The Urgent Need For

Catholic Institutions Of Higher Education

To Participate In The Construction Of

Local Theological Knowledge For The Building Up

Of The African Church.

Some Reflections on Research Areas for Catholic

Institutions Of Higher Education in Africa

Stuart C Bate OMI

SECTION A: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. A Vision from Africae Munus (136)

 “Given the great ferment of peoples, cultures and religions

which marks our age, Catholic universities and academic

institutions play an essential role

in the patient, rigorous and humble search for the light

which comes from Truth”…

“Only a truth capable of transcending

human standards of measure, conditioned by their own limitations,

brings peace to individuals and reconciliation to

societies”. ...

“Dear brothers and sisters in Catholic universities and academic institutions,

it falls to you,

“on the one hand, to shape the minds and hearts of the younger generation in the light of the Gospel”

“and, on the other, to help African societies better to understand the challenges confronting them today by providing Africa, through your research and analyses, with the light she needs”.

2. Areas for research emerging from the first and second African Synods

Both Ecclesia in Africa and Africae Munus have indicated important areas for research in African Catholic Institutions of Higher Education.  John Paul II emphasised:• African Theology, Inculturation, and

Liturgical Inculturation, (EA 103)• Publishing books on Catholic Truth,

(EA 103)• The Study of cultures, (EA 103) (See

also AM 131)• Undertaking assignments given by

Bishops (EA 103) 

In addition he placed a special focus of particular importance on the areas of:• marriage, • the veneration of ancestors,• the spirit world

With these however he noted that such research should be carried out in association with the bishops because “The cultural aspects of problems in Africa need studying from the theological, sacramental, liturgical and canonical points of view” (EA 104)

Benedict XVI added two other important areas:

• Youth evangelisation and ministry (AM 135)

• Challenges in African societies today (AM 135)

It is clear that this last area goes beyond the focus on culture presented earlier and raises a whole host of research areas within philosophy, history, scripture, systematic theology and social sciences which could motivate our research in the future.

It merits particular attention

3. What about Seminaries?Major Seminaries provide

appropriate religious formation and instruction 

in duties proper to the priesthood for young men 

who intend to become priests (Can 235§1)

Seminaries fall under the dicastery of the Clergy (Ministrorum institutio 2013)Catholic Institutes of Higher learning fall under Catholic Education

•However… – in many of our countries, seminaries also provide the major

concentrations of highly qualified Catholic theologians, philosophers, as well as academics in other fields in the humanities.

–Seminaries are often consulted by bishops in a wide range of theological and pastoral questions

–Seminary staff also provide a significant number of future local bishops

•For these reasons, seminary staff should also be considered as an important locus for the production of Catholic knowledge on local issues.

•In an increasingly globalized world such knowledge must also have a rigorous academic component in order to be properly received in the public square

4. The theological centre is moving south

John Allen has proposed ten megatrends that will change the Church in the 21st century. The first he calls the “North South Shift” –1900: “459 million Catholics in the world, 392 million of whom lived in Europe and North America…Africa 1.9 million Catholics ”–2000: “1.1 billion Catholics, with just 380 million in Europe and North America, and the rest, 720 million, in the global South: in Africa 130 million –“Sao Paolo, Jakarta and Nairobi will become what Leuven, Milan and Paris were in the Counter Reformation period, meaning major centers of pastoral and intellectual energy.”

Source http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/ten-mega-trends-shaping-catholic-church

Evidence for this shift is already visible in Evangelii Gaudium and other texts of Francis

4.1 In Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis focuses on seven themes in which he offers guidelines for –“a definite style of evangelization which I ask you to adopt in every activity which you undertake.” (EG §18 his emphasis)

•The themes are:1.The reform of the Church in a missionary key, 2.The temptations of pastoral agents3.The Church understood as the totality of the People of God which evangelizes,

4.The homily and its preparation, 5.The social inclusion of the poor, 6.Peace and social dialogue, 7.The spiritual motivations for the Church’s missionary action.

(source Cardinal Fisichella presentation to Media)

4.2 In an audience with the Superiors General of male religious institutes in 2013

•Francis identifies priorities for the frontiers of the missionary church in community as –MARGINALIZATION, CULTURE AND EDUCATION.

