Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 31:1 (Apr 2021)
Article: God In Oral African Theology: Exploring The Spoken Theologies Of Afua Kuma And Tope Alabi
Author: Harvey Kwiyani

Conspectus 31:1 (April 2021) p. 54

God In Oral African Theology: Exploring The Spoken Theologies Of Afua Kuma And Tope Alabi1

Harvey Kwiyani

and

Joseph Ola

Liverpool Hope University

About The Author

Mr. Joseph Ola holds a Master’s degree in Biblical and Pastoral Theology from Liverpool Hope University where he currently studies African Christianity. He is the author of a few books including Pandemic Joy and Biblical Wisdom for Young Adults. He founded and leads Alive Mentorship Group, an online mentoring platform for millennials with over 3,000 members. He blogs at www.josephkolawole.org and can be reached via [email protected].

Dr. Harvey Kwiyani is a missions theologian from Malawi. He teaches theology at Liverpool Hope University in Liverpool, England. He blogs at www.harvmins.com and can be reached via [email protected].

This article: https://www.sats.edu.za/god-in-oral-african-theology

Abstract

In this essay we explore the conceptualizations of God in African oral theology, focusing on the traditions of the Akan people of Ghana and of the Yoruba of Nigeria. We examine the spoken-word works—prayers and songs—of two African women, Afua Kuma and Tope Alabi.2 Our goal is to lay out an agenda for an intentional Africanization of Christian Theology in Africa and the African Diaspora. On one hand, we honor the spoken theologies of the many Christians on the continent who shape other people’s thoughts about God in various ways, while, on the other hand, we highlight the role of African women doing theology.

Keywords

Afua Kuma, Tope Alabi, oral African theology, African women theologians

1. Introduction

Theology is typically defined as the knowledge of God. The term “theology” comes from the Greek word, theologia (θεολογία), which comes as a result of combining theos (θεός, translated “god”) and logia (λογία, “utterances, sayings, or oracles”). Logia gives us the Greek word logos (λόγος, which is generally translated “word, discourse, account, or reasoning”). Its Latin root is theologia, which was translated into French as théologie, and into German as theologie before eventually becoming “theology” in English. In a nutshell, theology is a subject about the knowledge (Logos) of God (Theos). This knowledge ...