From November 28 to 30, 2024, the Jcam Research Network (a research network of Jesuits from Africa and Madagascar) held its annual meeting in Kinshasa (Kimwenza) at Loyola University of Congo. It was an interdisciplinary seminar on the theme: “How to Live Together.” In today’s world, marked by conflicts of all kinds, the question of living together is particularly pressing.
This interdisciplinary seminar brings together some twenty Jesuit professors to reflect on and discuss the challenges of living together in the current context of our African continent. The seminar’s theme is explored from various perspectives: historical, philosophical, theological, biblical, moral, political, sociological, technological (AI), anthropological, and pedagogical.
Two ITCJ professors attended the meeting.
- Dr. Jean-Paul Savi presented his research titled: “The Challenge of Living Together in Christian Mission.”
Dr. Savi’s presentation focuses on how living together has been a major challenge within the Christian mission. Following in the footsteps of Pope Francis, he advocates for a sense of history in order to become more attuned to the past. A sense of history helps us avoid the mistakes of the past.
- Introduction to Dr. Some Augustin: 《Israël consciousness of her extraneity: an interpretative key of her ethics of her hospitality 》
The guiding principle of our study was to understand the social and legal status of the foreigner in biblical law in light of Israel’s awareness of its own foreignness, as a key to interpreting its ethic of hospitality and the integration of non-Israelites into its community. Indeed, the various texts on the integration of foreigners show, on the one hand, that Israel’s contact with other nations is inevitable, though dangerous; and on the other hand, they suggest a shift in Israel’s understanding of its relationship with God and with non-Israelites. This assertion is supported by the Lord’s call to Israel to welcome any foreigner who comes to pray and to meet their needs as well (1 Kings 8:41–43).
