Beschreibung
Remembering the dead is a topic which connects various
cultures and traditions. The reception of the African
tradition of ancestorship is a theological enrichment in the
ecumenical discussions all over the world. In our time, the
exchange of gifts plays a great role in promoting unity of
the Churches. Especially the concepts of African theology
with the incomparable special position of Jesus Christ as
„proto ancestor“ are important for the interconfessional
dialogues. The veneration of the ancestors in Africa can be
a help to begin ecumenical discussions in this regional
context on the question of the veneration of the saints.
According to African tradition the ancestors also have
influence on the process of purification. Therefore, the
veneration of the ancestors contributes to providing answers
to the ecumenical controversies about the understanding of
the eschatological purification.
Sentus Francis Dikwe SDS, born in 1980 in
Morogoro, Tanzania, ordained priest of the Salvatorian
Congregation. He attained doctorate in theology 2020 in
Munster, Germany.
