African Communitarian Ethic: The Basis for the Moral Conscience and Autonomy of the Individual

One of the controversial issues in theology in the contemporary, modern world is the issue of moral autonomy. Who determines what is moral and ethical? What part do the individual and the community respectively play in this regard? In this book the author explores and analyses the position of the individual in an African community. This research aims to be a pointer to other ethical, political and social systems in the world to dialogue with African ethics. On the one hand, the author proposes to the Western world, which is becoming more and more individualistic and is trying to get rid of old traditional values, to review some of its present ethics and cultural values. On the other hand, he suggests to the African world to re-examine its present cultural practices, to reconsider and appreciate some good cultural values handed down to them by their ancestors and also to take cognisance of the emerging world ethical realities.

Autorentext

The Author: Ferdinand Ezekwonna is a Holy Ghost Father. He was born in 1960 in Nigeria where he studied philosophy. He did his initial theological studies in Germany. In 1988 he was ordained a priest and worked in a parish in Nigeria. In 1990 he went on mission to Zimbabwe. In 1998 he started his studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he obtained his licentiate in 2000 and his doctorate degree in 2004. He is now a member of staff of Spiritan International School of Theology in Enugu, Nigeria.

Inhalt
Contents: The community and the individual: The three dimensions of African community - The African concept of the human person - The processes and ways of attaining full personhood in Africa (initiation rites) and the finding of norms Communal decisions and individual moral autonomy and conscience: The concept of autonomy and freedom in Africa - The African concept of conscience - The consequences of Western global ethics - Steps towards Western-African ethical dialogue.