Kyomo, A. A., & Selvam, S.G. (2004). Marriage and Family in African Christianity. Nairobi: Acton Press.
Christian Families in Africa are in a phase of crisis. The crisis is about how to face change. Christian missionary activities, colonialism, westernization, urbanization, and a score of other contemporary phenomena have taken the African families to a plateau of change. The question is, will African families succumb to changes or emerge with an alternative stronger family structure?
Every crisis is a challenge and an opportunity. This one sure is. It is a challenge because the old models are not feasible in the changing social environment. The pangs of this new birth seem to bring a lot of anxiety. It is an opportunity because something more beautiful may eventually emerge. Our own reflections, discussions, assessments are very vital to contribute to the reconstruction of African Families.
The Tanzanian Theological Colloquium (TTC) took up this crisis as an opportunity and dared to unlock this challenge. The present work is a compendium of papers presented in the 3rd session of TTC held in Lyamungo, Moshi, in June 2002.
TTC is an ecumenical circle of theologians, most of whom are in academic area, and others are down-to-earth pastors. Hence the following points can be cited as the strengths of the present book on Christian Families inAfrica:
The topic chosen for our discussions and the subsequent output in the form of this book, is a relevant and urgent issue, as we have stated above.
The methodology of most of the contribution is very apt as well. Family and marriage being social institutions, the theological reflections on these should take off from a sociological approach. This book is a successful attempt at this approach. This way, the book is a trend-setter in African Theologies, and in fact even in Third World Theologies. It is local -Tanzanian and African – in the examples that are quoted; at the same time it is universal in its approach. It is Pastoral in its scope at the same time highly scientific in its base. It is sociological and anthropological in its method, and at the same time it is biblical.
The work is ecumenical in content. TTC is an ecumenical gathering of theologians – indigenous and expatriates. It includes representatives from different mainline churches: Lutheran, Anglican, Moravian, Catholic, etc. However we would like to make a disclaimer that the individual contributors’ opinion may not represent the opinion of the Church they belong to.
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CONTENTS | |
| 1. | Laurenti Magesa | Crisis and Adventure: Reconstructing the African Family |
| 2. | Auli Vahakangas | The Crisis of Christian Marriage |
| 3. | Evaristi Magoti | Globalisation and Family inAfrica: An Appraisal of its Impact on African Families and the Christian Response |
| 4. | Michael R. Guy | An Approach to a Theology of Marriage through a Consideration of Culture |
| 5. | Ronilick E. K. Mchami | Divorce in New Testament Vis-a-vis Tanzanian Divorce |
| 6. | Mika Vahakangas | Caught Between Ideal and Real: Family in the African Synod |
| 7. | Faith J. Lugazia | Effects of Church Discipline on the Christian Family – A Lutheran Contribution |
| 8. | George M. Fihavango | Leadership and Family in the New Testament: Social-Scientific Criticism – Afrocentric Perspective |
| 9 | Andrew A. Kyomo | Pastoral Care and Counselling to Families |
| 10. | Sahaya G. Selvam | Forming Young People Towards Building Good Christian Families in Africa |