Doing Ministry in the Igbo Context - Towards an Emerging Model and Method for the Church in Africa- Foreword by Theophilus Okere

Doing Ministry in the Igbo Context: Towards an Emerging Model and Method for the Church in Africa arises out of reflection on experience and practice. The volume reflects on the author's own cultural context, religious heritage, and pastoral functioning. In addition, it considers the author's personal experiences in relation to the common experiences of others within the author's cultural and religious traditions and places these experiences and the voices they represent into mutually critical correlation. Thus, commonalities and dissonances in them emerge leading to insights where to go from there in providing ministry to the People of God in the «local church» context and still within the framework of one universal church. This book presents a contextual model of local theology that begins its reflection with the Igbo cultural context. The Igbo or Nigerian or African Church can have a pattern of ministry with a model and a method that are consistent with the peoples' values. To accomplish this goal a local cultural value must be explored and brought into the scene. Since the Igbo society is the heart of Christianity and Catholicism in Africa, the author relies on Igboland as his situational context. The exploration of the indigenous Igbo value of collaboration will be an advantage in ministering to the rest of the African people who have cultural resemblances to Igbos. The African Church has to learn from the Igbo values of umunna bu ike. Umunna is the basic Igbo unit, and possibly the most powerful missionary force in Igboland, and potentially an Igbo gift to the Church in Nigeria and Africa, and even beyond.

Rezension:

«This book aims to develop a pattern of Christian Ministry compatible and consonant with the peoples' values. The values [Ebuziem] explores are the Igbo values of solidarity (...). In my view the author presents one of the most comprehensive treatments of inculturation I am aware of, targeting the core of the church's evangelization enterprise (...). This book does great service to the Church.» (Excerpt from the Foreword, Monsignor Theophilus Okere, President Whelan Research Academy for Religion, Culture and Society, Owerri, Nigeria)
«Cajetan E. Ebuziem was born and grew up among the Igbo people and so has an intimate understanding of and insight into the characteristics of these people. Igbo people have a strong sense of community and are supportive of one another. His main idea is that the peaceful, friendly, loving nature of the Igbo people better enables them to live the Beatitudes and follow in Christ's footsteps and, because of this, they have the potential to influence not only Africa but the entire world.» (Professor Joseph L. Borowitz, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana)
«This book has a great academic quality. It is a well-researched and organized text with profound theological and cultural background. Above all, it has a great practical conviction that is all embracing, not based on the balance of probability, but beyond reasonable doubt. Life and work differ from man to man, year to year, from day to day, and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not life and work in a general sense, but the specific contributions of each at a given moment in life.» (Fr. Bartholomew Ibeh, Alexandria, Louisiana)
«Under the framework of practical theology, this book proposes a model as well as a method, though springing forth from the Igbo 'sitz in leben', it is truly African. This model and method, if applied in the ministry will take the gospel to the grassroots. It is a well researched and articulated work. I commend the originalit y.» (Fr. Chukwuemeka Kelechi Iheme, CMF, Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa)