Applying The African Communalism Theology Religion Essay Example

class="essay_footnotecitation">[ 2 ]In this community, the guiding rule is the spirit of African communalism rooted in the realisation of the fact that one needs the other members of the community for one to be and hold significance in life. Hence, communalism is one of Africa 's greatest values, which emphasizes communal being or life over and above individualistic manner of being. It is an African cultural value or worldview where `` the person is a portion of the community which is an being. ''[ 3 ]It is a construct that portrays African community spirit. For Simeon Eboh, `` the traditional African communalism considers the person and the community as a whole. One lives from birth to the grave, in an unbroken inter-dependence. Life is basically cooperation and common co-existence. Every member of the community feels secure and fulfilled. ''[ 4 ]Nze defines it as `` the societal life of the African which is founded on the African belief that all human existences are members of one household of world. ''[ 5 ]Trying to portray this construct of African communalism, Bede Ukwuije argues for the importance of community and the topographic point of persons in African traditions. He says: `` The community is really of import in African traditions. Africans live in community. The single individual is a web of relationships. ''[ 6 ]

The construct of African communalism can be seen in its South African look -ubuntu, which basic norm `` is that human being is interconnected and communal. ''[ 7 ]Like ubuntu, African communalism is expressed in this South African apothegm, `` Motho ke motho Ka batho '' , which

citing Ramose, Heinz Kimmerle interprets as significance: `` to be human is to confirm one 's humanity by recognizing the humanity of others and, on this footing, set up respectful human dealingss with them. ''[ 8 ]This is to state that the human interconnection that is expressed in African communalism necessitates an interrelatedness that is based on `` common acknowledgment and regard. ''[ 9 ]The construct of African communalism can besides be deduced from Innocent Asouzu 's complementary ontology of ibuanyindanda, which `` seeks to hold on the thought of being as being from the predating conditions of its complementary comprehensive interrelation. ''[ 10 ]It is an ontology that creates `` conditions that make for understanding among diverse peoples '' , the deficiency of which makes any `` meaningful discourse '' or dialogue really hard to come by.[ 11 ]This sort of worldview is non without its deductions.

The Implications of African Communalism

One of the deductions of African communalism is the fact that a individual can merely be a individual because he or she lives and acts in a community.[ 12 ]In other words, it is a community that gives a individual his or her individuality. The `` complementary '' interrelation that is characteristic of African communalism makes it obvious that one is seen in others and others in one. Based on this interrelation, John Mbiti describes the relationship between an person and his or her community. He says:

Merely in footings of other people does the single become witting of his ain being, his ain responsibilities his privileges and duties towards himself and towards other people. When he suffers, he does

non endure entirely but with the corporate group ; when he rejoices, he rejoices non entirely but with his kinsmen, his neighbors and his relations, whether dead or life. When he gets married, he is non entirely, neither does his married woman 'belong ' to him entirely. So besides the kids belong to the corporate organic structure of kinsmen, even if they bear merely their male parent 's name. whatever happens to the single happens to the whole group, and whatever happens to the whole group happens to the person. The person can merely state: I am, because we are, and since we are, hence I am.[ 13 ]

Worthy of note is the fact that every bit far as African communalism is concerned, no single suffers or rejoices entirely, but with the full community. This is of import because it will needfully play out good when I will be reasoning for the application of African communalism into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa for a echt interreligious duologue. Still following this mentality of African communalism and the human interconnection it characterizes, Stan Chukwube says, `` One 's action is considered moral or immoral depending on how that really action enhances or impedes the public assistance of others and the smooth operation of the community. The concern of Ndigbo ( Africa ) is non how good or bad an act appears to the person but how the community evaluates it. ''[ 14 ]This could be seen in Chinua Achebe 's Things Fall Apart where Okonkwo violated the `` Week of Peace '' by crushing Ojiugo his married woman ; an act that was seen

as an abomination that `` can destroy the whole kin '' . He was made to pay a all right that was used to lenify Ani the `` Earth goddess '' accordingly accommodating him with his married woman, with the whole community, and with Ani.[ 15 ]

