Healing and Religion in Africa. Therapy Management Group and Cosmology Among the BaKongo

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Setting the Scene: The BaKongo in Lower Zaire

2. The case of Lwezi
2.1 Lwezi’s pregnancy and marriage
2.2 Ten Different Healers Consulted

3. Medical System of the BaKongo
3.1 BaKongo Concept of Illness Causality and Diagnosis
3.1.1 Therapy Management Group
3.1.2 Illness of God - Illness of Human Origin
3.1.3 Divination and Diagnosis as Rituals
3.1.4 Drum-Therapies (ngoma)
3.2 BaKongo Healers
3.2.1 Bayindula
3.2.2 Mama Marie Kukunda
3.2.3 Luamba Zablon

4. Medical Knowledge of Preindustrial Peoples and of the Western World
4.1 Western medicine
4.2 The Role of Medical Missionaries

5. Theological Reflection: The Paternal Blessing
5.1 Creation Theology
5.2 Sacramental Theology - Nuptial Blessing
5.3 Spirituality - Dynamic Image of God
5.4 Liturgical Theology
5.5 Moral Theology

6. Conclusion

Bibliography