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Document Details : Title: Healing in the African Independent Churches Subtitle: An encounter Between Traditional Religiosity and Christianity? Author(s): OBORJI, Francis Anekwe Journal: Studies in Interreligious Dialogue Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Date: 2005 Pages: 182-210 DOI: 10.2143/SID.15.2.2004104 Abstract : A major feature of Christianity in Africa today is the upsurge of the so-called independent or healing churches. This is a growing phenomenon of African Christianity. This has made some to argue that African Independent or Healing Churches (AICs) represent a truly African form of Christianity. However, some others do not see true African religiosity in most of these healing churches. They are deformations or transformations of the authentic traditional religiosity. One is then led to ask: What type of relationship exists between the true religiosity of Africans and that of the AICs? Related to this is that of the proper foundation of African Christianity and the relation between healing and the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ. Underlying all this is the actual reality of Africa with its concomitant challenges of the ministry of healing and human promotion How do we evaluate the increasing number of prayer meetings and healers directed at obtaining divine healing? These are the challenges that confront us in this article dedicated to the study of AICs. The article explores the historical origins and motivations behind the birth of AICs in Africa in order to unveil the cultural factors behind the upsurge of AICs in Africa, the general characteristics of the churches and their manifestations in various regions of the continent. The article also makes an attempt to relate the AICs to the practice of healing in the Bible and church tradition over the years. It concludes with enduring challenges associated with any effort for concrete evaluation of the practice of healing in AICs. The practice of healing in Africa today presents both theological and pastoral challenges. |
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