The interconnection that is seen in African communalism implies that no single individual can do it or last all entirely. His or her survival depends on the endurance of the community from which he or she draws his or her critical force. Kofi Asare Opoku seems to hold with this when he says: `` The construct of communalism implies that the wellbeing of all is that which determines the good of each person in the community, for the public assistance of each can non be considered without mention to the public assistance of all. ''[ 16 ]He illustrates this with the Akan art of a crocodile with two caputs and two dress suits but with a common tummy. Though the crocodiles are inseparable from each other, the caputs remain distinguishable. What each of the caputs chows, enters into the common tummy, for the personal and corporate good of the crocodiles.[ 17 ]Consequently, the saving of the community is a sine qua non and an burden of every member of the community. V. Mulago, noticing on the relationship between the person and the community and the duty of the single members of the community in African communities says:

the household, kin or folk is a whole, of which each member is merely a portion. The same blood, the same life which is shared by all, which all receive

from the first ascendant, the laminitis of the kin, runs through the [ veins ] of all. Every attempt must be directed to the saving, care, growing and prolongation of this common hoarded wealth. The remorseless riddance of everything which hinders this terminal, and the encouragement at all costs of everything which furthers it: this is the last word in [ Africa ] Bantu imposts and establishments, wisdom and doctrine.[ 18 ]

Owing to the interrelation, which is the underpinning rule of African communalism, every member of the community has the duty to portion with the others. Laurenti Magesa says: `` Reluctance or arrant refusal to portion `` with God, one 's ascendants, other individuals in the community, and the community itselfaˆ¦destroys the 'communitarian ' intent of the existence and is immoral. ''[ 19 ]Merely as a fish can non populate outside H2O, an person in African worldview knows that he or she has no significance and no being, one time he or she is alienated from the community. His or her life can merely be `` grasped as it is shared. ''[ 20 ]H. Sindima puts it this manner: `` We can non understand individuals, so we can non hold personal individuality without mention to other personsaˆ¦ . The impression of being-together is intended to stress that life is the actuality of life in the present together with people, other animals, and the Earth. ''[ 21 ]The apprehension that `` all worlds are in common complementary relationship with each other and can be so grasped as functioning each other ''[ 22 ]implies that an person does non populate entirely for

himself or herself. His or her being must complement the being of others in the community merely as theirs complements his or her ain. In fact, African communalism implies that the person 's due and rights are respected ; that he or she is reciprocally supported and encouraged in the spirit of `` unrecorded and allow unrecorded, '' to to the full, develop himself or herself.[ 23 ]Since no person is considered superior to the other, everybody is carried along in communal decision-making.[ 24 ]The fact that the person in African communal life is reciprocally encouraged and supported to to the full develop himself or herself shows that African communalism encourages and supports, non uniformity, but integrity in diverseness. One could justly state so, that in African communalism, the joy of life can merely be realized when populating denotes a life that is lived in common relationship. Asouzu articulates it this manner:

The joy of being that is characteristic of being, in its deepest complementary branchings, is non complete unless this joy is a shared act in the common transcendent experience of complementary integrity of consciousness, which turns out to be the highest signifier of communal experience ( onye aghala nwanneya ) in its cosmopolitan dimension.[ 25 ]

The complementary interrelation that is seen in African communalism implies that no single member of the community is complete wholly by himself or herself. He or she is missing something that needs to be supplied by the other. Asouzu refers to this deficiency in an person as a `` missing nexus '' that requires `` other losing links '' for the realisation of its being. He

says, mentioning to the deductions of the complementary ontology in African communalism:

The deductions of this are that no losing nexus can continue its being entirely on its ain. It can make this merely with mention to the whole and in complementary harmoniousness with other losing links whose legitimacy and finding are needfully dependent on the type of brotherhood that guarantees their being. It is for this ground that one can state that to be is non to be entirely ( ka so mu adina ) .[ 26 ]

