At the end of the second special assembly for africa of the synod of bishops 425 october 2009, we all read the final message of the participants of the synod with interest, as well as the. These declarations, while not inciting physical violence, are certainly encouraging. Africae munus, latin for the pledge for africa, is the name of a 2011 document written by pope benedict xvi urging africans to work toward peace and reconciliation. The workshop was convened to create a nationwide plan to promote political and social reconciliation. At the end of the second special assembly for africa of the synod of bishops 425 october 2009. It is entitled the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace. Some elements for a proper understanding of the text 1. Nov 23, 2011 on the occasion of his apostolic journey to benin, africa, november 1820, 2011, the holy father signed and issued his postsynodal apostolic exhortation africae munus, following the second special assembly for africa of the synod of bishops that was held in 2009. In particular, your calls for profound inculturation and profound evangelization of the african soul are alarming. Africae munus kenyatta university school of humanities. The surpeme pontiff, during his apostolic visit to benin, 1820 november 2011, signed and presented the postsynodal apostolic exhortation africae munus to the church in africa and the world.
This essay is a critical theological and pastoral study of the working document of the second african synod. Amecea workshop on the implementation of the postsynodal. Unless the power of reconciliation is created in peoples hearts, political commitment to peace lacks its inner premise. Rediscovering the role of sccs on the path to reconciliation though there is a great achievement in sccs concerning faith and morals, it is. Africae munus africas commitment of 19 november 2011. It analyses how the commitments of african christians at the second african synod 2009 can be realized through a transformative missional theological praxis. The first part of africae munus addresses the basic structures of the catholic church in africa and how they serve the three key aims of the synod, reconciliation, justice and peace. Discover the meaning of gods teaching on the necessity of unconditional forgiveness mercy as well as how there can be justice in forgiving even someone who isnt sorry for the harm or evil done. The precarious economic and political institutions leave. Sep 20, 20 the shalom centre for conflict resolution and reconciliation sccrr is based in the african city of nairobi in kenya.
The important factor is the effective and efficacious use of the sacraments, assessed by how well they meet the basic needs of the faithful to know and worship god. Africae munus postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the. Part two explores the religious and institutional dimensions of reconciliation through varied narratives that establish that the church matters in the reconciliation project in. Evangelisation presupposes and brings with it reconciliation and it promotes peace and justice. The church in service to reconciliation, justice and peace. Year of reconciliation begins in africa zenit english. I would like to congratulate the editors of mission as ministry of reconciliation, for they listened carefully and planned with farsightedness. Africae munus postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace catalogue. We therefore found it opportune to publish the first part on forgiveness. The synod gave an impetus to the catholic church in africa, which prayed, reflected on and discussed the theme of reconciliation, justice and peace.
At a conference organized to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities of the postsynodal apostolic exhortation of pope john paul ii ecclesia in africa after 25 years of its publication, a kenyan bishop acknowledged the revolutionary nature of the document but. Article information, pdf download for africae munus and the. This essay takes the significant propositions of the second african synod on reconciliation, justice and peace as its starting point. Now the question to ask is how can this be realised. The importance of reconciliation for justice and peace in africa.
Postsynodal apostolic exhortation, africae munus, on reconciliation. Project muse mission as ministry of reconciliation ed. Exhortations generally encourage a particular virtue or activity. Postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the church in. The small christian communities sccs and the new communities are fundamental structures for fanning the flame of your baptism, particularly in search of justice and peace. Year of reconciliation begins in africa event is a response to benedict xvis apostolic exhortation africae munus july 30, 2015. The role of forgiveness in reconciliation cohen, raymond. Being open to forgiveness is an act of mercy that involves a choice by the offended person, while reconciliation is an act of justice involving both. Founded in 2009, its aim is to help in resolving conflicts and to bring about reconciliation. The second african synod and the challenges of reconciliation. The first part of africae munus focuses on gods eternal design to reconcile all people to himself in christ jesus and how the holy spirit continue to work in the church in order to bring about communion with god and unity among peoples. This masters thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the ma degree at. Lament as the form and shape of the prophetic imagination, in nurturing. Key ideas and principal themes of africae munus exhortation.
Part one which includes many elements of ecclesia in africa opens with behold i make all things new and highlights what the pope sees as a new dawn of. The present topic penance and anointing of the sick as sacraments of reconciliation and healing speaks directly. In this thesis i seek to mainly look at three different documents. Nov 23, 2011 evangelisation presupposes and brings with it reconciliation and it promotes peace and justice. Reconciliation is a prepolitical concept and a prepolitical reality, and for this very reason it is of the greatest importance for the task of politics itself. Apostolic exhortations are frequently issued following a synod of bishops, in which case they are known as postsynodal apostolic exhortations. Pdf africae munus and the challenges of a transformational. This forum discussed guidelines and proposed the process of implementing africae munus so as to revitalise the churchs commitment to promotion of reconciliation, justice and peace in the region. In the light of the postsynod exhortation, africae munus. Africae munus and what is at stake for mission in the churchfamily of god in africa richard kuuia baawobr missionary of africa. The apostolic exhortation africae munus, published two years after the most recent synod on africa, is the response to the 57. The article engages the articles in the document which deal with the theme of reconciliation. Especially in the next article, bernadette clara alvine ayo mbarga takes as her theme forgiveness and she develops it further in light of the role african women play in the process of reconciliation. The delegates from the nine member countries of amecea held a workshop between 5 th and 9 th march 2012, under the theme shaping the destiny of the people in the region.
