AUC THEOLOGICA
AUC THEOLOGICA

AUC Theologica is a peer-reviewed journal for theology published twice a year. As we publish original papers in English, German, French, and Italian, our mission is to serve as a platform both for Czech researchers, who can present their research results in these languages, and for international contributors, who are invited to enter the academic theological discussion in the heart of Europe.

The journal focuses on a wide range of theological disciplines, such as systematic theology, biblical studies, patristic studies, pastoral and spiritual theology, religious education, church history, etc. Within these fields, the journal seeks to reflect the current theological questions and problems, which often requires interdisciplinary approaches. Supporting the intersection of various theological disciplines, we thus also welcome theological papers touching other academic fields including philosophy, sociology, literary studies, and science.

Each issue consists of two sections. The thematic section presents papers of the same focus. The section called ‘Varia’ invites papers dealing with various theological themes from the perspective of all Christian traditions. Our current and past issues are approachable for free on this website in the form of Open Access.

AUC THEOLOGICA, Vol 12 No 1 (2022), 143–159

The Syncretism of the Gabonese Bwiti Religion and Catholic Christianity from a Theological and Theological-Ethical Perspective

Ondřej Havelka

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14712/23363398.2022.22
published online: 25. 11. 2022

abstract

The article deals with the theology and theological ethics of syncretism of the traditional Gabonese Bwiti religion and Catholic Christianity in equatorial Africa. Traditional Bwiti religious rituals are based on the consumption of the root of the iboga shrub, which has strong psychedelic effects. In Gabon, some believers profess syncretism, which is enshrined in the Bwiti initiation ritual through the Catholic Sacrament of Penance, the Holy Communion, Christian prayers, etc. These Catholic Christians thus undergo a complex and physically demanding initiation process in Gabon. The aim of the paper is to answer the basic question of the whole text, i.e. is the psychedelic initiation ritual in the depths of the Gabonese rainforest consistent with the theological and theological-ethical foundations of the Catholic Christian life? The topic is elaborated by the method of own field research, supported by a comparison of relevant literature. Between 2001 and 2019, the author spent a total of three years on research stays in Africa, of which 12 months were devoted to West and Central Africa and the study of local syncretisms.

keywords: Bwiti; Syncretism; Theological ethics; African Christianity; Gabon; Africa

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The Syncretism of the Gabonese Bwiti Religion and Catholic Christianity from a Theological and Theological-Ethical Perspective is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

148 x 210 mm
periodicity: 2 x per year
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ISSN: 1804-5588
E-ISSN: 2336-3398

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