The evangelical church of Zaire and the female ordained ministry 1

African culture(s) had assigned inferior roles to women in society. The first Christian missionaries did very little to liberate women from this cultural enslavement. The missionaries's understanding of the leadership roles of women was not very different from that of African culture and its societal organisation. Many churches in Africa had kept to this cultural conservatism and also adopted the missionary theology. However, there are some Christians who accept women into the pastoral ministry, while others consider this move as blasphemous and unbiblical. The role of the church in this conflictual issue is to elaborate a new biblical hermeneutic which would help the church to create a conducive environment where men and women would understand their humanity on an equal basis and participate in God's salvific mission for the world

The evangelical church of Zaire and the female ordained ministry 1

African culture(s) had assigned inferior roles to women in society. The first Christian missionaries did very little to liberate women from this cultural enslavement. The missionaries's understanding of the leadership roles of women was not very different from that of African culture and its societal organisation. Many churches in Africa had kept to this cultural conservatism and also adopted the missionary theology. However, there are some Christians who accept women into the pastoral ministry, while others consider this move as blasphemous and unbiblical. The role of the church in this conflictual issue is to elaborate a new biblical hermeneutic which would help the church to create a conducive environment where men and women would understand their humanity on an equal basis and participate in God's salvific mission for the world

Traditional and Christian concepts of disease and healing among the Manianga

The Manianga of Zaire believed, and still believe, in a Supreme Beingcalled'Nzambi Mpungu'. He is the origin of all health care, includingmedicinal plants. According to traditional understanding, God uses theancestors -'bakulu' - to reveal these plants and their use to healersfor the sake of the living community. The belief in the ancestors asmediators between God and people has been dispelled by missionaries. However, there are some Manianga who, despite their Christianity, stillbelieve that the ancestors have an important role to play in the livingcommunity. It is the task of the Church to demonstrate a biblical healingministry amid these conflicting approaches. This implies not the banningof the practice, but its improvement according to the message of JesusChrist. The evangelical community of Zaire should create a climate ofdialogue to promote efective collaboration between the traditionalhealers and modern practitioners