(Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt)
If we wish to assure the survival of Christianity and the safeguard of the faith and the essence of ecclesial tradition in our African countries, inculturation in evangelisation is necessary.
Cf. Instrumentum Laboris, chap II, nn. 50, 54 and 63, where it is said: "The majority of particular Churches in Africa consider the task of inculturation as urgent and necessary, as a priority" and again: "It is incontestable that the Church has survived where she has respected the principles of inculturation".
Tangible proof of these assertion: the Churches of Northern Africa, of the Maghreb, which were so prosperous during the first centuries of Christianity, at the times of St. Cyprian and St. Augustine, and which, unfortunately, did not survive and have practically no autochthonous followers, lack of inculturation…
While the Coptic Church of Egypt, and that in Ethiopia, are still living, despite the atrocious persecutions and all kinds of vicissitudes during the centuries, and this, thanks to a real inculturation.
Original text: French
