Practicing Ubuntu : Practical Theological Perspectives on Injustice, Personhood and Human Dignity

Ubuntu is a dynamic and celebrated concept in Africa. In the great Sutu-nguni family of Southern Africa, being humane is regarded as the supreme virtue. The essence of this philosophy of life, called ubuntu or botho, is human relatedness and dignity. The Shona from Zimbabwe articulate it as: "I am because we are; I exist because the community exists." This volume offers twenty-two such reflections on practicing ubuntu as it relates to justice, personhood and human dignity both in Southern African as well as in wider international contexts. This work highlights the potential of ubuntu for enriching our understanding of justice, personhood and human dignity in a globalising world.