I find that more and more, the question of identity is taking centre stage in my thoughts. And I do not mean ethnic identity but one's identity as a christian. Perhaps one could ask a question regarding the informants of christian identity. And whatever they are, I think that the church (christian community) plays a fundamental role in the formulation of christian identity.
Can one be a christian outside and despite of the community of christians? Africans have a saying that 'one is because of others'. This saying is said to be encapsulating the philosophy of ubuntu. Now, to go back to the question I raised earlier; can one be a christian outside and in spite of the community of christians? Answering this question from the ubuntu philosophical perspective would lead one to say 'no, you cannot be a christian outside of the community of christians'. My question is: how true is it that one's self-understanding as christian is tied to the community of christians?
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