Marriage in the Christian and the Igbo Traditional Context: Towards an Inculturation

Frankfurt/M., Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien. Traditional marriage and Christian marriage rites presently exist as two distinct ceremonies in some parts of Africa. Is there no way of bringing the two together to avoid any form of duplication or multiplication of rite? More so because the Church has always implicitly recognised matrimonial institution as a cultural product. The answer to the above question is located in the whole issue of inculturation. A process that successfully flourished in the Western civilisation and consequently influenced the teaching of the Church on marriage. The answer to our question seeks to establish a marriage rite where couples will genuinely experience the happy marriage between culture and Church. A marriage rite that will fulfil both the traditional and Christian demands. Contents: Concrete steps towards the inculturation of Christian sacramental and Igbo traditional marriage.