Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 34:1 (Oct 2022)
Article: African Theology For The African Church: The Need For An Evangelical Approach
Author: Greg Kame

Conspectus 34:1 (October 2022) p. 30

African Theology For The African Church: The Need For An Evangelical Approach

Greg Kame

Regent University

About The Authors

Dr. Greg Kame holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from the University of South Africa, an M.A. in Biblical Studies from West Africa Theological Seminary, and a B.Th. in Theology from the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Kame is currently based in the United States of America where he serves as Assistant Professor of Theology at Regent University and as Senior Pastor of Glen Burnie Baptist Church. [email protected]

This article: https://doi.org/10.54725/conspectus.2022.2.3

Abstract

As the African Church increasingly disconnects from Western theological influences to take responsibility for developing her own theology, clear questions arise for evangelical theologians in Africa: How might evangelical Africans do theology in a theological setting that is increasingly plagued by theological liberalism and religious syncretism? What is the most Bible-centered and God-honoring way of doing theology in Africa? This article responds to such questions by arguing for an evangelical approach to doing theology in Africa. To this end, four main issues are addressed. First, I state the meaning of African theology as explained by some African theologians. Second, I summarize the history of Christian theology in Africa, leading to the arguments put forward by some notable African theologians in defense of an African theology. Third, I show how dangerous it is to approach African theology from a liberal or syncretic perspective. Finally, I make a case for an evangelical approach to doing theology in Africa by exploring the origin of African evangelical theology, and propose a good starting point for African scholars to consider towards developing a robust African evangelical theology for the African Church.

Keywords

African Evangelical Theology, African Theology, soteriology, African Church

1. Introduction

It is good that the African Church is increasingly disconnecting from Western theological influences to take responsibility for developing her own contextual theology. However, this signals an imperative need for theological research and writing in the evangelical tradition that would help steer the course of theological development in Africa in the right direction. By right direction I mean emerging African scholars should pursue the path towards becoming evangelical theologians rather than liberal theologians. I frown at the pace at which liberal theology is gaining grounds in Africa because pioneer liberal theologians like

Conspectus 34:1 (October 2022) p. 31