African
Renaissance
Ambassador
Renaissance
Ambassador
It is often stated that African people are very religious, so it follows that religion
is an integral part of life in the African's modus vivendi. It also means that
Religion will play a crucial role in the African Renaissance.
is an integral part of life in the African's modus vivendi. It also means that
Religion will play a crucial role in the African Renaissance.
- Welcome by Professor Kenneth Ngwa
- ARA's Religion in Practice through the Sts. Stephen and Pauls'
Foundation (SPF) - African Prayer Chain: Prayer topics for Africa. Join us in prayer.
Rise up in splendor! Your light has
come, the glory of the Lord shines
upon you. Isaiah 60:1
Partners and Links:
Coming up
come, the glory of the Lord shines
upon you. Isaiah 60:1
Partners and Links:
- Youth Aglow
Coming up
- Did Job Suffer for nothing? Are
Africans suffering for nothing? - How can Africans learn from the
Exodus story? - Why are Africans religious yet
have high levels of corruption,
strife and conflicts, and poor
leadership? - ARA blog on Religion
and the African
Renaissance with
feedback from you
Welcome
Africans believe they are entering a new era that is
being referred to as the African Renaissance. As
part of its mission, the African Renaissance
Ambassador Corp works to transform lives. In this
respect, we ought to take seriously God’s
statement that Job was suffering for nothing. As a
consequence, human suffering has to be eliminated
whenever and wherever it is found. Such action will
help usher in a new era for Africa in the world.
Africans believe they are entering a new era that is
being referred to as the African Renaissance. As
part of its mission, the African Renaissance
Ambassador Corp works to transform lives. In this
respect, we ought to take seriously God’s
statement that Job was suffering for nothing. As a
consequence, human suffering has to be eliminated
whenever and wherever it is found. Such action will
help usher in a new era for Africa in the world.
Professor Kenneth Ngwa,
Drew University, NJ, USA
Drew University, NJ, USA
The African Renaissance appears to be an unavoidable trend that could impact both
African Christian theology and Christian education. However, I prefer to look at the other
perspective: How Religion, Christianity in Particular, can help in ushering in the African
Renaissance.
Religion transforms lives very much as the African Renaissance is a transformation.
There are many analogies one can make between the christian faith and Renaissance,
beginning with Rebirth or transformation. There are also analogies one can make from the
Bible concerning vital questions that need to be addressed for a renaissance to happen.
A couple of Examples include: The Exodus Story or Israeli Exile and African Brain Drain,
or the story of Job and the apparent ignorant suffering of Africans. I will address the latter
for a little bit.
Of the several challenges that the book of Job poses for the modern reader, the most
prominent is related to our thinking on and reaction to one of the world’s longest running
problems: innocent human suffering. In conjunction with other biblical narratives, the
book begins with a portrayal of suffering as a divine test, thereby allowing for a possible
positive, even redemptive role for suffering. This line of thinking has dominated much of
the interpretation of Job through the ages, and has some merit. At the same time, though,
the book of Job presents ideas and concepts that seem to undermine and deny the
attribution of any such positive role or function to human suffering. At the very least, Job’s
protests to his suffering in the poetic section warrants a reconsideration of the “test”
motif as it relates to human suffering. And it certainly seems appropriate from a
contemporary standpoint, given the enormity of human suffering witnessed in the latter
part of the 20th century and the early part of this century, to consider whether the idea of
human suffering as a test is relevant or even helpful for addressing these huge crises.
Whether it is genocide or slave trade or (civil) war or hurricane or tsunami or terrorist
attacks or deadly diseases, it is abundantly clear to me that many people suffer from
causes that they may not even control. And many modern readers who turn to Job in their
time of pain do not do so because they feel they are being tested (in that, they are closer to
Job, since Job did not see his suffering as a test). Rather, these people come to Job
because they hope to find both the emotional and rhetorical resources to rebut resulting
arguments about why they suffer, arguments that often begin with presumptions about
religiosity and retribution, and extend to attribution of blame, creating and sustaining
feelings of guilt and self pity. Many readers on the continent of Africa and elsewhere come
to Job not just because they suffer as Job did, but also because of their resonance with
the social and economic dimensions of Job’s suffering, as these people are often
displaced from their homes and communities, robbed of their heritage and identity, and
feel abandoned to live a life without purpose, to live for nothing!
