Through the invitation of the then traditional ruler of Bali Nyonga, the missionaries of the Basel Mission arrived there in 1903. They embarked on evangelisation especially through the opening of schools. They studied the mungaka language, translated the Bible into it and made several other publications. However in the process of translation they concluded in strong terms that the Bali had no notion of a Supreme Being who created heaven and earth. Professors, Bolaji Idowu, Kwame Bediako and others argue contrary to such missionary assertion above, that continuity from the old religion is what gives meaning to the understanding of the new. It is in this light that in this work we seek to explore the Bali Nyonga conception of the Supreme Being. We will also investigate Christian understanding of the God of Israel; whether he is understood only in the light of previous understanding or they consider him to be somebody whom they had never known in their worldview. The researcher begins however with the basic assumption that the new can be understood only in the light of the past. This is because the people have a few sayings, which clearly indicate that their past is so much, cherished. They say for example that Bo ma ni ntun mandzi mfi kui tsed I nden beh [one cannot dig a new road without cutting across the existing road], ntan 'wo' ka gha bun nden ma mi be mbe I ti' la' be nto nkwedkwed [the hawk said it is not good for old people to all die, lest one day people would take them for meat]1. There is also the name Dayebga [one cannot forget his homeland or their compound]. After introducing the work in chapter one, the next chapter presents a historical overview of the context of research. Chapter three explores the conception of God among the Bali Nyonga. The findings of Europeans are first presented followed by the understanding of indigenes. Chapter four considers the encounter between two conflicting worldviews and its consequences as the Gospel and missionaries [two different worldviews] came into contact with the Bali worldview. The next chapter investigates Christian practice and their understanding of God. We have done this by analysing some Church hymns and prayers. Chapter six is a summary of the findings and a theological reflection on the results of the findings. 1 The hawk is not eaten. By this proverb it is considered that if there are no old people to pass on old values the next generation may do things that are digressions from esteemed values. This saying emphasizes continuity. Babila Fochang, Wisdom of the Ancients - Some African Proverbs, Witty Sayings and their interpretations drawn mostly from Bali Nyonga in the North West province of Cameroon, Dschang: Dschang University Press, 2001, p.4 / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This study is designed to explore the ways in which PCC’s missional engagement with Agenda PCC 2000 programme has effectively facilitated the empowerment of women for leadership. Under girded with a missiological framework, the exploration draws on insights from the concept of the Mission of God (Missio Dei) and the resulting understanding of humanity created in the image of God (Imago-Dei) and Koinonia that are used to analyze issues of mission, leadership and partnership. African Feminist pastoral theory and Feminist cultural hermeneutics are applied as theories to further guide the study. The study argues that man and woman are created with equal dignity and they both represent God’s purpose on earth. In the light of this theological understanding the study calls into question the PCC exclusion of women from senior leadership role within its ecclesial community. The research question of this study s: What are the experiences of women being empowered for leadership within PCC since the launch of the Agenda PCC 2000 programme? The methodology of the study followed a “mixed method approach” that involves collecting and analyzing more than one form of data in a single study as a design in addressing complex questions in an interdisciplinary research. The process of data analysis involved making sense of the empirical and non-empirical data to ascertain and understand the meaning of the data obtained through interviews. Through textual criticism and discussion with women sharing their experiences on empowerment and leadership positioning, revealed that some women are included in leadership positions but they are alienated by the patriarchal ecclesial power structures of the PCC. If the PCC is to be effective in its missional and ecclesial endeavours’ it needs to embrace a theology of partnership of women and men in leadership structures of the church. The study asserted that if equal space and equity are given to both men and women to participate in decision-making, then fresh approaches to leadership and understanding of mission will be opened. The study concluded that the PCC can do much more in balancing the gender gap if it follows the Trinitarian model of leadership by restructuring its male dominating pattern of leadership that permeates its administrative structures. