The Western Missionary Instituted Churches: Any room for Dialogue with the African Instituted Churches (AICs) in South Africa?

Abstract

This study discusses the critical issue of the relationship between Western Missionary Instituted Churches and African culture in Southern Africa. It argues that situated in Africa, dialogue between Western Missionary Instituted Churches and African culture is not an option but rather a matter of necessity in light of their missionary mandate. The necessity for dialogue with African culture has since the 1950s and 1960s been demonstrated by African Initiated Churches’ successful attempts of appropriating critical elements of African culture and values. This development demonstrates that the African context is dynamic with traditions which can enrich the Western Missionary Instituted Churches self-understanding and therefore make them capable of doing mission contextually and ipso facto more relevantly. The article argues that the concept of relationship in the form of a family can enrich the Western Missionary Instituted Churches’ self-understanding and the manner which it can engage mission. An ecclesiology centred on the African concept of family constitutes a key principle for missional praxis in Africa.