•This thinking can be synthesized as follows:–EVANGELISATION is the missionary endeavour of the Church, AS THE WHOLE PEOPLE OF GOD, •to the MARGINALISED and SOCIALLY EXCLUDED •in a world in CULTURAL TRANSITION in which newer churches have a predominant cultural weight.

–EDUCATION is a “key, key, key mission as the response to those marginalised as a result of globalization.

• I have examined these two texts in a recent article submitted to Missionalia and showed how many of these priorities are found explicitly in both African Synods (in each instrumentum laboris)

• They are also found in the Last Latin American synod at Aparecido (synod document authored by Bergoglio).

• These continental synod documents from the global south are examples of how theological thinking is already moving to the South.

• It is an example of John Allen's megatrend from north to south as the SO CALLED PERIPHERIES move to the forefront of theological priority discernment for the future.

Andrew Walls (2002: 67) has expressed this change as follows: –“each threatened eclipse of Christianity was averted by its cross-

cultural diffusion.– Crossing boundaries has been the life blood of historic

Christianity. –The energy for these crossings has come from the periphery

rather than the centre.”[Andrew Walls The Cross cultural process in Christian history]

We shall see next that there is a similar shift in world economics during the 21st century from the G7 countries of the “west” to the BRICS countries. This will be presented next.

THIS IS THE END OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO MY PAPER

SECTION B: CHALLENGES TO AFRICAN SOCIETY

TODAY WHICH REQUIRE A THEOLOGICAL RESPONSE

These challenges are linked to a social phenomenon which will definitely change the sociocultural dynamic of the African continent.

It is also bringing new fields for research

5. Challenges in African Society today coming from Globalisation.A somewhat neglected area is the change coming from globalisation to the African continent.  I begin with a short presentation of how Africa has entered into the global world over the last decade

Then I would like to present these challenges in terms of a number of trends which are likely to affect the African continent during this globalised networked century.

5.1. South Africa And BRICS• On 24th December 2010 South Africa was invited to join the BRIC group of developing countries.

• Comprises Brazil, Russia, India and China. Four of the world’s largest emerging economies, (40 per cent of the world’s population, 25% of the global land mass and 15 per cent of global GDP)

• BRIC countries have shown outstanding economic growth since 2000. – “contributed about half of global growth between 2000 and 2008”.

– “will contribute more than 60% of world growth between 2008 and 2014”.

– Collectively, the BRIC economies could well surpass output in the “Group of Seven” wealthy nations by 2032”

(Source: Financial Times)

5.1a. Why South Africa?

It is tiny in comparison to the other BRIC countries. • South Africa has 45 million people,

one third of the smallest BRIC country and only 3% of the largest.

• Its Gross Domestic product is one quarter the size of Russia the smallest BRIC country.

Why? Because South Africa is seen as a portal into the rest of the continent.

5.1b. Africa is growing!• “After years of stop-and-start results, many African economies appear to be growing at the fast and steady rates needed to put a dent in the region’s high poverty rate” (Source: World Bank)

• Six African countries in the world’s top ten fastest growing economies between 2001-2010. (Source: Economist)– 1. Angola (11.1% annual growth)– 4. Nigeria (8.9%, annual growth)– 5. Ethiopia (8.4%, annual growth)– 7. Chad (7.9% , annual growth)– 8 Mozambique (7.9% annual growth)– 10. Rwanda (7.6% annual growth)

• In addition, South Africa’s successful hosting of Football World Cup, has focussed worldwide interest on possibilities for African continent.

5.1c. BRICS & Development

The BRICS countries share a number of goals

• A model for poor countries who wish to pursue a vision and strategy of human development

• Collaborate in economic development • Lobby for fairer international trade relations which are currently biased in favour of first world countries.

• Recognise importance of “UN Millennium Declaration” and Millennium Development Goals

(Source 2nd BRIC summit Joint Statement 2010)

5.2 Social, Philosophical and Religious Trends Emerging in the Globalised Networked World Socio-Philosophical 1. continuing move of religion to the

realm of the private. a) religion increasingly dismissed by

secular states governed by a grounding constitution like RSA.

b) marginalisation of religion as participant in the social debate about right and wrong in the society.

(secularism paradigm).2. the dismissal of transcendence and

absolute truths as a source of morality in favour of postmodern pragmatic solutions.

(metaphysics paradigm).

Socio-ethical

3. increasing prioritising of materialist concerns to the detriment of ethical behaviour and concern for the exploited.

(justice paradigm).

