A “dramatic ecclesiology” as a response to Africa’s unique challenges and a catalyst for social transformation – this was the proposal of Prof. Dieudonné Mbiribindi, SJ, in his reflection on “The Church Africans Need.” In this renewal of the Church, “Small Christian
Communities (SCCs)” hold a pivotal role, emphasized Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo, highlighting their contributions and future potential in strengthening African Catholicism. Both lectures, hosted in September by Hekima University College, underscore the Church’s
role in responding to the evolving needs of African society.
Christian Kombe, SJ
Hekima University College opened its 2024-2025 series of public lectures with two deeply insightful conferences, addressing crucial issues at the intersection of faith, social justice, and the evolving role of the Church in Africa. These inaugural lectures, held on Thursday, September 5, and Saturday, September 7, brought to the fore significant reflections on the Church’s mission in the face of the many crises confronting African societies today.
The Church Africans Need: Ecclesiology in the Face of Crisis
The first lecture, “The Church Africans Need”, was hosted at the Jesuit School of Theology Auditorium and delivered by Fr. Dieudonné Mbiribindi, SJ, professor of philosophy at Université Loyola du Congo (ULC) and theology at Hekima University College (HUC). Prof.
Mbiribindi explored the theme of ecclesiology and missiology 30 years after the historic first African Synod on Evangelization of April 1994. He proposed a model for the Church in Africa that speaks directly to the current socio-political and environmental challenges. In his nuanced discussion, Prof. Mbiribindi drew on the insights of three Popes – Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis – outlining their distinct and close visions for the Church.
Prof. Mbiribindi noted that Pope John Paul II stressed moral norms and principles, laying out how the Church should engage with the world. Pope Benedict XVI built on this, offering atheological foundation by explaining why the Church acts as it does. Pope Francis has shifted the focus towards action, calling the Church to respond to the real and immediate needs of the people, particularly the marginalized. According to Prof. Mbiribindi, this shift towards a more practical and contextualized theology reflects the urgent realities of African societies.
A Dramatic Ecclesiology for Africa
With this framework, Prof. Mbiribindi identified the primary crises Africa faces today: rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, poverty, political instability, and ongoing conflicts. In response to these challenges, he advocates for what he termed a “dramatic ecclesiology,” drawing on Raymund Schwager’s dramatic theology. This ecclesiology provides “a model of Church that engages with the dramatic and often tragic realities of African life,” much like how Christ’s passion transformed suffering into a source of redemption. A dramatic ecclesiology, he explained, would not shy away from Africa’s crises but instead seek to find “paths of reconciliation, healing, and transformation, viewing the Cross not merely as tragedy, but as a symbol of hope.”
Prof. Mbiribindi emphasized that this ecclesiology must address not just the spiritual needs of African communities but also their material and social conditions. The Church African needs, he argued, is called to transform society, becoming an agent of social justice, peace, and integral development. Drawing from African cultural contexts, he suggested that this dramatic model could guide the Church in its mission of evangelization and in fostering deep social change.
50 Years of Small Christian Communities: Evaluating the Past and Envisioning the Future
The second lecture, delivered on Saturday, September 7, via Zoom by Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo, Deputy Secretary General of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), evaluated the impact and future of Small Christian
Communities (SCCs) as they marked 50 years of existence. His presentation, titled “Small Christian Communities @50: Past, Present, and Future”, examined the vital role these grassroots structures have played in shaping the faith and social fabric of catholic
communities across the continent, especially Eastern Africa.
Fr. Chimombo began by tracing the history of SCCs, highlighting their origins as a post- Vatican II model of the Church that brings faith into the everyday lives of believers through localized, intimate communities. SCCs have been essential in fostering lay leadership,
encouraging Bible study, and facilitating mutual support among the faithful. He emphasized that these communities have been key in promoting a communal and participatory model of the Church in Africa, one that contrasts with more hierarchical and institutional structures.
However, as SCCs reach their 50th anniversary, Fr. Chimombo acknowledged that they face new challenges, notably given that many Africans now live in large, impersonal cities where the traditional sense of community is harder to maintain. Despite these challenges, he emphasized that SCCs remain a crucial part of the Church’s future in Africa, as they embody the Church’s mission of evangelization, solidarity, and service to the poor, offering a platform for reflection, social justice, and community building.
A Church Engaged with Africa’s Struggles and Redemption
Both lectures highlighted the Church’s need to remain relevant and responsive in the face of Africa’s unique challenges. Prof. Mbiribindi’s call for a “dramatic ecclesiology” emphasizes a Church deeply engaged with the continent's crises, seeking transformation through engagement with the social and political realities. Meanwhile, Fr. Chimombo’s evaluation of SCCs underscores the importance of these communities as the bedrock of African Catholicism, providing Christians with a space for mutual support and faith development in times of change.
These inaugural public lectures of Hekima University College’s 2024-2025 series have sparked a broader conversation about the future of the Church in Africa, especially in the context of the ongoing Synod on Synodality. As the continent faces ongoing and emerging challenges, the Church is being called upon to not only guide spiritual life but also actively engage in transforming society. These reflections mark a crucial step in envisioning the Church that Africa needs – a Church that walks with its people through their struggles, sharing in their dramas and working toward their redemption.