The shalom centre for conflict resolution and reconciliation sccrr is based in the african city of nairobi in kenya. A delightfully ecumenical work, thirtytwo authors from six continents contrib. Two years after his maiden visit to cameroon, africa in march 2009 where he presented to the church family of africa the agenda of the synod, pope benedict xvi returned to africa on an apostolic visit to benin from nov. The church in africa at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace. Postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace 19 november 2011. The emergence of reconciliation as a paradigm of mission, africae munus and the cape town commitment. Africae munus calls for reconciliation, justice, peace. Apology and reconciliation in international relations ross, marc howard. Small christian communities as channels of reconciliation. Today, the celebration of the synod concludes with the signing of the exhortation africae munus, he said.
Think about your sins using the examination of conscience see other side by reflecting on your sins. This article takes the theme of pope benedicts postsynodal apostolic exhortation, africae munus, on reconciliation, justice and peace in africa as its starting point. The situation in which africa live keeps her in a deep crisis that has ramifications and a direct impact on the social, economic and political. Paul identifies as reconciliation, peace and justice. The relationship of forgiveness and mercy to justice and. Africae munus stresses the need for reconciliation to address past and present wrongs, noting that human consciences are challenged by the grave injustices existing in. Africa munus is to face these issues with reconciliation, peace and justice and for.
An apostolic exhortation is a magisterial document written by the pope. Salt of the earth and light of a new world in the light of the postsynod exhortation, africae munus laity congress, yaounde, 8 september 2012 cardinal peter k. Africae munus the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace catechesi tradendae catechesis in our time, 1979, pope john paul ii christifideles laici christs faithful people, 1988, pope john paul ii ecclesia in america the church in america, 1999, pope john paul ii. The main pillars of this mission of the church are seeking the paths reconciliation, justice and peace. There has in the last decades emerged an understanding of a new paradigm in the mission of the church, namely. Africae munus postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace. Policy document inclusive reconciliation final july 2015. The postsynodal apostolic exhortation africae munus can greatly assist in this, for it opens up pastoral horizons and will lead to creative initiatives. The church in africa as an agent of social transformation. This article takes the theme of pope benedicts postsynodal apostolic exhortation, africae munus, on reconciliation, justice and peace in africa as its starting.
Peace, justice, and reconciliation in africa opportunities and challenges in the fight against impunity report of the au panel of the wise the african union series. Uniting perspectives from three key documents sourced in roman catholic africae munus, mainline mission as ministry of reconcilation and evangelical traditions the cape town commitment, the authors argue that the reconciliation paradigm does not replace, but contains and carries forward preceding paradigms of mission. Part one also brings together the various strands of the message of reconciliation in the africae munus pope benedict sent to the second synod of the bishops of africa. Postsynodal apostolic exhortation on the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice. Pope benedict xvi in his postsynodal document, africae munus that african theologians should come up with transformative theologies which can be translated into pastoral practices for reconciliation, justice, and peace. It argues that what is needed in african christianity today is a missional theological praxis for transformation and hope. The postsynodal apostolic exhortation africae munus, which means the commitment of africa was the outcome of the second african synod special assembly for the catholic bishops in africa, held in rome in october 2009 under the theme. Africae munus and the challenges of a transformative.
Ritual and the politics of reconciliation maoz, ifat. Apostolic exhortation on reconciliation africae munus in mission as ministry of reconciliation, ed. Turkson president pontifical council for justice and peace introduction. Your eminences, your excellencies my lord archbishops and bishops. Unless the power of reconciliation is created in peoples hearts, political commitment to. The roman catholic church and the kurova guva ritual in zimbabwe. Socialcognitive mechanisms in reconciliation baron, dan. Africae munus of his holiness pope benedict xvi to the bishops, clergy, consecrated persons and the lay faithful on the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace you are the salt of the earth you are the light of the world mt 5. Given the importance of the synod to the church in africa, one could expect that the all people of god. The second african synod rightly deliberated on the theme reconciliation, justice, and peace since our entire continent is in dire need of peace. Working for justice the shalom centre for conflict. Today, the celebration of the synod concludes with the signing of the exhortation africae munus. Africas commitment to the lord jesus christ is a precious treasure which i entrust at the beginning of this third millennium to the bishops, priests, permanent deacons, consecrated persons, catechists and lay faithful of that beloved continent and its neighbouring islands. I entrust it to the faithful of africa as a whole, to study carefully and to translate into concrete actions in daily life.
Highlights from pope benedict xvis visit to benin, africa. You are the salt of the earth you are the light of the world mt 5, 14, is the central message in the postsynodal apostolic exhortation africae munus am of his holiness pope benedict xvi on the church in africas commitment in service to reconciliation, justice and peace. The participation of women in reconciliation justice and peace. The church in africa at the service of reconciliation. On the church in africa in service to reconciliation, justice and peace. May 09, 2012 the second african synod rightly deliberated on the theme reconciliation, justice, and peace since our entire continent is in dire need of peace. It is considered third in importance, after apostolic constitutions and encyclicals.
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