Abstract

The central thesis of the dissertation is that Karl Rahner's affirmation that human existence is the unconditional universal arena of God's gratuitous, salvific self-communication in free loving grace for the salvation of every human being, is a meaningful soteriological concept in relation to Africa, where the majority of the population is still largely non-Christian. Rahner's view that this salvific activity through the Logos takes place anywhere in every age and in every human being who is receptively open to the fullness of life, unconditional love for the neighbor and to the infinite Mystery experienced internally at the center of one's being and externally in the cosmos, is demonstrated to be consistent with the East African Bantu view of God and salvation as the humanization of human beings and wholeness. ;Subsequently, it is contended that, since the African traditional religion qualifies, on Rahner's criteria, to be viewed as a medium of "anonymous Christianity," it can similarly be viewed as a medium for divine salvation inasmuch as this salvation is the divine humanization of Abantu. Nevertheless, from the Christian stand-point it can also be maintained that African traditional religion anticipates historical Christianity as its completion and fulfillment