Professeur Abbé Louis Mpala

Monsieur Nieme Lambert est Docteur en Philosophie des Facultés Catholiques de Kinshasa et Docteur en Théologie de  l'Université Catholique de Leuven. Il fut notre collègue de troisième graduat jusqu'en deuxième licence de philosophie. Il est spécialiste de Kant et des questions touchant à la mort.

 Le texte est une conférence donnée aux USA et est disponible également sur le site http://www.nd.edu/~ndethics/archives/documents/Nieme.pdf

As being-with-others, human being is by essence a

Indeed, the family as a universal institution is a network of relationships, the first school of socialization. At its turns out, society influences family organization and functioning. But the family can not escape cultural gravity.

In Africa, the family presents itself in terms of a lineage, a clan, a tribe. It is more than merely nuclear. Its fundamental values are: clannish solidarity and tribal cohesion, solicitude and generosity, hospitality, dialogue and palaver, respect for seniors and elderly, protection of juniors, joy of living, religiosity...

Despite the negative consequences of the meeting with Western culture, this encounter allows African family to enjoy some western values as the emancipation of woman, the sacralization of the family in Christian way, the right of every child male and female to get education.

Nevertheless, the black African family is confronted now with many challenges from political instability, economics crisis and social disorientation, HIV/AIDS pandemic and the new religious movements. These challenges destroy the foundation of the family and tarnish the image of Church as God’s family in Africa.