This volume marks the concluding work of Prof. Charles Nyamiti’s theological contribution to the African Synod of Bishops held in Rome (1994), which called upon African theologians to develop an African ecclesiology of the Church as the Family of God.

Prof. Nyamiti’s journey towards this vision began with his earlier work, Some Contemporary Models of African Ecclesiology: A Critical Assessment in the Light of Biblical and Church Teaching, published as Volume 3 in the Studies in African Theology series by CUEA. He further advanced his reflections in Volume 4 of the same series titled Christ’s Ancestral Mediation Through the Church Understood as God’s Family: An Essay on African Ecclesiology.

This present volume completes his profound exploration of African Family Ecclesiology, offering a deeper reflection on the mystery of the Church as portrayed in the Bible and Church Tradition, while interpreting it through the African concept of extended family. A distinctive feature of the African family is its sense of “extension” – a family model that goes beyond the nuclear family (husband, wife and their children) to include a broader network of relatives and community members.

This book is an essential read for those interested in African theology, ecclesiology, and contextual approaches to understanding the Church in the African cultural setting.