(The Capuchin, Spring 1991, pp. 14-15)
What’s your image of Africa? I think most Europeans, is asked that question, and pressed to give an immediate uncensored answer would probably include in their reply something about tribal wars, poverty, coups and famine. That’s very understandable because there are plenty of all of them in Africa.
But there’s more to Africa than that. The Roman writer, Pliny, wrote about two thousand years ago that ‘There’s always something new out of Africa.’ For example, starting from almost nothing about 100 years ago, 13% of Africa is now baptized Catholic. That’s a big change in the life of a continent.
Furthermore, the type of Catholic life lived in Africa is developing a character of its own. One feature which strikes outside observers quickly is the familiarity of African Catholic with the Bible. It’s a common sight to see someone carrying a Bible as he walks along, or sitting near his house reading it. The stories of the Old Testament about the Jewish people have a special resonance for Africans as the tribal life of both societies is similar. Polygamous patriarchs, warring chiefs, corrupt judges, scheming lawyers, gossiping neighbours – Africans know them all. They enjoy the proverbs which are so like their own, and relish the wisdom of Solomon with his peasant cunning and slippery deviousness.
At Sunday Mass, many of the congregation bring a Bible with them, and follow the readings in it. It’s no trouble to most Zambian Catholics to find and follow a scripture reference. This enables them to prepare the Sunday readings at home, as many do, or to ask a visiting priest about problems they find in them.
Some of these problems arise from a fundamentalist understanding of the Bible, fostered unfortunately by some of the smaller sects who have a knack of getting hung up on some utterly wooded interpretation while missing the essentials. Fundamentalism is essentially a refusal to think, an insistence that anything more than yes or no answers are a betrayal of the text. At the same time, some sects can be shamelessly unscrupulous in using arbitrary misrepresentation of texts as a kind of battering ram with which to beat the conscience of those outside their cosy circle. An example of this is the often-heard objection that Catholics are responsible for the death of Christ. Why? Because he was crucified by Roman soldiers and Catholics are Romans – that’s why. Case proven!
Although it seems scarcely credible that anyone could be unsettled by such a spurious argument, the fact is that, to someone without a measure of familiarity of theology, such an argument, if not actually convincing, may raise doubts which a person may not be able to resolve unaided. It shows how scripture can be abused by the unscrupulous and needs to be read with some guidance and help.
One positive way in which Zambian Catholics help each other to counteract such propaganda, and, at the same time, to grow in the faith is by meeting together week by week in small communities. These differ from place to place but a common feature among them is that someone chooses a bible text beforehand and then reads it once or twice to the group. They reflect on it together without sermonising or trying to impress but simply sharing their reaction to it. From there they discuss it in greater depth and then conclude by sharing in simple spontaneous prayer related to the text. The meeting lasts usually less than an hour, and is held in someone’s home with two or three families taking part.
Another way is to start looking at some current problem which concerns people. It may be marital breakdown, drunkenness, unemployment, teenagers taking drugs, the conflict between some traditional customs and Christianity, or any matter at all which concerns people at the present moment. They discuss it together briefly, sharing their views openly. From there they move on to try to find something in the bible which can help them or throw some light on the problem. When people share in this together it’s truly amazing what they can find!
For Zambian Catholics, the bible is not a “Protestant” book, nor is it left on a shelf gathering dust. It’s a practical help in day-to-day Christian living. Isn’t that what it was meant to be?