UBUNTU ESCHATOLOGY: A THEOLOGICAL INNOVATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS IN THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MACHAKOS, KENYA.
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Date
2026-11-03
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THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN AFRICA
Abstract
The doctrine of the Communion of Saints expresses the enduring communion of the Church on earth, the faithful departed, and the saints in heavenly glory through their union with Christ. Within African contexts, however, this doctrine is often interpreted alongside traditional understandings of ancestors, communal identity, and continuity beyond death. This study examined the doctrine of the Communion of Saints with the aim of inculturating it using Ubuntu values in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos. The study adopted an empirical theological approach integrating documentary analysis with qualitative and quantitative methods. Primary data were collected from forty-eight questionnaire respondents, twenty-nine Key Informant Interviews, and three Focus Group Discussions comprising thirty participants drawn from diverse parish communities within the Diocese. Documentary analysis of Sacred Scripture, the Magisterium, patristic writings, and African theological and philosophical writings provided the theological and conceptual framework, while the empirical data were interpreted through theological reflection. The study established significant convergence between Ubuntu and the doctrine of the Communion of Saints in their shared emphasis on relational personhood, communal belonging, solidarity, remembrance, and continuity beyond death. It also demonstrated important theological distinctions, showing that while Ubuntu provides culturally meaningful categories for interpreting ecclesial communion, the doctrine of the Communion of Saints remains grounded in Christ, divine revelation, and the sacramental life of the Church. Although participants demonstrated high awareness of the doctrine, the study identified varying levels of theological understanding, particularly regarding the relationship between saints, ancestors, and prayer for the faithful departed, highlighting the need for deeper contextualised catechesis and sustained pastoral formation. The study proposes Ubuntu Eschatology as an inculturated theological framework that brings Ubuntu into constructive dialogue with Catholic teaching while preserving the Christological, ecclesiological, sacramental, and eschatological integrity of the doctrine. It concludes that authentic inculturation of the doctrine of Communion of Saints can strengthen evangelization, catechesis, and pastoral ministry within the Catholic Diocese of Machakos and offers a framework that may be adapted to other African ecclesial contexts.
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Keywords
Communion of Saints, Ubuntu, Ubuntu Eschatology, Inculturation, Catholic Theology, Evangelization, Machakos Diocese.