Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic

Christian apologetics within the African continent is undergoing some level of retrieval. While classical topics such as the existence of God and the problem of evil and suffering are critical questions to answer for the emerging generations, there is a need to answer specific questions that emerge...

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Main Author: Kevin Muriithi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Network for African Congregational Theology 2022-11-01
Series:African Theological Journal for Church and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://atjcs.netact.org.za/index.php/netact/article/view/80
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author Kevin Muriithi
author_facet Kevin Muriithi
author_sort Kevin Muriithi
collection DOAJ
description Christian apologetics within the African continent is undergoing some level of retrieval. While classical topics such as the existence of God and the problem of evil and suffering are critical questions to answer for the emerging generations, there is a need to answer specific questions that emerge from the African religious heritage. Among them is the question of whether the Triune God of Christianity is the same as the gods of the African Traditional Religions (ATRs), and if not, what do we make of the doctrine of God in view of the two traditions? To explore this question, this article utilises a comparative approach in analysing the understanding of God in ATRs and in classic Christian trinitarianism. Beginning with an overview of the socio-cultural and worldview antecedents in African societies, this article then contrasts the doctrine of God within ATRs with the doctrine within a Christian worldview. The contribution of this article is in explicating the continuities and discontinuities between ATRs and Christian trinitarianism, and especially in formulating apologetics within the African context.
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spelling doaj-art-e69f2f03079b470eaae7211b7e4bd4af2024-11-29T10:20:18ZengNetwork for African Congregational TheologyAfrican Theological Journal for Church and Society2708-75572708-75652022-11-0132Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian ApologeticKevin Muriithi0Pan Africa Christian University Christian apologetics within the African continent is undergoing some level of retrieval. While classical topics such as the existence of God and the problem of evil and suffering are critical questions to answer for the emerging generations, there is a need to answer specific questions that emerge from the African religious heritage. Among them is the question of whether the Triune God of Christianity is the same as the gods of the African Traditional Religions (ATRs), and if not, what do we make of the doctrine of God in view of the two traditions? To explore this question, this article utilises a comparative approach in analysing the understanding of God in ATRs and in classic Christian trinitarianism. Beginning with an overview of the socio-cultural and worldview antecedents in African societies, this article then contrasts the doctrine of God within ATRs with the doctrine within a Christian worldview. The contribution of this article is in explicating the continuities and discontinuities between ATRs and Christian trinitarianism, and especially in formulating apologetics within the African context. https://atjcs.netact.org.za/index.php/netact/article/view/80ApologeticsAfrican Traditional ReligionATRDoctrine of GodTrinitarianism
spellingShingle Kevin Muriithi
Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic
African Theological Journal for Church and Society
Apologetics
African Traditional Religion
ATR
Doctrine of God
Trinitarianism
title Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic
title_full Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic
title_fullStr Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic
title_full_unstemmed Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic
title_short Analysing African Traditional Gods Through a Trinitarian Apologetic
title_sort analysing african traditional gods through a trinitarian apologetic
topic Apologetics
African Traditional Religion
ATR
Doctrine of God
Trinitarianism
url https://atjcs.netact.org.za/index.php/netact/article/view/80
work_keys_str_mv AT kevinmuriithi analysingafricantraditionalgodsthroughatrinitarianapologetic