He goes on to add that `` all losing links attain full hallmark and significance when considered within the model of complementing units that serve each other reciprocally and needfully. ''[ 27 ]Indeed, in the spirit of African communalism, no person would wish to be entirely, cognizing that he or she would non win. The importance of complementary interconnection in African communalism is normally expressed in many common people narratives, proverbs, and Proverbss in Africa. For illustration, the Igbos normally say that when a thing base, other thing will stand beside it ( Ihe kwuru ihe akwudebe ya ) . If a individual buries himself or herself, one of his or her custodies will be out[ 28 ]( onye lie onwe ya out aka ya aputa n'elu ala ) . That is to state, a cadaver can non bury itself. P. Bock, citing K. A. Opoku says: `` Life is when you are together, entirely you are an animate being. ''[ 29 ]Within the context of African communalism,

the relationship between the topic and the Centre of its harmoniousness turns out to be one that

is complementary and non one that is fragmented, polarised and exclusivist. It is a model where units do non associate to each other as distinct measures unmindful of others. Here, to be is non to be entirely ( ka so mu di ) but to be in common relationship of service in complementarity.[ 30 ]

The above commendation implies that an person can keep a different position or thought reverse to another member of the community, but he or she does non for that affair halt being in common relationship with the other. He or she knows that there is something missing in him or her, `` a missing nexus '' in the words of Asouzu, which can merely be complemented in a complementary interrelated relationship with the other. This why the ontology of ibuanyindanda or the complementary interrelation which is embedded in African communalism, `` has the capacity to make out to all possible dealingss most particularly when the involvements of stakeholders seem to change because of their thought about the universe and world in general. ''[ 31 ]Therefore, African communalism regulations out claims of any ownership of absolute truth or cognition of any type by an person. In other words, no person has an absolute ownership of anything as to be independent of the other. This can be seen in an Igbo African proverb which says: `` If the right manus washes the left manus, the left manus will rinse the right in bend '' ( Aka nri kwoo aka ikpa, aka ikpa akwoo aka nri ) .

The doctrine of African communalism implies that African Religion is communal in nature. It is

a faith that is human-centred, instead than Theo-centric. It is overtly useful non in the individualistic, but communal sense.[ 32 ]No person is entirely guaranteed life beyond. For a warrant of life beyond depends on how good an single lives here on Earth in relationship with the other. In which instance, life beyond is guaranteed non merely to the single entirely, but the person and the community.[ 33 ]For though, the person is distinguishable, he or she is inseparable from the community. In African communalism and by extension African Religion, hence, one could justly confirm that to be is to be in relationship with the other. `` This manner of common complementary relationship '' harmonizing to Asouzu, `` becomes most existent in twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours brush with the opposite other. It is a signifier of relationship carried out in common dependance and inter-dependence, as service in complementarity, outside of which no homo being in its inadequacy is thinkable. ''[ 34 ]

Scholars, particularly African theologists, differ in their positions as to whether one could speak of African Traditional Religion or Religions. Mbiti for illustration, is of the sentiment that one can speak of African Religions in the plural due to the fact of the many African folks with their distinguishable spiritual systems.[ 35 ]Bola Idowu, on his ain portion, argues for African Religion in the singular, owing to the fact that God is the true factor of faith and this factor is indistinguishable in all the spiritual systems in Africa.[ 36 ]Aylward Shorter avers that we should mention to African Traditional Religion in the singular, claiming that different African

spiritual systems interact and influence one another to assorted grades, while keeping their sharpness.[ 37 ]Emefie Ikenga-Metuh does n't look to take a side ; instead, he offers a caution non to lose sight of the similarities and unsimilarities in African Religion, in whichever side one decides to take.[ 38 ]What may look to be a job for some of these great bookmans is so, an deduction of African communalism. Merely as the person in African communalism is distinguishable but inseparable from the community, so are these assorted African Traditional Religions distinct but inseparable from the one and merely African Traditional Religion of the African ascendant. The manner the person in African communalism lives in a common relationship with the other, although, he or she maintains his or her sharpness, so does each of these distinguishable African faiths live in a complementary relationship with one another. Shorter is right so, in keeping that these different African faiths interact and influence one another to different grades, in malice of their sharpness as noted above.

