New Foundations for Appreciating Africa

The natural world alone provides an insufficient foundation for life. African people, as others, look elsewhere for guidance. The secularism implicitly taught in educational systems throughout the African continent frequently fails to engage with weaknesses in today's status quo. Here uncovered Christian roots of secularism can provide a means to interact with African and majority world realities. It is time for dominant western scholars to stop ignoring activity in the divine realm. This book starts by delving deeply into indigenous African Christian expression. Through discussion on the English category religion, it throws light on pressing issues in the contemporary world. Jim Harries (PhD theology, University of Birming- ham) has lived and served as a missionary in Africa, initially in Zambia then more recently in East Africa, since 1988. His primary formal occupation apart from research/writing and caring for his (informally) adopted African children is Bible teaching with indigenous churches. Jim relates to the African community around him using the Luo and Swahili languages. He makes major efforts to ensure that many of his significant relationships with African people not be based on an expectation of material gain. Jim has published five books, and numerous articles related to missiology, intercultural communication, development and especially vulnerable mission. He is the chairman of the AVM (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission).