Secularization in the church: Challenge to evangelization in contemporary Africa
Keywords:
Secularization, Church, Evangelization and Contemporary AfricaAbstract
Secularization and its influence on the life of the church has been a matter of much discussion in the recent years. The question often asked is how it influences the church. This article attempts to highlight the challenge of secularization on the evangelistic mandate of the church pointing out its dangers and proposing ways in which the church can adopt in its fight against secularization. The study further observes that secularization poses a great danger to the church’s evangelization mandate as it adulterates her spirit thus making her weak and unable to carry out its rightful role in the society. The author opines that the church should seriously involve itself in this discussion thereby forearming its members against this strong social movement that may in the near future take the church by her throat.
References
Ayanga, H. (2012). Secularisation: The case of Eldoret. In I. M. (Eds.), Theologies of Liberation and Reconstruction (p. 343). Nairobi: Action Publishers.
Beigel, G. (1999, 11). The Challenge of Secularism: The California Mission. Retrieved 05 14, 2012, from : http://www.msjc.org/Califoniamission/secularism.htm
Bjork, V. V. (1986., August). Large Membership Church Issues August 5-7. An unpublished document .
Bruce, S. (2002). God is Dead – Secularization in the West. Oxford: Blackwell.
Bryan, W. (1982). Religion in Sociological Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Budd, S. (1973). Themes and Issues in Modern Sociology: Sociologists and Religion. London: Collier-Macmillan Publishers.
Cox, H. (1971). The Secular City. New York: Macmillan Company.
Hünermann, P. (2001). “Evangelization of Europe?” . In e. Robert J. Schreiter, Mission in theThird Millennium (p. 73). New York: Orbis Books.
Jelliss, G. (n.d.). What is Secularism? Retrieved 11 21, 2013, from http://rossdouthat.theatlantic.com/archieves/2007/06/what_is_secularism.php
Kochuthara, T. (1998). “Secularism and Secularisation: Theological Reflections,” . Vidyajoti Journal of Theological Reflection 62 , 239.
Kore, D. (1986). How to tell true church from the false. East African Evangelical Theology. Vol. 5 No. 2 , 6.
Kosmin, B. A. (2007). "Contemporary Secularity and Secularism." . In B. A. Keysar, Secularism & Secularity: Contemporary International Perspectives (p. 54). Hartford: Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture.
Martin, D. (1978). A General Theory of Secularization, . Briston: Western Printing.
Martin, D. (1969). The religious and the Secular. London: Routledge.
Messer, D. E. (1998, March 3). Practical Theology. Retrieved February 18, 2015, from http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=199: http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=199
Muthengi, J. (1986). On the work and worship of the church. East African Journal of Theology Vol. 5 No. 1 , 10.
Paul Kevin Meagher, OP, Thomas C. O’Brien, Sister Consuelo Maria Aherne, SSJ, eds.,. (1979). Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion . Washington D.C.: Corpus Publications.
Pobee, J. S. (1986). “Life and Peace: An African Perspective” in Variation in Christian Theology in Africa. Nairobi: Uzima Press.
Wuthnow, R. (1998). The Restructuring of American Religion. Princeton : Princeton University Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright Notice
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.
Copyrights for articles published in World Scholars journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.