Inaugural Lecture - Rev. Prof. Cephas Omenyo

Date: 
Thursday, March 3, 2016 - 17:00
Venue: 
Great Hall
Reverend Professor Cephas Narh Omenyo, (BA, MPhil (Gh),PhD(Utrecht), Provost, College of Education will deliver the next Inaugural Lecture as follows:
 
TOPIC
GROWTH, EDUCATION AND TRANSFORMATION: RESILIENCE OF AFRICAN CHRISTIANITY?
 
Date:             Thursday, March 3, 2016
 
Venue:           Great Hall
 
Time:              5:00 pm
 
Chairman:      Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor
 
All are cordially invited.
 
ABSTRACT
The future of Christianity in Africa was a subject that engendered much debate among academics during the era of decolonization of African states (around the late 1950s and early 1960s).  While some were of the view that post-colonial Africa was going to witness a demise of Christianity, others were optimistic about its tenacity. The optimists have been vindicated due to the significant demographic shift of the centre of gravity of Christianity to the global south, particularly Africa.  There has been an explosion of churches and the number of Christians in Africa doubles every twelve years.
 
The significance of this trend is not only in numerical terms but also theologically.The Eurocentric approach to African historiography was oblivious of a major factor that accounts for the planting, nurturing and growth of African Christianity - ‘African Initiative’. The lecture argues that the initiatives Africans have taken to own and propagate the gospel right from the dawn of Christianity in Africa through the post Western missionary era till the contemporary era where Africans are engaged in missions in the west, need to be understood in order to appreciate the tenacity of African Christianity.
 
The phenomenal growth of African Christianity has been accompanied by major challenges that need to be addressed if the faith is going to be firmly rooted in African soil.  Indeed, it is doubtful if the quality of Christian life and the impact contemporary African Christianity should have on society is commensurate with the much touted numerical growth.
 
In this regard, the lecture addresses issues such as the ability of the Gospel to be integrated into African culture rather than the situation whereby the two live on parallel lines.Exemplifying with the fastest growing stream of African Christianity – Pentecostalism, the lecture reflects on how the management of Pentecostal Renewal both outside and within the western mission founded historic churches could contribute to the resilience of African Christianity. I argue, in conclusion, that there is the need for the revitalization of general education and theological education which can empower Christians to positively transform society.