INCULTURATION IN AFRICAN INDEPENDENT CHURCHES IN IGBOLAND 1960-2007
ABSTRACT
The title of this work is inculturation in African independent churches in Igboland 1960-2007. Igboland is no longer a virgin soil as far as Christianity is concerned. Igboland has been in contact with Christianity for over a century and has been responding positively and negatively to it. Despite attempts made by the missionaries to eradicate traditional religion and impose Christianity, African independent churches through their inculturation process have preserved some of the traditional cultural values and attitudes within their church circles. Therefore this work examines the inculturation process by African independent churches in Northern Igboland (Enugu Igbo). The work aims at a critical and realistic evaluation of inculturation elements by African independent churches in (Northern Igboland) with a view to suggesting ways by which the gospel could be incarnated into the culture in a manner that Igbo Christians will understand it and express it better. It was found out that African independent churches in Enugu state have preserved some of the traditional religions and cultural practices such as polygamy, title taking, divination, witchcraft belief, use of African instruments in worship etc. within the church circle. It was found out that the Igbos have lost some good cultural elements. Therefore, inculturation programme by the African Independent Churches has been highlightened to proffer sorlution to existing information gap between the missionaries and African Christians as this inculturation programme has posed a challenge not only to the missionaries but also to the main line churches and the entire society at large. In fact, inculturation process in African independent churches involves the search for values of the past and for a religious system that takes account of the traditional views and aspirations of the people. Data for this work were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources involve interview conducted with priests and lay members of the churches and others outside African Independent churches in Northern Igboland. Secondary sources include both published and unpublished materials such as books, newspapers, journals, magazines, relevant Internet material etc. The methodological approach adopted is historical and descriptive. The information collected is described, analyzed and sifted and the descriptive interpretative method was used to analyze the data in order to present a readable data.