4. The marginalised in society develop anti-empire resistance identities, advocating either engagement with violence or withdrawal into dependency driven glee states: substance abuse or religious experiences of euphoria outside daily life.

(resistance coping paradigm).

Socio-economic5. A growing gap, globally, between rich

and middle class on the one hand and the poor on the other.a) Rich and Middle have access to

information technology for capital, financial, political and media control goals. The poor do not.

b) The Poor will be increasingly intra-national in nature rather than international

(solidarity paradigm)

6. Unemployment will be the primary sign of the poor. Lack of access to human development will be one of its principal causes.

(development paradigm).

Socio-Religious Religion will take on a number of characteristics. 7. anti-empire groups of fundamentalist

believers creating resistance identities and using violence

8. Empire growth of consumer religion offering religious products based on personal needs prioritising immediate gratification rather than permanent commitment

9. Growing anomie concerning traditional forms of religion no longer meeting religious needs of people today linked with an on-going search for meaning in life in human self fulfilment rather than in the transcendent. (7,8,9 are examples of the spirituality

paradigm.)

It is my contention that the secularism paradigm, the metaphysics paradigm, the justice paradigm, the resistance coping paradigm, the solidarity paradigm, the development paradigm, and the spirituality paradigm must be addressed on the level of academic research to provide solutions to the challenges emerging within developing countries in Africa.

5.3 Theological responses to a Globalised Networked Africa: Theoretical models responding to these challenges must provide a vision and strategies to address these emerging trends The process of globalisation has been compared to social phenomenon of Empire construction.

This area has been the subject of considerable theological reflection in recent years.

It is my contention that Empire always gives rise to the phenomenon of antiempire and that both of these have a religious dimension in their identity.

5.3.1. The Nature of Empire and Anti-empire a The Characteristics of Empire

• Empire is “supreme and extensive domination” (OCD).

• One nation or tribe extends its power over many others through military, economic and cultural force.

• Power in empires often crystallised in a central figure: the emperor • Symbolised in superhuman, mythical and even supernatural forms.

• Leads to the establishment of cults within the empire.

• Values which inform laws and behaviour are usually attached to the symbol of the emperor figure

• The symbolic emperor persona may continue: passed down to subsequent leaders.

Power is administered in empires through cultural elites • They control the movement of resources of the domain by means of political, socio-economic, and cultural forces.

• The have access to the means of production and administration of the legal system

• The rewards of empire are focussed on the cultural elites and laws within the empire will generally work in their favour.

Empires are comprehensive in their control of power.

1. Transcendent level: power is exercised through foundational myths, and the persona of the Emperor is expressed in superhuman, supernatural and religious language.

2. Cultural level: through inculcated values and ethics and their manifestation in law.

3. Structural control through political systems; socio-cultural structures end economic systems.

4. Population behaviour: control is coercive through the army, the police and other security agencies.

b The Characteristics of Anti-empireAnti-empire is a resistance to empire. • as oppressive, corrupt or destructive

of their life. Anti-empire manifests in any or all of the levels of power. • On the level of transcendence by

establishing new belief systems usually through religion.

• On the level of culture through new values and laws proposed and adopted within the places they have hegemony.

• On the structural level by advocating for and establishing new political systems, social structures and economic systems in the domains they control.

• On the level of behaviour in daily human life within small groups who propose and adopt new lifestyles.

5.3.2 Resolution in a Theology of Authority• The Empire/anti-empire paradigm needs

resolution.• Authority is a key theological

category for this dialectic. • Theology of empire is a theology of

persuasion of the masses like the first part of the gospel message which attracted the crowds (Mark1-8).

• Theology of resistance is a theology of confronting evil as in the later gospel message of the journey to Jerusalem and the passion (Mark 8-15).

• Both are a prelude to the paschal mystery which is the essence and centre of the good news is found in death and resurrection: a transformation to new life .

• After his resurrection Jesus says "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:18).

• Authority carries two components of power with it: the ability to exercise power and the consent of those over whom it is exercised.

• “ If the powerful will works through the freely consenting will of others in a common domain of reality, power assumes the force of authority” (TAC: 15).

• So long as authority serves the common good it is properly or ethically exercised. But if it is unfairly exercised for one person’s or a group’s advantage, then it is abused” (TAC: 15).

• Neither empires nor resisting groups of anti-empire exercise power in this way. Empires dominate and antiempire resists to preserve itself.

