CROSSING THE THRESHOLDS OF FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO AND AMORIS LAETITIA IN AFRICA
Keywords:
Africa, Church, Family, Life, Pastoral Care, MarriageAbstract
Invaluable treasures exist in the gift of marriage and family life despite the challenges that are increasingly shaking up the foundations of human society. The Church has maintained its voice in all of this. Its Magisterium recognises what is at stake and is leading and opening up formal conversations on this; it is also issuing exhortations that highlight different insights and perspectives for deepening and upholding the treasures of family life. As the debate continues, responding to the need of an appropriate pastoral response provides several tools and opportunities for pastoral agents. This response and responsibility is inevitable. In such a context, the demand to consider possible socio-cultural values in convergence with the Christian tradition, in order to have a fruitful pastoral approach, is welcome. It reflects an African proverbial union of salt and red oil (in this context, it means two things that fit each other). This study will focus on the sub-Saharan African context in the light of Christian faith tradition, highlighting certain common patterns and challenges of African marriage and family life, with few illustrations wherever necessary.
References
John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio (November 22, 1981), 1, accessed April 20, 2018, http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/ documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.html.
Francis, Amoris Laetitia (March 19, 2016), 1, accessed April 21, 2018, https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents /papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf.
Adrien Cardinal Sarr, “The Challenges of Mixed and Interfaith Marriages,” in Christ’s New Homeland: Africa. Contributions to the Synod on the Family by African Pastors, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2015.
Laurenti Magesa, “The Conscience of the African Church in the Synod on the Family and Amortis Laetitia,” INTAMS Review, Journal for the Study of Marriage & Spirituality 22, 2 (Winter 2016).
Cardinal Arinze, “Preface,” Christ’s New Homeland: Africa. Contributions to the Synod on the Family by African Pastors, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2015.
Emmanuel Wabanhu, “Socio-ethical Ways of Safeguarding Families in Africa in Light of Amoris Laetitia,” in The Echo of Amoris Laetitia in Africa, Nicholaus Segeja and Emmanuel Wabanhu, ed., Nairobi: CUEA Press, 2017.
Stan Chu Ilo, “Amoris Laetitia and Ministry of Mercy in an Illuminative Church in Africa,” The Echo of Amoris Laetitia in Africa, Nicholaus Segeja and Emmanuel Wabanhu ed., Nairobi: CUEA Press, 2017.
Francis, “Passages from the Pope’s speeches at the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro,” (accessed: April 25, 2018) http://archivio.traces-cl.com/2013/09/ passagesfromthe.html.
Paulinus Odozor, “Thoughts on African Christian Theology of Marriage and Sexuality,” Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology 6, 2 (1994).
Mbiribindi Bahati Dieudonné, “Family in the Context of Evangelization. Challenges and Opportunities from Sub-Saharan Africa,” The International Journal of African Catholicism 7, 1 (2015).
Hosffman Ospino, “Theological Horizons for a Pedagogy of Accompaniment,” accessed April 21, 2018.
http://old.religiouseducation.net/proceedings/2009_ Proceedings/13HosffmanOspino.pdf.
Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: Gaudium et Spes” (December 7, 1965), 15, accessed April 25, 2018, http://www.vatican.va/ archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_ council/ documents/vat-ii_const_ 19651207 _gaudium-et-spes_en.html.
Paulinus Odozor, “An African Moral Theology of Inculturation: Methodological Considerations,” Theological Studies 69 (2008).
