Instructor(s)

Course Description

Examination of the factors underlying the emergence of the Christian religious understanding and practices of African-descended peoples worldwide and their response. The aim of the course is to investigate whether the church among African descended people worldwide, has been able to address the various circumstances from which they emerged. The course focuses on historic and contemporary experiences of Africans (present inhabitants of the African continent) and African-descended peoples in the Americas, particularly the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The course will discuss the factors behind the emergence of the Christian church on the African continent and in the African diaspora and how the church has responded in these various socio-theological contexts. We will give attention to the influence of slavery on Christianity in the Americas, the influence of apartheid on Christianity in South Africa and the influence of colonialism on Christianity in Africa. The course will explore their religious understanding and practices, including music, mode of worship, art, preaching, among others, in order to appreciate the factors that gave birth to their ―theologies and spirituality.  

Discussions will also include the emergence of black theology in south Africa where the main concern was liberation from apartheid while African theology developed in other parts of the African continent. Mention will be made of the African’s desire for liberation from malevolent spiritual forces evident in their films, music, prayers, proverbs, maxims and sayings.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course the student will:

1. Gain an understanding of slavery of Blacks in the Americas, Colonialism in sub-Saharan Africa, and apartheid in Southern Africa, with focus on South Africa.
2. Discover how the oppressive experience of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora gave birth the various liberation theological understanding, Christian resistant movements and freedom activists.
3. Reflect on the future of the African reactionary theology and its resistance to theology as the western Christian did it.

Course Content

Topics

1. Christianity: The missing piece in Africana Studies
2. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
3. Colonialism in Africa
4. Apartheid in Southern Africa
5. Liberation Theology: Meaning different things in the context of different experiences
6. The Emergence of the Black church in the Americas
7. The Emergence of the church in the Africa
8. The Emergence of the Black church in the Southern Africa
9. Lessons we can learn from the influence of the various experiences on the church’s spiritually, theologies, governance and self-understanding
10. A critical exploration of the thoughts of African leaders: maxim, proverbs, poems, music, films, etc
11. An examination of the thoughts and philosophy of Mensa Otabil
12. Current trends in the church in the black world and its future

Mode of Delivery

Through lectures, demonstrated examples, class interaction, group discussion, reading and assignments.

Reading Materials

1. Azevedo, Mario. ed. (1969). African Studies: A Survey of Africa and the African Diaspora. Carolina Academic Press.
2. Cone, James H. (1997). Black theology and Black Power. Maryknoll, NY.: Orbis Books.
3. Graper, Moritz (2019). The Bible and Apartheid: Contested Interpretations in the History of Christianity in South Africa and Beyond (Studien Zur Aussereuropaischen Christentumsgeschichte (Asian).
4. Jones, C. C. (2017). The Religious Instruction of the Negroes in the United States. Scotts Valley, CA.: CreateSpace Independent Publishing.
5. Lloyd, Vincent W. (2017). Religion of the Field Negro: On Black Secularism and
6. Black Theology. The Bronx, NY.: Fordham University Press.
7. Martey, E. (2001). African Theology: Inculturation and Liberation. Eugene, OR, Wipf and Stock Publishers.
8. Oladipo, C. O. (2006). The Will to Arise: Theological and Political Themes in African Christianity and the Renewal of Faith and Identity. Bern: Peter Lang.

Evaluation of Student Performance

Grading System

Letter Grade Mark% (Credit Points)

A 80-100 (4.0): Excellent

B+ 75-79 (3.5): Very Good

B 70-74 (3.0): Good

C+ 65-69 (2.5): Satisfactory

F Below 65 (0.0): Fail

Assessment

Students will be assessed in a variety of ways, including examinations, quizzes, take-home assignments, term papers, participation in classes and seminars, field reports, video-recorded demonstrations, etc.

Distribution of the Marks

• Examination (End of course/semester): 60%
• Course work, continuous assessment and attendance: 40%

Class Attendance

For Campus students and those receiving lectures via Zoom, due to the concentrated nature of the lectures, three unexcused class absence will reduce final grade by a letter grade. A 4^th unexcused absence will result in an additional research assignment required for a passing grade. A 5^th unexcused absence will result in a failing grade.

Writing Guidelines

All research papers and theses are to follow: (i) Kate L. Turabian A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations OR (ii) American Psychological Association (APA) Style.

1. Font & Font Size: Times New Roman, 12 point

2. Double space

3. 1-inch margins (File – Page Setup – Margins)

4. Indent paragraphs 0.5 inch (Format– Paragraph – Indent left)

5. Page numbers – lower center or upper right –beginning with the first page of text, but not on title page; Arabic numbers only (e.g., 1, 2; not Roman numerals); no other header or footer

6. Title page; then title again on page one (for formal papers)

7. In essay-type papers, ALWAYS write logically, persuasively, focused on the assigned topic; include a succinct introduction that informs the reader concerning the subject of your paper, and a succinct conclusion that summarizes your main points and expresses your resulting conclusion.

8. Use footnotes rather than endnotes, except in dissertation/thesis, where section endnotes are also acceptable.

9. All work should be proofread, as errors in spelling, grammar, and syntax will reduce assignment grade.

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is against Daniel Institute policy, and any act of plagiarism will result in disciplinary action up to student dismissal from further study at Daniel Institute. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to quoting materials without proper citing or reference, cutting and pasting of online and other materials requires proper citing via quotation marks and footnote.

Final Examination

The final exam will consist of short answer questions as well as semi-essay questions. The reading and the classes are your means of preparation.

For candidates writing their examinations outside the main Daniel Institute campus, a proctor will be required. A proctor is a person who oversees an exam. He or she will typically verify a student’s identity by checking a photo ID and then ensures academic integrity guidelines are followed during the exam. The exam will be mailed to the proctor in PDF format. The proctor will need to print your exam, and preferably have access to a scanner to submit your exam. 3. When you have completed your exam, your proctor may either 1) scan and upload your exam to the DI Learning platform or mail to the relevant address provided. This format requires you handwrite your responses on the exam itself.

Submitting Assignments

Assignments can be submitted electronically through the Drop Box tool in Triport (or any other means endorsed by the lecturer). Paper submissions should be in either .doc, .docx or .pdf format. Submitting your work through drop box (or any other means prescribed by the lecturer) is considered a formal (and final) submission. Assignments may be returned to you electronically, in most cases via email. If your assignment was graded by hand, it will be scanned and delivered to you as a PDF file. Remember to use a full heading, including your name, professor, course, and date.

Biblical references

Always give biblical references in the text of your paper. For example, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1; NRSV) Include the translation only if you are quoting a scripture that is different than NIV. For example, John pointed men to the Messiah (John 1:7).

Essay and Term Paper Cover Format

All essays and term paper must start with the required cover format. A single page number starts on the first page of the paper on the right side of the upper header.