Chiedza Vol 5 No 2 Invisible Powers

Abstract

In this issue ofChiedza we undertake the ambitious project of trying to represent the wide range of humanistic studies offered here at Arrupe and stay faithful to our usual practice of offering a theme. The result, I believe, is a fascinating range of articles on diverse subjects. Our theme, "Invis.ible Powers", came out of our desire to investigate forces-at-adistance. These are diverse influences on our lives that remain for the most part nebulous, unseen. We hoped to probe, explore and understand them and perhaps (in the optimism characteristic of the scientific method) they'll cease to be elusive and yield to our control. However, in this we remain keenly aware of what Hamlet tells his friend Horatio, "There're more things in heaven and earth Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy". Our high-tech world and its ambitious academia have filled us with a thirst for knowledge. With Francis Bacon we believe that knowledge is power. We, in varied ways, still hold the torch for progress, understood in many instances as a conquest of that which we do not yet know; we are sometimes smug in the assurance that it's only a matter of time before more vistas of knowledge open themselves to our inquisitive minds. Hamlet's statement is for us a rebuke and the barb reaches home- we realize that we do not, ca1mot, and perhaps will never know evetything. A more sober project would be the one to know how to utilize what knowJedge we have already attained. Proper humanistic education should be differentiated from schooling, the mere acquisition of facts and skills. Even someone like Lenin knew the latter's value. He decreed that the Russian peasantry be "educated", rendered literate - but only so they could reach the Communist Manifesto and the Communist Party's propaganda. The educated person is more than just literate but possesses a certain suavitas. Education ought to ignite in us the desire to continue learning and inculcate an appropriate measure for the assessment of raw data we acquire. Jn this vein, Caruana gives us an article that, while examining science's impact on our ideas about God, gently emphasizes the need for wisdom, a way of knowing how to apply our knowledge. His was the honour of presenting the Arrupe College Public Lecture for this semester and we are happy to publish the text ofllis presentation. We present two articles on witchcraft: Bourdillon underscores the need for witchcraft to be included in curricula for the training of clergy while Bigirimana investigates it as the sign and cause of social tension. Dan-Azumi examines how the giant shadow cast by transnational corporations affects the poor, especially in Africa. Madigan details how, with the advent of the Christian gospels, scapegoating is rendered redundant and questions whether we are the better for it. Shirima offers moral justification for
affirmative action programs; he is unique in not concentrating on the traditional validations based on commutative justice, but on notions of distributive and contributive justice. Mazarire tenders reasons for twin killing among the Karanga of Zimbabwe, suggesting that the practice died out for reasons other than those commonly given. Sumani questions whether human beings can develop vlithout exploiting the environment. Located on our campus are the AFCAST offices; I draw your attention to the short piece we have in this issue on that organisation (whose full identity will be revealed when you tum to page 3 3) The Chiedza Board finally has a full complement of twelve members: we have welcomed, and I introduce: Prosper Batinge, S J, Elaigwu Ameh, SJ, Steven Clegg, SJ, Clarton Mangadza, 0 . Cann, and DominicLiche, S.J. Their enthusiasm and the many hours of generous work they give are gratifying. We are justifiably proud of David Akhigbe, S.J, our illustrious funner editor, who was elected President of our nascent Students' Association. We hope to continue to produce this journal each semester. The costs, however, escalate by the day and so we await your subscriptions and donations. I take this opportunity to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - Happy reading!