Vol. 10 (2022) - Issue 2

Vol. 10 (2022) - Issue 2

March 28, 2024 2024-04-03 11:58

ABSTRACTS

“I am Peace…They are for War” (Ps 120 :7) : The Language of Peace in Sacred Texts and

The question of peace has always been relevant for the African continent. This has become even more pertinent with the rise of violent religious extremism, political instability, and increasing threats to the security of women and children in society. A contributing factor to all of these is the manipulation of religious or sacred texts and the exploitation of their language to fan the flames of violence. This paper proposes that biblical texts such as Psalm 120 contain lessons for the right use of religious language to achieve the de-escalation of conflict and the preservation of peace. Using African Biblical Hermeneutics, the study brings the biblical text into dialogue with Adinkra, a type of African indigenous sacred text. It proposes that such a complementary engagement of the two textual traditions increases the chances for the transformation of violent language, and the reception and communication of the language of peace on the continent

Welcoming the Stranger : Pope Francis’s Challenge to Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties

Considering the ever-increasing number of forcibly displaced people globally, which according to the UN Refugee Agency, stood at more than 100 million as of mid-2022, in this essay, we seek to reflect on how Ecclesiastical universities and faculties can take up Pope Francis’ statutory challenge to offer a space where refugees and migrants can feel at home and have their higher education needs met. To situate the discourse in a broader context, the essay analyses the root causes of forced displacement, assesses the legal and moral definitions of a refugee and their implications,and ponders how Pope Francis’ invitation to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants and refugees might apply to ecclesiastical institutions of higher learning.

« Pour ne pas tomber dans l’indifférence » : La pauvreté religieuse dans « un continent saturé de mauvaises nouvelles »

In a continent “full of bad news” and where poverty is effectively chronic, the poverty professed by the consecrated can only look like an oxymoron. In practice, it is like a constant challenge faced by the consecrated to give sense to their vows with the risk for many among them to stray from the ideals of their religious life. This essay argues that poverty can only be a good news for Africans if, starting with Christ’s example and lifestyle, it is freely accepted against the trend of consumerist ideology and dictatorship of possession on the one hand, and on the other hand, if it is oriented toward genuine worship of God, “the standing man.” In this sense, religious poverty aims at enriching the poor, that is, the Lazarus from our streets, neighborhoods, and villages. This end becomes difficult when the consecrated are confronted with their increasingly deprived social background. In this case, the African consecrated must be creative and set up mechanisms of solidarity inspired by African traditional cultures, but also by a discerned adaptation of religious traditions like that of the Jesuits, which this essay debates.

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