal can be published as Kachere Books. Documents and essays, which are of value as sources for the study of religion in Malawi, can be published as Kachere Texts. Full-length treatises, the fruit of sound primary research which meet rigorous academic standards, are published as Kachere Monographs. The Editors intend the Series to contribute substantially to the growth of a body of knowledge in the area of theology and religious studies in Malawi. As important resources for study related to this field, we are confident that they will come to be prized not only within Malawi but in every academic centre concerned with religion and society in Africa. Patrick Kalilombe has been distinguished for more than twenty-five years as a pioneering theologian and ecclesiologist. Circumstances have determined that much of his best work has been produced and published outside Malawi and through such a diversity of outlets that it is very difficult for students and others to have access to his work as a whole. Hence we are convinced that this collection of his essays will have a very wide appeal, both in Malawi and beyond. The chapters are quite varied in their origins and subjects but the reader will not take long to notice recurrent themes: the author's missionary vocation, the critical role of the "grassroots" in theological construction, the integrity of Chewa traditional belief, the combination of Catholic commitment with radical openness to all religious and cultural traditions. The text is accompanied by a series of photographs which lead progressively through the events of Bishop Kalilembe's 25th Jubilee celebration at Mua in 1997. It is fitting that this milestone should be marked also, even 6

if a little belatedly, by the publication of this book which we believe will attain an important place in contemporary African theological litera- ture. Kachere Series Editors Advent 1998

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Introduction: My Life, My Faith, My Theology, and My Country:

"In the Footsteps of the Incarnate and Missionary Cosmic Christ"

On 27 August 1997 I celebrated 25 years of my Episcopal ordination. It was a consolation that this celebration could take place while I was on leave in my country, Malawi, and that a large number of relatives, friends, and well-wishers were able to join me in thanking God for the past twenty-five years of pastoral and academic ministry. But at the same time there was a poignancy in the thought that, of these 25 years, only the initial four had been spent in active service in the Diocese of Lilongwe of which I had been made bishop on 27 August 1972. The remaining twenty-one years have been lived outside the country, in a sort of "exile" that started in 1976 when I was asked to leave Malawi and my diocese. Thus the most intensive and prime years of my life and ministry have been spent in other lands: in Africa, in the USA, in Jeru- salem, and then in Britain. Can one discern any sense or meaning in such a life?

The Jubilee was certainly an appropriate occasion for pausing a moment and looking back over the past years to try and understand what has been God's purpose and design for me. Some day I may want to write a full autobiography. That time has not yet arrived. But I might just as well begin now to trace an outline of such a life story and thereby share with others my present understanding of what God has been doing with me so far. The Scriptures exhort us always to "be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls (us) to account for the hope that is in (us)", adding: "yet do it with gentleness and reverence"! (1 Pet. 3:15- 16). I could do this by merely tracing the course of events in my life. But that would not be of much use. I have chosen to accompany the narrative with some interpretation of the events by presenting them as 8

God's purposeful interventions and also as challenges that asked for appropriate responses from me. Looking back over the past years, I seem to sense that all along it was my Faith in Christ that was being exercised. E- vents have contributed to the development of a certain way of life, certain convictions and disposi- tions, a way of feeling, thinking, acting and reac- ting, which for want of a better word I would call a "spirituality" or a Theolo- gy. I try to identify the guiding principles, the in- tuitions and visions that have been dominant in my life and ministry. This is best done, I think, by tracing the line of in- volvements and encoun- ters, on the occasion of which I was led to ex- press myself in writing. I have therefore selected a number of articles writ- Inculturation ist he key to the progress of the ten since 1973, which I Church hope will shed some light on the development of my faith and theological thinking, especially in so far as these were related to my commitment to serve the people of Africa generally, and those of my country Malawi in particular, both in the Church and in

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