• Authority is only achieved through transformation.

5.4 Conclusion• Religion, empire and anti-empire are

in most societies.• Currently Africa finds itself between

Anti-empire responses to Colonialism and being part of the potential BRICS empire as it moves into the 21st century

• Social and religious trends emerging from this can be defined in terms of the secularism paradigm, the metaphysics paradigm, the justice paradigm, the resistance coping paradigm, the solidarity paradigm, the development paradigm, and the spirituality paradigm

• This context provides a large number of possible research areas for a Catholic Tertiary Institute in the 21st century

6. Areas For Academic Research Emerging From This Challenge6.1 Studies in the Socio-Philosophical context1. Investigating transcendence

against secularism (transformation response to the secularism paradigm).

2. Investigating the Role of Religion in Society today (transformation response to the metaphysics paradigm) 

6.2 Studies in the Socio-ethical context3. Investigate transformation identities against resistance anti-empire identities

(transformation response to the resistance coping paradigm).

4. Investigate morality against selfishness

(transformation response to justice and secularism paradigms)

6.3 Studies in the Socio-economic context5. Investigate responses to unemployment

(transformation response to the justice paradigm).

6. Investigate development responses amongst the poor

(transformation response to the development paradigm).

 

6.4 Studies in the Evangelical context

7. Investigate aspects of authentic conversion

(transformation response to the spirituality paradigm).

8. Investigate Authenticity in Religious experience

(transformation response to the spirituality paradigm).

7. Configuring Research areas 7.1 Areas Emerging From Social TrendsTrends emerging from the changing social context of Africa in the 21st century have highlighted the importance of the following research fields for a Catholic tertiary Institutions: • Religion in modern society:

transcendence and secularism.• Ethics of Human Identity in

Globalisation and anti-globalisation:;Justice, solidarity and resistance identities;

• Theology and development; development studies; poverty and unemployment.

• Religious experience, evangelisation and Christian praxis.

• Christian/Catholic Spirituality

7.2 Areas Emerging From the African ChurchTo this we should add the areas the church in Africa is asking us to investigate viz:• African Theology, Inculturation, and

Liturgical Inculturation, (EA 103)• The Study of cultures, (EA 103)

(See also AM 131)• marriage, • the veneration of ancestors,• the spirit world • Undertaking assignments given by

Bishops (EA 103)

7.3. Possible Research fields emerging from a synthesis of 7.1 and 7.2 above.

1. African Catholic Theology. -Inculturation, Liturgical Inculturation, Study of cultures, -Marriage, The veneration of ancestors, the spirit world, -cultural aspects of problems from the theological, sacramental, liturgical and canonical points of view.

2. Evangelisation and Spirituality-Apologetics -Youth evangelisation and ministry-Religious experience and evangelisation; -Christian/Catholic Spirituality-Religious Leadership and formation

3. Development studies-Challenges in African societies today -transcendence and secularism.-Globalisation challenges in Africa -Ethics of Human Identity-marginalisation and resistance identities; -Justice, and solidarity -Theology and development; -poverty and unemployment. 

7.4. A multidisciplinary approach to researchNote this emphasis in Ecclesia in Africa: “The cultural aspects of problems in Africa need studying from the theological, sacramental, liturgical and canonical points of view” (EA 104).• This is a statement of the importance

of multidisciplinary studies in our academic response to research problems

• I would propose that we should adopt a multidisciplinary approach to our research, establishing multidisciplinary research clusters.

• Areas we seek to research should include academic input from social studies philosophy, scripture, dogmatic theology moral theology, pastoral theology liturgy, canon law, spirituality, history and others

• Our research clusters should also be based on the interests of our academic staff and the needs in society

• These could then attract students or research assistants ready to work with us in these areas in our graduate programmes.

• This would also be helpful both for conferences we might wish to animate as well as in providing material for Grace and Truth.

• Clearly identifying realistic possibilities of research areas would need considerable discussion between us

• It might be good just to start with one or two.

8. ResourcesAny ministry requires appropriate resources. SJTI examined this question to see if it could begin a serious programme of academic research noting that there was a considerable resource base from which to move forward. This included:

1. Some established researchers who are publishing both locally and internationally

2. Motivated and committed academics including NINE with doctorates.

3. A comprehensive library with 40000 books and access to many electronic databases in the humanities.

4. Considerable experience from different ecclesial and social contexts in the African context.

5. Networking with other academic institutions including the Pietermaritzburg Theological Cluster and other universities and academic institutions worldwide.