The doctrine of African communalism, hence, regulations out any claim of exclusivism in African Traditional Religion. For none of the distinguishable African Traditional Religions can be entirely of the others. In the spirit of African communalism and for the fact that African Traditional Religion is communal in nature, all the assorted African Traditional Religions enrich and complement one another. Even when disciples of one of these distinguishable African Traditional Religions are integrated into another community, for illustration, through gaining control in war, they are allowed to go on with their distinguishable spiritual patterns.[ 39 ]In other words, the disciples of

these Religions do non seek for converts. However, if one prefers one spiritual beliefs and patterns to one 's ain beliefs and patterns, one is free to volitionally and without irresistible impulse, convert to this Religion.

Based on African anthropology and its worldview, I think one can claim without fright of contradiction that Africans have a common ascendant. If this is true, so, one can besides allege without contradiction that all the distinguishable African Traditional Religions have a common nexus to the African Traditional Religion of the first African ascendant. With their common nexus to the faith of the first African ascendant and owing to the fact that these distinguishable African Traditional Religions are communal in nature based on African communalism, African Traditional Religion is inclusive in nature. Since these different African Traditional Religions are distinguishable faiths, though, they are inseparable from the others, one can rightly argue that in the spirit of African communalism, African Traditional Religion is every bit good, pluralistic in nature. When the above claims are tied together, one comes up with the avowal that African Traditional Religion, due to the African communalistic worldview, is inclusively pluralistic.

The fact that in African communalism, the person is indistinguishable with the community does non intend that the person does non hold his or her freedom. Harmony is the bedrock of African communalism. The same harmoniousness harmonizing to Magesa, `` is [ the ] agent of freedom and is meant to heighten it. ''[ 40 ]Within the context of African communalism, good Acts of the Apostless ensuing from single picks are rewarded merely as bad Acts of the Apostless are punished.[ 41 ]This shows

that the person, in malice of the accent on communal life, has his or her freedom. However, freedom, every bit far as African worldview and by extension, African Religion is concerned, is non a licence or autonomy for one to make whatever one wants. Rather, it is `` what enables a individual to be to the full who he or she is. ''[ 42 ]It is a freedom or liberty that is exercised within a communal context.

Since African communalism is rooted in complementary interrelatednesss and common harmoniousness, it provides a footing for true interreligious duologue.

Using African Communalism into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa for a Genuine Interreligious Dialogue

Ecumenic motion in Africa started exactly in Johannesburg in South Africa in 1904 with the Protestant churches that realized how much divided they were and started seeking for a manner to unite themselves.[ 43 ]Subsequently on, some other Christian churches, like, Catholic and Anglican, joined.[ 44 ]The enlargement continues today to encompass other faiths other than Christianity. Most states in Africa have now their ain Ecumenic Bodies. But the consequence has non been great. As Zziwa says, `` When one listen [ s ] to the disdainful labels that several Catholic priests ( allow entirely temporalty! ) still use about their opposite numbers in Protestant Churches ( and it 's likely common! ) , and when one sees the general indifference about ecumenism, so an ecumenist of lame bravery would easy give up his battle. ''[ 45 ]

