Secularism and Africa: In the Light of the Intercultural Christ

Secular assumptions underlie much formal communication between the West and Africa and even intra-Africa. Secularism is dualistic by nature but thinking in Africa is mostly monistic. This book suggests that it is better to be rooted in faith in Christ than in so-called secularism. The great respect given to the Bible in much of Africa verifies this idea. Communication of and through Christ is a bridge that can enable indigenous sustainable development. The same gospel is the bridge over which the West itself passes. Maintaining supposedly secular presuppositions may be denying sub-Saharan African people the means for self-initiated sustainable progress. This books draws on anthropology linguistics and theology as well as the authors experience of living in Africa. Harries shares an autobiographical account of personal long-term grassroots ministry and proposes a revision of widely held understandings of linguistics pertaining especially to the relationship between the West and Africa. He also looks at Bible teaching ministry in light of contemporary African contexts. As a long-term missionary and anthropologically-minded theologian Jim Harries is a highly original and creative thinker. Here he brings his considerable experience together with sophisticated theoretical reflection to question the secular bases of mission development and scholarship. Joining a lively conversation on these questions Harries book is an excellent contribution for missionaries development workers and others seeking to understand how secular assumptions shape global mission development and anthropology. --Brian Howell Professor of Anthropology Wheaton College Jim Harries (PhD Theology) a missionary working as a bible teacher in western Kenya is the author of Communication in Mission and Development and other books and articles. Jim works with a variety of indigenous churches using the Luo and Swahili languages. He chairs the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission (vulnerablemission.org). Global University recognizes him as a Professor of Religion. Jim is single and looks after orphaned children in his African village home.