@thesis{fotland_ancestor_2005, location = {Bergen}, title = {Ancestor Christology in Context: Theological Perspectives of Kwame Bediako}, abstract = {This thesis presents a systematisation of the theology, and in particular the Christology, of Kwame Bediako. Bediako, an Akan scholar from Ghana, is referred to as one of the leading contemporary African theologians. In addition, the thesis shows how his personal religious experience and the context influence his theology. One of the concerns that have been confirmed in the study is that "the person matters". Therefore, before his theology is presented, the main points of Bediako''s life story are highlighted. Bediako is a global theologian, but it is the African context that he acknowledges as determining his theology. An extensive presentation of relevant historical spots, an outline of African traditional religions ({ATR}) and draft over African Christianity and theology is given. The Christology, as the interpretative key to Bediako''s theology, is dealt with at length, and a number of Christological epithets discussed. The most prominent African epithet for Bediako is Jesus as Ancestor. The ancestor epithet is taken from the Akan traditional religion, and Bediako wants to make Christ, the centre of Christianity, also the centre of an Akan expression of Christianity by replacing the ancestors with Christ. Built on the Akan concept of ancestorship Bediako develops a Christian concept of ancestorship. In addition to the Bible and {ATR}, the thesis identifies other sources for his theology, one of them being grassroots theology. The thesis also presents other elements of Bediako''s theology, like his focus on Christianity as a universal, a non-Western and an African religion and the primal outlook as an African contribution to Christianity. A characteristic of the method used in this thesis, is the process of a combining critical reading, interpretation and interviews with Bediako and others in his context. Finally, the theology of Bediako is seen in perspective, and I show that Bediako''s Christology, although specifically African, is also within the broad mainline Christological tradition.}, institution = {University of Bergen}, type = {phdthesis}, author = {Fotland, Roar}, date = {2005}, }