One of the greatest jobs Religious Ecumenic Bodies in Africa and so worldwide is meeting, which is impeding true spiritual duologue is the claim of tyranny

and exclusivism, which some Religions are doing with respect to their spiritual beliefs and their efficaciousness in taking to salvation severally.[ 46 ]For illustration, Pope Boniface VIII reaffirmed the claim of the Catholic Church of no redemption outside the church when he says: `` We are required by religion to believe and keep that there is one sanctum, Catholic and apostolic Church ; we steadfastly believe it and unreservedly profess it ; outside it there is neither redemption nor remittal of wickednesss. ''[ 47 ]Even though the Catholic Church has dropped this thought since the Vatican Council II, there are still many clergy and Laity as Zziwa showed above who still cleaving to such outlook. The Protestant church through Martin Luther claims that `` those who remain outside Christianity, be they heathen, Turks, Jews, or false Christians ( Catholics ) although they believe in merely one true God, yet remain in ageless wrath and Hell. ''[ 48 ]Some Muslims on their ain side, based on some Qur'anic poetries, claim that Islam is the lone true Religion of God and decline to digest anyone who professes other religion than Islam.[ 49 ]

These obstructions to true interreligious duologue, which Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa brush, will give manner if the rule of African communalism is applied into these Bodies. In the first topographic point, each of these Religious Ecumenical Bodies should be seen as the community where the single Religions and Denominations belong. Just as in African communalism, the person is distinguishable but inseparable from the community, so are these Religions and Denominations, distinguishable but inseparable from the Religious Ecumenical Bodies they belong

to.

The doctrine of African communalism teaches the person that there is a losing nexus, something missing in him or her, which the other will complement. In the same manner, using African communalism into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, will learn each single Religions and Denominations that there is so a losing nexus, something lacking in her, which can merely be complemented by the others. This realisation will kill pride and put the platform for a echt duologue on equal and common relationship.

African communalism makes it obvious that one is seen in others and others in one ; that what affects the single affects the community and frailty versa. In other words, African communalism makes it clear that no single suffers or rejoices entirely but with the community. Using this into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa implies that each single Religion or Denomination is seen in other Religions or Denominations ; and that what affects each Religion or Denomination affects the others. No Religion or Denomination suffers or rejoices entirely, but with the others. What this means is that Catholics for illustration, can non see members of other Christian Denominations or the disciples of African Traditional Religion, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and so on, as people who are condemned to damnation. Neither, can these, see Catholics as condemned people. To make this, would intend to see oneself, as doomed since the `` ego '' is seen in the others and the others in the `` ego '' . When members of each Religion or Denomination that constitutes the Religious Ecumenic Bodies in Africa begin to see things in this manner, so, the foundation for true

spiritual duologue is laid.

The doctrine of African communalism as we saw earlier, teaches that the moral rightness or inappropriateness of the action of an single, does non depend on how good or bad that really action appears to the person, but on far it `` enhances or impedes the public assistance of others and the smooth operation of the community. ''[ 50 ]In which instance, it is the community that determines whether an action of an person is moral or immoral. Using this into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa implies that the moral rightness or inappropriateness of an action of a peculiar Religion or Denomination does non depend on how good or bad that action appears to the peculiar Religion or Denomination, but on how far the action `` enhances or impedes '' the well-being `` of others and the smooth operation of the community '' . In other words, the devastation of lives and belongingss of Christians, by Islamic fundamentalists, is morally incorrect, every bit long as it impedes the public assistance of these Christians and the smooth operation of the society or community. In the same vena, the devastation of shrines and traditional imposts of African Traditional Religionists by Christian fundamentalists is immoral, every bit far as it impedes the wellbeing of these African Traditional Religionists and interrupt the smooth running of the community. On the contrary, the engagement of Christians and Muslims for illustration, in the traditional festivals of African Traditional Religionists is considered morally right, in so far as it enhances the public assistance of these African Traditional Religionists and promotes the smooth operation of their community. If this

sort of mentality that is embedded in African communalism is inculcated into the members of Religious Ecumenic Bodies in Africa, it will decidedly heighten echt interreligious duologue in Africa.

