Who Do You Say That I Am?

In the perspective of African women, it is important to note the oppression which they face. Women in the African community, and historically, all women, have been marginalized and viewed as inferior. Due to this oppression, Nasimyu-Wasike says that they have learned tolerance. In the study conducted, Jesus for the African women in the prayer group is their savior. He empowers them to deal with the hardships of daily life through his light and grace. The common denominator in all of their responses is that he enables them to carry on as the “victorious conqueror of all evil spiritual forces.” It is apparent that Christ serves a multitude of roles in their lives, that of a nurturer, liberator and a giver of hope.

In the context of Bantu Christians, “Christ Our Ancestor” refers to a living presence rather than a memory. This is significant in their invocation of Christ on a daily basis, or invoking his presence for meals and communion. I found this contrast to be helpful in making the distinction between the African perspective vs that of Europeans. This is reminiscent of the Christ for African women, as he is called upon daily to help them with their hardships. The difficulties faced by not just African women, but Africans on the whole I believe are a strong reason for their identification with Christ, their ancestor, on a daily basis. They have a firm belief in that “existence would be devoid of all sense and meaning outside their community,” meaning that their lives are very much intertwined with that of their community, with Christ being the mediator.