  

   

9. The Example of SJTI: 2012-2015The emergence of the SJTI Collaborative Research group A presentation similar to this was made to the Staff of St Josephs Theological Institute (SJTI) in 2012.

The goal was to underline the clear importance of a Catholic tertiary institute like ours accepting the Challenge posed by the Church and the social context within our continent.

In this way instead of being weighed down by the difficulties that a new challenge to the Institute might bring, we might rather be inspired by the call the context and the Church make to us.

Should we wish to respond to this call, a number of goals would have to be met. These include

1.Investigating the development of the Research contribution of SJTI in the past

2.Investigating the current situation of research at the Institute and the research interests of our academics

3.Collecting data regarding the research profile of all staff members at SJTI to create a statement of the current research profile.

4.Developing a research profile for the Institute in accordance our vision for research.

5.Identify current resources in SJTI which can be utilised to build up a research component for SJTI

6.Identify new resources required to achieve these goals.

Making a start

• The first two goals were met by collecting data regarding the research profile of all academic staff members at SJTI and their research interests.• An Excel form was distributed to

all academic staff members asking for their areas of expertise and areas of interest

• This data allowed the construction of a statement of the current research profile of the academics at SJTI.

Research areas of interest included: • History, African Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, race issues,

• Philosophy of science, Science and religion,

• Interreligious dialogue, Christian anthropology, HIV and AIDS,

• Justice, African Ethics, Corruption, • Spirituality, Healing, Leadership, Epistemology and hermeneutics, development,

• Inculturation, gender, and African Theology.

• It was proposed that we set up a collaborative research group at the Institute to research on one particular area of interest.

• Three possible area of research were proposed as they were the most often areas cited by the SJTI staff. Eventually we chose HIV and AIDS as the most popular.

• 14 academics joined the group towards the end of the first semester of 2012

• A number of themes we suggested by the academics as personal areas for study within the General theme

• The view of the group was that we should look for a partner in ORGANISING A CONFERENCE where the SJTI research group as well as other activists and interested partners could present papers.

• The vision was to allow interaction between knowledge from ministers in the field and knowledge from a more formal academic approach.

• Interest was shown in the project by SACBC AIDS and in the second semester we decided to partner with them.

• SACBC AIDS suggested a number of areas for papers they wished to present at the conference – These reflected on the various types of ministry they had been in involved in as a response to HIV and AIDS

• This was to become the model for the SJTI Collaborative research group in subsequent years

• The research group met monthly and met in the format of a postgraduate seminar. Each person had an opportunity to share on progress in their study and others were asked to offer comments suggestions and critiques

• The conference was held in January 2013 with more than 100 delegates mainly from Southern Africa but with others from Rome, USA and East Africa

•Conference papers were published in our Journal Grace & Truth and subsequently collected together with some other documents in a Book entitled Catholic Responses to AIDS in Southern Africa

• Available on Amazon.com

• The success of this first research endeavour prompted a good response

• A second collaborative research group was called in mid 2013 under the theme of globalization with 8 academics from SJTI responding.

• We partnered with Southern Africa Trust This led to a conference in April 2014. Some conference outputs were published in Grace & Truth

• A third collaborative research group was established in June 2014 under the theme of Catholic education.

• This time we partnered with the Catholic Institute of Education in a successful conference in April 2015.

• Some conference outputs will be published in Grace & Truth later this year

Evidence suggests that this can be a

sustainable model for smaller institutions interested in setting up a structure to begin local research in a more systematic way

The value of setting up a structure like the collaborative research group within our smaller academic institutions is that it provides a structure which motivates and supports our staff especially younger academics to get involved in the production of Catholic theological thought

Conclusion

• This paper has proposed the thesis that Catholic Institutes of Higher Education and seminaries should respond to the Church’s call for research to provide knowledge defined as “light which comes from truth” to help the Church in its mission.

• It provided some essential preliminary information to frame the issue

• It constructed a response within the context of rapidly globalizing Africa which will become an essential centre of theological knowledge

• It provided a methodology for those institutions who have not yet entered into this essential mission

• It provided a model where such a strategy has led to successful outcomes.

• My purpose in coming here was to challenge those who think they are not yet ready or too busy with reactive ministry within their institutions to make a start

• Thank you