Feasting with Demons or with Christ?
An African Spiritual Reading of Ritual Meals in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 and 11:17-34
Published on 30. April 2025
254 pages
978-1-78641-184-6 (ISBN)
Description
The tradition of African ritual meals is an interesting topic of discussion in the fields of religious studies and cultural anthropology. In light of Paul's teachings in 1 Corinthians, could these practices for honouring ancestors be perceived as idolatrous? Expanding on this comparison, Dr. Samantha Chambo expertly investigates the transformative power of rituals, examining the capacity of the Lord's Supper to impact our relationships with God and others.Weaving together African spirituality, ritual practices, and Pauline theology, Dr. Chambo offers a unique and culturally informed perspective through the lens of Victor Turner's ritual theory of liminality and communitas. Practical applications to ecclesiastical issues come together with an indigenous spiritual perspective to fulfil the need for a comprehensive exploration of the intersection of African ritual meals and Paul's teachings in 1 Corinthians 8-11. This fresh and innovative work is an essential read for scholars, theologians, and individuals interested in the dynamic interplay of cultural practices and religious teachings.
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Samantha Chambo
Feasting with Demons or with Christ?
An African Spiritual Reading of Ritual Meals in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 and 11:17-34
Book
04/2025
Langham Academic
€30.00
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Content
- Intro
- List of Abbreviations
- Abstract
- Acknowledgements
- CHAPTER 1 Introduction
- 1.1 Justification for This Study and Survey of Existing Research
- 1.2 Interpretive Method
- 1.3 Outline of Study
- Part 1 Ritual Theory and the African Cultural Context
- CHAPTER 2 Turner's Theory as a Lens to Study Ritual Meals in Corinth
- 2.0 Introduction
- 2.1 Overview of Turner's Ritual Theory: Liminality and Communitas
- 2.2 Rituals and Symbol Analysis
- 2.3 Sociological vs Religious Approach
- 2.4 Conclusion
- CHAPTER 3 Ritual Meals in the African Context
- 3.0 Introduction
- 3.1 Liminality and Communitas in the African Cultural Context
- 3.2 The Ubiquity of Ritual Meals in Modern Africa
- 3.3 Vertical Communitas during Ritual Meals
- 3.4 Horizontal Communitas in African Ritual Meals
- 3.5 Holiness in African Ritual Meals
- 3.6 Conclusion
- Part 2 Liminality in Paul and in Corinth
- CHAPTER 4 Liminality, Communitas, and Holiness in Paul
- 4.0 Introduction
- 4.1 Liminality
- 4.1.1 Liminality as between the Times
- 4.1.2 Liminality: Between the Realm of the Flesh and the Realm of the Spirit
- 4.1.3 Liminality and Anti-structure in Paul
- 4.2 Communitas
- 4.2.1 Communitas as Participation in Christ
- 4.2.2 Analysing Participation "In Christ" through the Lens of African Vital Participation and Spirit Possession
- 4.2.3 Horizontal Communitas
- 4.3 Holiness
- 4.3.1 Holiness and Liminality
- 4.3.2 Holiness and Communitas
- 4.3.3 Holiness and Anti-structure
- 4.3.4 Holiness and Aggregation
- 4.4 Conclusion
- CHAPTER 5 Sociohistorical Context for Ritual Meals in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
- 5.0 Introduction
- 5.1 The Use of Ritual or Ceremony
- 5.2 Liminality and Communitas in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
- 5.3 Defining the "Strong" and the "Weak" in Corinth
- 5.4 Meals in Corinth
- 5.5 Conclusion
- Part 3 Ritual Meals in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1 and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
- CHAPTER 6 Feasting with Demons in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1
- 6.0 Introduction
- 6.1 The Ritual Context of 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1
- 6.2 Defining Idolatry in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1
- 6.3 The Exodus Narrative and Old Testament Covenant as Ritual Myth in Light of Christ's Sacrifice
- 6.3.1 The Exodus Narrative to explain the believing communities new identity
- 6.3.2 References to the covenant in 1 Corinthians 8:11-11:1
- 6.3.2.1 Paul's use of the shema
- 6.3.2.2 Paul's use of the wilderness generation as a reference to covenant relationship
- 6.4 Communitas in 1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1
- 6.5 Ritual Outcomes of ??d?????ta
- 6.6 Conclusion
- CHAPTER 7 Feasting with Christ in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
- 7.0 Introduction
- 7.1 The Ritual Context of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
- 7.2 Vertical Communitas during the Lord's Supper
- 7.3 Horizontal Communitas during the Lord's Supper
- 7.4 Conclusion
- Part 4 Application and Conclusions
- CHAPTER 8 Inculturation of the Lord's Supper for the African Context
- 8.0 Introduction
- 8.1 Inculturation of the Lord's Supper for the African Context
- 8.2 Inclusion of the Ancestors?
- 8.3 Communication of the Sacra during the Lord's Supper
- 8.4 Communitas during the Lord's Supper
- 8.5 Practical Considerations
- 8.6 Conclusion
- CHAPTER 9 Summary and Conclusions
- 9.1 Summary
- 9.2 Conclusions and Contributions
- 9.3 Further Studies
- 9.4 Implications for the Church Today
- Bibliography
