In June of 2015, five cardinals and forty-five bishops representing fifty African countries met in Accra, Ghana, to prepare for the October 2015 Synod on the Family. In his opening remarks—included in this volume—Robert Cardinal Sarah encouraged the bishops of Africa to "speak with one voice" during the synod: "I encourage you to speak with clarity and with one credible voice and with filial love of the Church. Be conscious of the mission of the Church; protect the sacredness of marriage which is now being attacked by all forms of ideologies that intend to destroy the family in Africa. Do not be afraid to stress the teaching of the Church on marriage." In a major six-page interview released during the same period in the French magazine Famille Chrétienne , Cardinal Sarah said: "At the synod next October we will address, I hope, the question of marriage in an entirely positive manner, seeking to promote the family and the values that it bears. The African bishops will act to support that which God asks of man concerning the family, and to receive that which the Church has always taught. . . . Why should we think that only the Western vision of man, of the world, of society is good, just, universal? The Church must fight to say no to this new colonization." These African pastors provide much food for thought and reflection about modern Western culture and our personal lives, as well as an introduction to the Synod. The title of the book comes from a phrase used by Blessed Pope Paul VI, which in our time beautifully expresses the universality of the Church and the increasing role played by African Church leaders. Among the contributing cardinals and bishops are Robert Cardinal Sarah, Francis Cardinal Arinze, Christian Cardinal Tumi, Théodore Cardinal Sarr, Archbishop Samuel Kleda, and more.

In June of 2015, five cardinals and forty-five bishops representing fifty African countries met in Accra, Ghana, to prepare for the October 2015 Synod on the Family. In his opening remarks included in this volume Robert Cardinal Sarah encouraged the bishops of Africa to speak with one voice during the synod: ""I encourage you to speak with clarity and with one credible voice and with filial love of the Church. Be conscious of the mission of the Church; protect the sacredness of marriage which is now being attacked by all forms of ideologies that intend to destroy the family in Africa. Do not be afraid to stress the teaching of the Church on marriage."" In a major six-page interview released during the same period in the French magazine Famille Chr賩enne , Cardinal Sarah said: ""At the synod next October we will address, I hope, the question of marriage in an entirely positive manner, seeking to promote the family and the values that it bears. The African bishops will act to support that which God asks of man concerning the family, and to receive that which the Church has always taught. . . . Why should we think that only the Western vision of man, of the world, of society is good, just, universal? The Church must fight to say no to this new colonization."" These African pastors provide much food for thought and reflection about modern Western culture and our personal lives, as well as an introduction to the Synod. The title of the book comes from a phrase used by Blessed Pope Paul VI, which in our time beautifully expresses the universality of the Church and the increasing role played by African Church leaders. Among the contributing cardinals and bishops are Robert Cardinal Sarah, Francis Cardinal Arinze, Christian Cardinal Tumi, Th认ore Cardinal Sarr, Archbishop Samuel Kleda, and more.

This book is motivated by the positive view of the non-Christian religions expressed by the Fathers of the Vatican Council II (cf. NA 2a), a revolutionary view considered from the official teaching of the tradition of the Church up till then, and much more in such a central issue as the belief in God. This book aims at initiating a healthy interaction between the Christian understanding of God and the understanding of God in the traditional religion of the Igbo people of West Africa. In approaching this task this special study pursues some major aims. In the first place it engages itself in the clarification of some basic issues: Are the religious experiences which are phenomenologically found in all religions including the Igbo religion only mere human fabrications or do they originate from a revelation of God? Secondly, this publication working with the innovative analysis of the theophoral personal names provides some profound factual information about the concrete contents of the Igbo religion on God. Thirdly, the author tries to find out whether there could be a basic agreement between the understanding of God in Igbo religion and the biblical revelation. In this work the fundamental agreement is found in the conviction that God in traditional Igbo religion, Chukwu and the God of the Bible is the God of life. The purpose of this book therefore, is to bring back the question of God to the centre of existential Christian life: it is to make the theme of God the motivation and criterion for the whole Christian life and spirituality - both individually and communally. The theme of the God of life introduces God into life and connects the problems and questions of men and women of todayto the theme of God.

Includes recent papal letters, addresses and other major Church documents.

The necessity for inculturation in theology today, cannot be overstressed. It is absolutely necessary if the Church is to be in the position to offer to all peoples the mystery of salvation and the fullness of life brought by God in Christ. Inculturation demands that the revelation takes root in the culture in order to become part and parcel of the people's life pattern and to be in turn enriched by the cultural values of the people. Although the fullness of revelation took place in time, space, and culture, it is not exclusively tied up to any particular culture, race or time. Revelation cuts across all boundaries, and it is open to receive all and be received by all cultures. As the life of the Church is seen in the liturgy, the tasks facing liturgy today are quite enormous. Liturgy must seek authentic means of creating a worshipping community through the celebration of the mysteries of Christ: the Eucharist, the Sacraments, Liturgy of the hours and Sacramentals. As a holy people of God, the faithful are entitled to a liturgy that is at their disposition. They need to understand what they celebrate and participate actively in it. They require as a matter of necessity a liturgy that transforms the inner realities of their being and the entire humanity. The process of achieving this great goal constitutes the main bulk of this work. In effect, this book contains a representation of some cultural reactions to and enrichment of the reformed liturgy of the Second Vatican Council en route in Africa