The Church And Development In Africa, Second Edition [Hardcover]

In this book, Stan Chu Ilo offers an integral theology of development and a critical social analysis of different development theories and practices in the world, especially in Africa. Ilo offers a comprehensive biblical, anthropological, and theological foundation of the principles and praxis of Catholic social ethics from the Second Vatican Council to Pope Francis. Drawing from the social encyclical Charity in Truth, Ilo shows how Catholic social teaching responds to some of the challenging questions and concerns of our times in relation to human rights, ecology, globalization, international cooperation, development and aid, human and cultural development, business ethics, social justice, and the challenges of poverty eradication. He creatively applies these principles to the social context of Africa, and lays a groundwork for sustainable Christian humanitarian and social justice initiatives in Africa. Ilo focuses particularly on the importance of African traditional culture, especially the Ubuntu sense of community, at the heart of the ability of Africans to control their own development. He emphasizes the need for the church to recognize the deep roots of traditional religious cultures of Africa and to find ways that the gospel can enrich, not replace, those traditions. --James R. Stormes, SJ, Theological Studies The thorough, broad perspective Ilo provides on development in Africa, particularly from a Catholic perspective, makes this book an invaluable resource. It is a significant contribution to development literature. The author's outlook is starkly realistic and refreshingly hopeful for the future of Africa. --W. Jay Moon, International Bulletin of Missionary Research What an epic book! This is a profound and important book. Stan Chu Ilo takes us on a powerful journey through Catholic theology to Africa, its history and the development challenges of today. It is a book full of both personal passion and systematic rigor. It interweaves personal stolӍ