In light of this research work, the Vatican II Council remains a landmark, and its document Apostolicam Actuositatem (what we decided to call a 'Text of witness of actions' for the Catholic Laity), the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, inter alia Lumen gentium and Gaudium et spes, that border on the mission of the Catholic Laity in the human society, is a great achievement. After the Vatican II Council the Church saw the need to enhance and harness the witnessing message of the Council for the Catholic Laity mission in the Church and in the world. In the light of the foregoing this work is part of these efforts. We developed a 'hermeneutical model' via the political theology of Johann Baptist Metz in the light of the Vatican II Council message that becomes a challenge for concrete action of the Nigerian Catholic Laity in the existential socio-political situation of Nigeria.
With the prevailing violent conflict situation of our world, perpetuated sometimes even in the name of religion, humanity today faces extinction. To reverse this ugly trend, humanity has no choice than to build a society where every tribe and tongue can coexist in peace. This work analyzed the violent conflicts from anthropological, behavioral, politico-philosophical, and theological perspectives, and makes a demand on humanity to save herself through proper education and dialogue with all men and religions. Lotanna Olisaemeka is a researcher in Missiology affiliated with the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule, Vallendar, Germany.
The main objective of this book is to re-evaluate the true meaning of the term poverty in the world as a whole and in Nigeria in particular. From a sociological point of view, poverty is the natural consequence of economic inequity amongst social groups, a type of inequity often generated by the inability of the political class to provide and maintain basic amenities in the society. This book highlights so many complex reasons that are responsible for this type of inability, prominent amongst them being mismanagement of funds in most political setups. Our investigation from this book shows that theres a great difference between the various forms of poverty in western countries and in other countries of the world. Poverty may be caused by individual, social, cultural, ethical and moral issues. These various causes of poverty are often correlated. In Nigeria, poverty is mainly caused by lack of moral sensitivities amongst political leaders and by lack of initiatives for cultural, social and economic empowerment of the less privileged. Most striking is the fact that there is no basic well-established governmental structure meant to assist those who languish in poverty. This book discusses the real-life situation of those who suffer and are living in abject poverty. The book also discusses proposals that can help improve their condition. In line with this, the effective contributions the church can make in order to fight poverty will be taken into consideration. In fact, it is not enough for the church to know that the situation of long-term injustice in Nigeria is crippling the country; rather, she has also to live up to her mission vis--vis the poor and the marginalised who are living in the country.
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.
The idea behind The Kpim of Feminism was rooted in the mind of Fada Iroegbu in 2004 following a friendly but heated argument he had with Mrs.Wioletta Ukagba (the wife of one of the current co-editors of this book) who challenged Fada Iroegbu to direct his sharp brain and pen to the defence of women, especially the Nigeria women, who were and still are passing through various kinds of trans-valuation of values, economic exploitation, cultural and scientific manipulations, political marginalization and irredentism and various shades of sexualisation, harassment, exploitation, and commercialization. Fada Iroegbu took up this challenge to kpiminize womanhood, but unfortunately was unable to completely realise his dream before death struck. As it is with many great and indefatigable minds or thinkers who left behind unfinished works, we, his friends, family, interlocutors, well-wishers, men and women of good will, have come together to actualize one of his felt knowledge dreams. The fight for equality between women and men can sometimes not only be exaggerated but also plunged in controversy we cannot fathom The search for the truth about the relationship that ought to exist between male and female should constitute The Kpim of Feminism Dr. George Uzoma Ukagba, Editor, University of Benin In light of the word feminism conjuring up different images to different people, The Kpim of Feminism reflects the sensitivity and objectivity to the concept of feminism by scholars drawing from their fields and life experiences The book insists that women and men be encouraged to emancipate and empower one another together. Dr. Obioma Des-Obi, Editor, Imo State University The Kpim of Feminism, a rare harvest of academic erudition from across the globe, showcases the different modalities from which issues, theories and debates on feminism and other gender-related polemics, past, present and future, could be considered. Dr. Iks J. Nwankwor, Editor, University of Uyo Without mincing words, this book is a welcome intellectual assembly and has come out at the right time with deep critical insights and values for students, researchers, and public and policy issues in both local and global prospects. Patrick Iroegbu, Ph.D., The Kpim Book Project Series Coordinator, Father Pantaleon-Iroegbu Foundation, Grant MacEwan University
Youth development is as a core aspect of human and national progress in Nigeria. The study suggests the development of young people as the means of poverty reduction. It indicates that amidst cultural, ethnic, and religious diversities, and in the light of threats to human life and property, the development of the youth is the way to promoting peace and unity, justice, and security. The book argues on a two-fold contribution: While the Nigerian Church is to intensify efforts in the active participation of lay Christians in politics, the State is to tackle critical areas to ensure a decent standard of living for all.
Fifty years after the promulgation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, a great moment has dawned in which a more dispassionate assessment of the reception of this important document has become imperative in order to enable the Church to undertake necessary steps in realizing the full potential of the renewal envisaged by the Council Fathers. The present study identifies peculiar and diverse challenges confronting the process of reception in the Nsukka Diocese/Nigerian Church today. However, the author acknowledges that the full reception of Sacrosanctum Concilium is still a work-in-progress. Uchenna Aba is a Catholic priest in Nsukka, Nigeria, and currently the Chaplain of St. Martin's Parish, Goch, Diocese of Muenster, Germany. Dissertation. [Subject: Religious Studies, African Studies]
The church is made up of both the clergy and the laity. And for it to properly fulfill the mission for which it was instituted by Christ, all its members, each according to his or her God-given gift, must contribute both to the upbuilding of the church and to its mission. On the part of the laity, their active participation in the general mission of the church ad intra and ad extra has been a great challenge in the life and practice of the church throughout its history. The Second Vatican Council, in its spirit of aggiornamento, makes some positive difference. This work critically examines the conciliar documents, some relevant postconciliar documents, and theological reflection of some theologians. And finally, it proffers solutions that will enhance the active participation of the laity in the mission of the church in general and the church in Southeast Nigeria in particular.
"Military dictators who held Nigeria to ransom for a total of 28 of the 42 years of independence were not only notorious for denying the citizens their fundamental human rights but also for destroying the Nations Educational System. The Catholic Church in Nigeria, represented by the bishops, has to act here as the conscience of the State by means of critique and work for the respect of the fundamental rights of the citizens and the well-being of the human person"--Back cover.