The geographic expedition of African communalism and its deductions done supra revealed that every member of the community is obliged to portion with the other members of the community. His or her life is meaningful and understood in so far as it is shared. The refusal to portion, non merely disrupts the smooth running of the community, but besides impoverishes both the single member and the community, which is considered immoral. The application of this position into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa implies that every person Religion or Denomination has the duty to portion with the other Religions. Its being can merely be meaningful and understood as it is shared. The refusal to portion, non merely upsets the smooth running of these Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, but besides impoverishes the single Religion every bit good as the other Religions. If members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa imbibe this spirit that flows from African communalism, it will give room for common interreligious duologue in Africa because, it will make consciousness on members of each single Religion, of its mutuality on the others.

From the study of African communalism and its deductions done earlier, one discovers that the dues and rights of the person in African community are respected. He or she is reciprocally encouraged and supported to to the full develop himself or herself ; and is carried along in decision-making for no 1 is considered superior to the others. Integrating this into the Religious

Ecumenical Bodies in Africa implies that the dues and rights of every single faith should be respected by other Religions. No Religion should be considered to be superior to others. Each Religion should be reciprocally supported and encouraged by other Religions to to the full develop itself ; and should be carried along in communal decision-making. There is no uncertainty, making this, will promote interreligious duologue in Africa based on equal terms. In fact, using this great value provided by African communalism, into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, is already a `` duologue of life ''[ 51 ], which Michael Fitzgerald and John Borelli talked about.

The reader may hold noticed that African communalism encourages and supports, non uniformity, but integrity in diverseness. This is deduced from the fact that the person in African communal life is reciprocally encouraged and supported, to to the full develop himself or herself. Using this to the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, means that members of these Ecumenical Religious Bodies, should be promoting and back uping integrity in diverseness among Religions and Denominations in Africa, instead than, division or uniformity. The acknowledgment of the value and demand of integrity in diverseness by the members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will assist to advance echt and common interreligious duologue in this portion of the universe.

Traveling through the construct of African communalism and its deductions, one 's attendings are drawn to the fact that African communalism regulations out any signifier of relationship where any member of the community is insensitive to the sensitiveness of others. African communalism and its deductions besides draw attending to the fact that in

African communal life, an person, may hold a position different from the other members of the community, he or she does non and can non for that affair halt being member of the community. Aligning this with the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa means that no single Religion or Denomination should be apathetic to the feelings of other Religions. Again, any single Religion is free to keep its doctrinal positions different from the other Religions, but it can non for that affair insulate itself from the other members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa particularly as it needs the others and the others need it in a complementary relationship. Cultivating such cognition and apprehension among the members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will guarantee echt interreligious duologue in this Continent.

From the point of view of the construct of African communalism and its deductions which were surveyed above, no person is entirely guaranteed life beyond. The guaranteeing of life beyond depends on how good one lives here on Earth in relationship with the others. Since, he or she is inseparable from the other members of the community, life beyond is guaranteed non merely to the single entirely, but to the person every bit good as the other members of the community. The Igbo African spirit of onye aghala nwanne ya ( communalism or `` do non go forth your brothers and sisters behind '' ) is strongly played out here. The application of this, into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa implies that no single Religion can claim to hold a privilege of redemption for its disciples, in exclusion of the followings of

the other Religions. Again, the redemption of the members of any peculiar Religion depends on how good these members have lived here on Earth in relationship with the members of the other Religions. Instilling this sort of mentality on members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will do interreligious duologue a thing of joy in Africa.

African communalism, as noted above, regulations out any claim of absolute cognition and ownership of truth by the person. The truth known and possessed by him or her is limited and uncomplete. It can merely be complemented by the truths known and possessed by the other members of the community. Using this apprehension to the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa entails that no one Religion can do any claim of absolute cognition and ownership of spiritual truth. Whatever truth that is known and possessed by any peculiar Religion is basically limited and uncomplete ; and can merely be complemented by the spiritual truths known and possessed by the other Religions. Taking into consideration the fact that the boat of echt interreligious duologue has frequently hit the stone because of the claim of the ownership of absolute truth by some Religions, one feels confident plenty that the integrating of this position rooted in African communalism, into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will give room for a true interreligious duologue in the Continent.

