Chiedza Vol 10 No 1 Setting a New Agenda For the Church in Africa

Abstract

In his Dynamics of Faith, Paul Tillich provides a highly instructive study on the characteristics of symbols. According to Tillich, symbols, like signs, have the characteristic of pointing beyond themselves to something else. However, unlike signs, symbols have the added characteristic of participating in that to which they point. Tillich exemplifies this particular point by referring to the hurt citizens of a nation feel when their flag, a symbol of a nation's sovereignty and pride, is attacked. In addition to the afore-mentioned characteristics, Tillich outlines some other insightful qualities of symbols. For him, the production of symbols is not intentional. Symbols result from the individual and collective unconscious and can only function because they have been accepted by the unconscious dimension of ow- being. Secondly, symbols are similar to living beings in that they grow and die. Not being a product of invention, symbols have a "life span" and "die" when they are unable to elicit a significant response from the people where they originally found expression. These remarkable insights of Tillich lead us to pose the question: "is Chiedza a symbol?" The answer to this question, in my view, is an emphatic "yes". The choice of ow- themes frequently expresses the individual and collective unconscious of our College community and larger African society. Setting a New Agenda for the Church and Africa, the theme of this edition, responds significantly to the unconscious dimension of our being as Africans, as both individually and collectively, we celebrated fifty years of African nationhood with Ghana on March 6, 2007. The throngs that descended on Ghana's Independence Square from various parts of the continent and the African Diaspora bear witness to a people's WlSpoken hopes and yearnings that Chiedza eloquently articulates by its theme.
Our theme also expresses our reality as a community of faith, a body of believers - the Church. No doubt our very presence, our gathering together, points to a higher reality; a reality that we believe we participate in, namely, the Kingdom of God. In setting a new agenda therefore, it is right that we focus attention also on the Church, the symbol of God's reign on earth. The case for Chiedza's symbolic value becomes all the more convincing when one considers that this edition marks the 10th volume of this journal. This indicates the "life span" of Chiedza and offers hope for the sustained growth of a medium that seeks to respond meaningfully to the Arrupe College community and various individuals and institutions in and outsideAfrica. Furthermore, the symbolism of Chiedza is exemplified in the various contributions that make up this edition. Dan-Azumi's exploration of Cosmopolitanism as the answer to Africa's nationalistic quandaries leads us to question the continued relevance of Nkrumah's Pan-Africariist vision. Oguh and Okolocha analyse the Nuremberg Trials and Nigerian Art respectively to find out what lessons our contemporary society can learn from these. Orobator expertly outlines for us the profile of an Ignatian leader and thus helps us to determine if we measure up to this standard. No doubt, these and the other contributions of this edition have a role to play in enhancing our life as individuals and community. Life's enhancement has always been the aim of Chiedza. Light always dispels darkness. Our task at Chiedza has been served well by Isidore-Splendour Chukwu, SJ., and Jean-Claude Havyarimana, S.J., who, until recently, were members of Chiedza's board. We thank them for their hard work. We also use this opportunity to welcome Courage Bakasa, SJ., and Roland Holland to the Chiedza editorial board. We trust that they will help us accomplish our stated aim of lighting Africa.

To everyone, happy reading!

Kpanie Addy, S.J.