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" The Image of the Church as the Family of God: A Systematic Study in the Igbo Catholic Church of Nigeria "
Ekeocha, John O.
McPartlan, Paul
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Latin Dissertation
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| Language of Document
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English
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| Record Number
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1053581
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| Doc. No
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TL52698
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| Main Entry
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Ekeocha, John O.
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| Title & Author
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The Image of the Church as the Family of God: A Systematic Study in the Igbo Catholic Church of Nigeria\ Ekeocha, John O.McPartlan, Paul
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| College
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The Catholic University of America
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| Date
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2020
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| Degree
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Ph.D.
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| student score
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2020
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| Note
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459 p.
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| Abstract
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The Catholic Church in Africa is in need of renewal. The 1994 Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa endorsed the image of the Church as the family of God as the most appropriate image for Africans. The present study examines the image within the context of the Igbo Catholic Church of Nigeria. Successive chapters contain: first, a discussion of Igbo people and the Igbo family; second, an examination of the advent and influence of Christianity in Igboland; third, a consideration of some essential aspects of the Catholic Church, the wider context of the present study; fourth, a critical assessment of Igbo traditional religion and culture in light of the image; fifth, a critical analysis of the image; and sixth, an examination of the prospects and challenges the image holds for the Igbo Church in the 21st century. Scholarly research, and the life and experience of the present writer as an Igbo Catholic priest, were both valuable resources for the writing of this dissertation. The main conclusions of the research are as follows: First, the Igbo understanding of the family is under threat today from the forces of contemporary culture. Second, plural belonging is an unfortunate feature of present-day Igbo Catholicism. Third, Igbo traditional religion and Igbo culture have semina veritatis (seeds of truth) that could potentially contribute to an understanding of the Church as the family of God for Igbo people, though significant corrections to the Igbo understanding of the family must also be made if that image is to be a satisfactory one for the Church. Fourth, the image complements, and needs to be complemented by, other scriptural and theological images of the Church. The present study concludes that a proper understanding of the Church as the family of God can be crucial for addressing the needs of the Igbo Church in the twenty-first century, with particular reference to evangelization, aggiornamento (the bringing-up-to-date of the Church), and the construction of an authentic and indigenous Catholic Church in Igboland.
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| Descriptor
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Theology
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McPartlan, Paul
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The Catholic University of America
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