The assorted African Traditional Religions, which I compare to assorted Denominations in Christianity and different Sects in other Religions like Islam and Judaism, are communal in nature owing to the spirit of African communalism as noted earlier. These different African Traditional Religions and their disciples, though, distinguishable, are

inseparable from one another arising from one common ascendant. Using this into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa implies, for illustration, that all the Denominations in Christianity, though, distinct in their belief systems and patterns should stay interrelated to one another. The assorted Sects in other Religions, so, all the Religions of the universe and their members, though, distinguishable, can non and should non be alienated from one another sing their common beginning in God. Vatican II 's papers Nostra Aetate, seeking to set up the foundation for the `` dealingss between the church and non-Christian faiths '' and so for interreligious duologue,[ 52 ]attests to this when it says: `` Humanity signifiers but one community. This is so because all root from the one stock which God created to people the full Earth, and besides because all portion a common fate, viz. God. His Providence, apparent goodness, and salvaging designs extend to all world '' ( no. 1 ) . Inculcating this thought, which is promoted by African communalism, into the heads of the members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will assist to accomplish integrity in diverseness among Religions in this portion of the universe. This integrity in diverseness is one thing urgent that the Religions of the universe demand today to accomplish their ends in the universe. Achieving integrity in diverseness among Religions by Religious Ecumenic Bodies in Africa will no doubt heighten echt interreligious duologue in the Zone.

One of the celebrated effects of African communalism is that members of the assorted African Traditional Religions do non canvas for converts. Neither do they halt one, who freely and willing decides

to change over to another Religion. Importing this into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa entails that no members of one Religion should be canvasing for converts and no Religion should of all time forestall any member, who with will decides to fall in another Religion. This will be a immense success for echt interreligious duologue in Africa, if it is applied into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, sing the fact that one of the greatest obstructions to true interreligious duologue everyplace, is the fright that some members do come to dialogue with the purpose of doing converts.[ 53 ]

It was deduced based on the deductions of African communalism that the assorted African Traditional Religions, because, they are distinguishable Religions while keeping complementary interrelatednesss with one another are inclusively pluralistic in nature. Using African communalism so, into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa means that all the Religions that from members of these Bodies are inclusively pluralistic, since retaining their peculiarity, they maintain complementary relationships with one another. Understanding this, will enrich unpretentious interreligious duologue in Africa.

African communalism as observed earlier, does non in any manner diminish the freedom of the person. Rather, it enhances it, every bit long as freedom is that, which enables one to be to the full who one is, being a freedom that is exercised within a communal context and non the autonomy to make whatever one wants. Taking this to the forum of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa denotes that there is no fright that any peculiar Religion belonging to these Bodies will of all time lose its spiritual freedom every bit long as this, is

what enables it to be to the full what it is and non the autonomy to make whatever it wants. If this apprehension is promoted among the members of the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, it will promote common interreligious duologue.

In fact, using African communalism into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will assist these Bodies to overcome the obstructions interreligious duologue has been confronting.

Decision

In this paper, I explored the construct of African communalism, a value that emphasizes communal life, instead than individuality. This is rooted in the realisation that all single being or thing has a `` missing nexus '' that can merely be supplied in a complementary interrelatedness with the other. The deductions of this were besides explored in which it was noted that the person, though, distinguishable, can non be separated from the community. He or she can non be without being in common relationship with the other members of the community. I so, argued that using African communalism into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa will assist to heighten echt interreligious duologue in the Continent.

Let me reason by reemphasizing that true interreligious duologue that is based on equal terms has been marred worldwide, by the claim of high quality, exclusivism, and ownership of absolute truth by some Religions. Using African communalism into the Religious Ecumenical Bodies in Africa, due to its exclusion of these claims and more, will supply a footing for echt interreligious duologue in this portion of the universe.