Within the ruling divine council described in the book, there is a dissenting voice against
Job’s suffering. YHWH names it gratuitous suffering (Job 2:3), and thus undermines the
attribution of any moral and theological value to Job’s pain. The book then moves, after
Job’s protest, towards some resolution in the epilogue where Job is restored. The
resonance that readers have with Job is one that inspires them to reject their situations
of suffering, because they realize that there is no value in such suffering. As part of its
mission, the AR works to transform lives because ARA members believe that we ought to
take seriously God’s statement that Job was suffering for nothing. As a consequence,
human suffering has to be eliminated whenever and wherever it is found. Such action
will help usher in a new era for Africa in the world.
First thing we can do is pray. Pray for Africa. ARA also practices religion directly through
the Sts. Stephen and Paul's Foundation and ARA's partners.
Do Join us in supporting the African Renaissance through Religion. Regularly
check this page for prayer topics and updates.
For any questions Contact us or email me directly at
kennethn@aracorporation.org
African Christian theology and Christian education. However, I prefer to look at the other
perspective: How Religion, Christianity in Particular, can help in ushering in the African
Renaissance.
Religion transforms lives very much as the African Renaissance is a transformation.
There are many analogies one can make between the christian faith and Renaissance,
beginning with Rebirth or transformation. There are also analogies one can make from the
Bible concerning vital questions that need to be addressed for a renaissance to happen.
A couple of Examples include: The Exodus Story or Israeli Exile and African Brain Drain,
or the story of Job and the apparent ignorant suffering of Africans. I will address the latter
for a little bit.
Of the several challenges that the book of Job poses for the modern reader, the most
prominent is related to our thinking on and reaction to one of the world’s longest running
problems: innocent human suffering. In conjunction with other biblical narratives, the
book begins with a portrayal of suffering as a divine test, thereby allowing for a possible
positive, even redemptive role for suffering. This line of thinking has dominated much of
the interpretation of Job through the ages, and has some merit. At the same time, though,
the book of Job presents ideas and concepts that seem to undermine and deny the
attribution of any such positive role or function to human suffering. At the very least, Job’s
protests to his suffering in the poetic section warrants a reconsideration of the “test”
motif as it relates to human suffering. And it certainly seems appropriate from a
contemporary standpoint, given the enormity of human suffering witnessed in the latter
part of the 20th century and the early part of this century, to consider whether the idea of
human suffering as a test is relevant or even helpful for addressing these huge crises.
Whether it is genocide or slave trade or (civil) war or hurricane or tsunami or terrorist
attacks or deadly diseases, it is abundantly clear to me that many people suffer from
causes that they may not even control. And many modern readers who turn to Job in their
time of pain do not do so because they feel they are being tested (in that, they are closer to
Job, since Job did not see his suffering as a test). Rather, these people come to Job
because they hope to find both the emotional and rhetorical resources to rebut resulting
arguments about why they suffer, arguments that often begin with presumptions about
religiosity and retribution, and extend to attribution of blame, creating and sustaining
feelings of guilt and self pity. Many readers on the continent of Africa and elsewhere come
to Job not just because they suffer as Job did, but also because of their resonance with
the social and economic dimensions of Job’s suffering, as these people are often
displaced from their homes and communities, robbed of their heritage and identity, and
feel abandoned to live a life without purpose, to live for nothing!
Within the ruling divine council described in the book, there is a dissenting voice against
Job’s suffering. YHWH names it gratuitous suffering (Job 2:3), and thus undermines the
attribution of any moral and theological value to Job’s pain. The book then moves, after
Job’s protest, towards some resolution in the epilogue where Job is restored. The
resonance that readers have with Job is one that inspires them to reject their situations
of suffering, because they realize that there is no value in such suffering. As part of its
mission, the AR works to transform lives because ARA members believe that we ought to
take seriously God’s statement that Job was suffering for nothing. As a consequence,
human suffering has to be eliminated whenever and wherever it is found. Such action
will help usher in a new era for Africa in the world.
First thing we can do is pray. Pray for Africa. ARA also practices religion directly through
the Sts. Stephen and Paul's Foundation and ARA's partners.
Do Join us in supporting the African Renaissance through Religion. Regularly
check this page for prayer topics and updates.
For any questions Contact us or email me directly at
kennethn@aracorporation.org
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ARA
| African Renaissance and Religion |
"Facilitating a globally beneficial African Renaissance"