Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator is a Jesuit priest from Nigeria who teaches theology and religious studies at Hekima College Jesuit School of Theology and Institute of Peace Studies in Nairobi, Kenya, where he is also rector. The author begins with a series of African proverbs which provide insight into the wisdom of African spirituality, which predates the advent of Christianity on the continent:
• "God is never in a hurry, but is always there at the right time." (Ethiopia).
• "God drives away flies from the back of a tailless cow." (Nigeria).
• "If God dishes you rice in a basket, do not wish to eat soup." (Sierra Leone)
• "We do not see God; we only see the works of God." (Ethiopia).
The African religious universe is populated with many gods, spirit beings, and ancestors. The sacred is present in every aspect and department of life, and the Divine can be experienced everywhere. As Orobator puts it: "Simply put, African spirituality is a spirituality of life; it is a celebration of life in all its dimensions." The author uses excerpts from Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart (an account of the encounter between missionary Christianity and traditional African expressions and beliefs) as a catalyst to probe various components of Christian theology such as God, the Trinity, creation, grace and sin, Jesus Christ, the church, Mary and the saints. Orobator also includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter and African prayers. Here is an example of the latter called "A Prayer for a Traveler:"
May the falling Iroko tree never block your path,
May the lightening bolt never strike near you,
May the roaring thunder ward off evil from your path,
May the vulture and birds of prey never trail you,
May the tree stumps and bush creepers never cause you to stumble.
May your presence bring blessing to all who show you hospitality,
May forest trees shade you from the sun's blazing anger,
May gentle streams of water refresh you when you are thirsty,
May wild fruits nourish you when you feel the pangs of hunger,
When night falls, may fireflies light up your path and chirping crickets keep you company.
Amen!
