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What is the difference between the traditional African and Christian understanding of marriage?

      

Explain the differences between the traditional African and Christian understanding of marriage.

  

Answers


Maurice
(i) Christian marriage is strictly monogamous but traditional African marriages are commonly polygamous.

(ii) The traditional African marriage does not end with the death of either spouse (inheritance of widow) whereas Christian marriage ends with the death of a husband.

(iii) Ghost marriage or women to women marriages are practiced in some African communities which is forbidden in Christian teaching on marriage.

(iv) Payment of bride-wealth is a requirement in traditional African marriage while in Christian marriage dowry is not a requirement.

(v) In traditional African community marriage is a duty of the corporate society whereas Christianity does not insist on everyone getting married.

(vi) Marriage makes it possible for traditional Africans to link the three dimensions of existence together ( the living, the dead and the yet to be born). The three dimensions do not exist in the Christian understanding.

(vii) Marriage without children is incomplete in traditional African communities whereas for Christians marriage is complete with or without children.

(viii) Traditional African marriage is an alliance between two families but the Christian marriage is a union of a man and a woman.

(ix) A traditional African marriage may be dissolved on certain grounds, but the Christian marriage is a life-long union.

(x) A traditional African marriage gives certain legal rights to the parents of the spouses but in Christian marriage, it is the husband and wife who have legal rights over each other and their children.

(xi) In a traditional African marriage, a wife can beget children for her husband with his close relatives ( where the man is infertile or is dead) or the husband can get another wife ( if she is barren). However, this would be adultery in Christian teaching.


maurice.mutuku answered the question on July 22, 2017 at 13:12


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