The church, the society and the feminine question
: a case study on women’s dignity in Western Kenya : Luhya Tribe

  • Christopher Wamuchwa Shamba (Student)

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

This work on: `The Church, the society and the feminine question: a case study on women´s dignity in Western Kenya (Luhya tribe) ´ is an attempt to enter and understand the women´s world. For centuries, women have been considered objects or second-class citizens thus not much counted in both our communities and the Church as it is compared to men. Women have always been regarded as children if I may say so since long and you can confirm this even in the Gospel according to Mt. 14: 13-21. And the same assumption, the discrediting, the downplaying, the degrading, the same despising of women seems not to be only a thing of antiquity but also today as we speak. This work intends to look at the feminism question both from the Church and an African cultural point of view and try to foresee the future as much as women´s position and roles are concerned. We shall be concentrating on African world but most specifically the Luhya tribe of Western part of Kenya. This way, we visit the two worlds; the secular society and the Church and her mission. As things stand by now, we can ask ourselves a series of queries. The Church being hierarchical, does she seem to contain women? Was the Church designed to use each gift of each member in her mission? Are women valued citizens by the Church? Are they significant in leadership? With their potentials as women, do they have any positive influence on edification of the present and the future Church? We purpose to the Bible in anchoring our discussion on contribution of women who used their skills, abilities and influence to strengthen and protect God´s family (Israel). We use the theological imperatives that compel believers to use their gifts in building up God´s empire.Finally, it should be noted that I do not write this work as a feminist or a defender of women but only to express what female gender has gone through for ages now and what the future holds for them. When will it dawn for this gender? When will they become people like their counterparts? Neither am I here to support a worldwide movement called Christian feminist theology, nor defend the fact and obvious truth that women are fully human and are to be valued as such a principle that we may not see it often honoured in the theological tradition. But it should also be known that I am not going to defend the feminist theology that argues that, the Christian community needs to be transformed into a community of the discipleship of equals as a sacramental witness to the vocation of the whole world. In the face of injustices over women again, I am not going to advocate for women´s flourishing in all their dimensions and relationships as an essential element of the redeemed human community that the world misses, this is too obvious and so we need no advocacy. We remain faithful to the matter of concern, the dignity and the future of women. This is not a petition but a simple work on the presentation of what faces women and what is to be done to guard their dignity and vocation.
Date of Award8 Feb 2023
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • Universidade Católica Portuguesa
SupervisorJosé Pedro Lopes Angélico (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • Luhya
  • The Catholic Church
  • Women
  • African traditional religion
  • Dignity
  • Feminism and vocation

Designation

  • Mestrado Integrado em Teologia

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