Who Are My People?: Love, Violence, and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Who Are My People? explores the complex relationship between identity, violence, and Christianity in Africa, highlighting the crisis of belonging and the potential for alternative forms of community and ecological possibilities through Christianity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2023
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press

In his book "Who Are My People?", Emmanuel Katongole delves into the intricate interplay between identity, violence, and Christianity in Africa. The central premise of the book is that the persistent patterns of violence observed in Africa stem from an ongoing crisis of belonging. Katongole traces this crisis through three key markers of identity: ethnicity, religion, and land. He emphasizes the distinctiveness of the crisis of belonging in the modern context and reveals that the manifestations of ethnic, religious, and ecological violence are not separate forms of violence but rather different modalities of the same crisis. Through this comprehensive investigation, Katongole demonstrates that Christianity possesses the potential to foster alternative forms of community, nonviolent agency, and ecological possibilities.

The book is structured into two parts. Part One explores the philosophical and theological dimensions related to the question of African identity. Part Two comprises three chapters, each focusing on a specific form of violence in the context of modern sub-Saharan Africa. Within each chapter, Katongole includes narratives of Christian individuals and communities who not only resist violence but are actively engaged in healing its wounds and addressing the historical burden shaped by Africa's unique modernity. By doing so, they innovate new forms of identity, establish new communities, and redefine their relationship with the land.

"Who Are My People?" is an engaging and interdisciplinary study that combines philosophical analysis, theological exploration, theoretical argumentation, and practical resources. It appeals to scholars and students interested in theology, peace studies, and African studies, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics of identity, violence, and Christianity in Africa.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780268202576