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This study has been motivated by the observation made in urban centres of Cameroon, that many Catholics are getting involved in divine, faith or spiritual healing ministry; something that has not been the case few years ago. A closer look at this phenomenon revealed that, not only the people were committing to the ministry, but the influence was external to the Catholic Church. With the gradual expansion of Pentecostalism in the cities and towns of the country, with its emphasis on healing, healing ministry became more of a necessity for other churches. The Roman Catholic Church having neglected this ministry over centuries is at the crossroad. And the question is to know how Catholic healing ministers can improve their healing ministry with elements borrowed from Pentecostal churches. In a fieldwork in Cameroonian city of Yaoundé, 20 interviews were conducted: 10 from the catholic side and 10 from the Pentecostal side represented by The Apostolic Church Cameroon. These data were analysed by the Thematic Analysis method. The analysis and the reflection that followed brought to light that there are different types of healing ministers operating in our cities but not all of them are actually doing what needs to be done. At this, Jesus Christ is presented as the model of healing for ministers to imitate; because Jesus did not heal for his own glory and interest rather for the infinite glory of God and for the salvation of the vulnerable people. The study states that ecumenism between Catholics and Pentecostal can well be initiated from healing ministry through a set of identified recommendations. KEY WORDS: Roman Catholic Church, Faith Healing, Healing ministry, Pentecostalism and Charismatic Churches. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

In the wake of the 19th century, the protestant reformation in Europe that led to the formation of mainline reformation traditions began impacting and shaping ministry in Africa, through missionary activities. But the clarion call for Africa’s renaissance was also a wakeup call for the African church to move from being consumers of the ‘imported’ theology brewed from a European perspective and take some responsibility in producing her own theology, which can be viewed and understood with an African cultural lens. If Africa must achieve the much needed renaissance, the church certainly has an indispensable role to play. But how can there be a meaningful church praxis in African polities without a solid contextualized theological foundation? Therefore in this project, I justify the need for a biblio-centric African theology by making a case for the Cameroon Baptist Convention in the Republic of Cameroon. I argue that, to be able to solidify its foundation and enhance its Christian theological praxis in the society, a Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise is needed in the Cameroon Baptist Convention. One that would contain well delineated and defended theological tenets required of an independent Christian denomination in Africa. Central to the development of this treatise is the development of a soteriology with a cognitive theological understanding of divine predestination. To develop a correct soteriology for this purpose, a process is required, one that would need to use sound theological principles to ensure a biblically accurate and theologically sound doctrine of soteriology as the point of departure. As an evangelical systematic theological research, I attempt in this project to deconstruct biblical and theological paradigms from scriptures and reformation traditions, which the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders could use as tools in the process of delineating and defending their own tenets on soteriology in the proposed theological treatise. It begins by gathering data from reformation traditions and scriptures on predestination and moves on to construct theories that would not only help the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders to develop a soteriology but also be fundamental to developing other relevant doctrines needed in the proposed Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise. / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

In the wake of the 19th century, the protestant reformation in Europe that led to the formation of mainline reformation traditions began impacting and shaping ministry in Africa, through missionary activities. But the clarion call for Africa’s renaissance was also a wakeup call for the African church to move from being consumers of the ‘imported’ theology brewed from a European perspective and take some responsibility in producing her own theology, which can be viewed and understood with an African cultural lens. If Africa must achieve the much needed renaissance, the church certainly has an indispensable role to play. But how can there be a meaningful church praxis in African polities without a solid contextualized theological foundation? Therefore in this project, I justify the need for a biblio-centric African theology by making a case for the Cameroon Baptist Convention in the Republic of Cameroon. I argue that, to be able to solidify its foundation and enhance its Christian theological praxis in the society, a Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise is needed in the Cameroon Baptist Convention. One that would contain well delineated and defended theological tenets required of an independent Christian denomination in Africa. Central to the development of this treatise is the development of a soteriology with a cognitive theological understanding of divine predestination. To develop a correct soteriology for this purpose, a process is required, one that would need to use sound theological principles to ensure a biblically accurate and theologically sound doctrine of soteriology as the point of departure. As an evangelical systematic theological research, I attempt in this project to deconstruct biblical and theological paradigms from scriptures and reformation traditions, which the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders could use as tools in the process of delineating and defending their own tenets on soteriology in the proposed theological treatise. It begins by gathering data from reformation traditions and scriptures on predestination and moves on to construct theories that would not only help the Cameroon Baptist Convention leaders to develop a soteriology but also be fundamental to developing other relevant doctrines needed in the proposed Cameroon Baptist Theological Treatise. / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)