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THE INCULTURATION OF THE GOSPEL: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE METHODIST CHURCH THE GAMBIA’S QUEST FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP
[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2014.
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Abstract
AbstractThe philosophy, traditional and cultural religion of the African laid the foundation for a people that had the structural requirements for assimilating the content of the gospel, not as uneducated natives but as people with a distorted content of the gospel message and distorted application of it within their social and customary realities. Understanding the content of the gospel and its relevance for the African sets the tone for considering the various models of application that have been employed in mission in Africa. A similar quest is seen in Asian Christianity, where Western dualism and enlightenment thought governed the ‘heart’, while authentic Asian Christianity can only emerge when there is a dual recovery of confidence, in culture and in the gospel, within Asian Christianity. It is however, vital to note that the limitation of this missional approach is balanced by the availability of the gospel content in the language and within the reach of The Gambian. This should empower the Gambian and encourage attempts of inculturation that would produce a more relevant ministry fulfilling the existential purpose of the gospel. This therefore makes essential an understanding of leadership from the content of Scripture, Church history and Church traditions. For the Gambian Methodist Christian, this is supplemented with the additional consideration of the Methodist heritage that gives a sense of belonging to the tradition and defines its Christian orientation. The major task of leadership is to explore the inculturational opportunities of the gospel within the African Traditional and Cultural beliefs and practices providing pillars that hold the worldview together for possible leadership application. This will solve the need for an inculturated gospel and ministry for the Methodist Church The Gambia. These pillars are presented as the rites of passage in the African Traditional and Cultural beliefs. Together with the Heritage of Methodism’s accommodative quality of a discipleship movement shaped for mission, a family base leadership community structure evolves catering for scriptural, African and Methodism. The researcher thus recommends that the Methodist Church The Gambia should consider inculturating the gospel cognizance of its African traditional and cultural practices with its Methodist heritage for a better expression of Church leadership in The Gambia in the practice of ministry through the rites of passages of its people.