Social Transformation: a Decolonial Paradigm

a Decolonial Paradigm

Abstract

The article deals with a general presentation of the concept of social transformation, focusing on the author’s positionality and ministerial experience, the African context, and the possible future applications in the area of pastoral ministry in the Church. The working definition of social transformation as the transformation of social structures and people’s consciousness is supported by examples of scholars and transformers in the last century and a reference to the author’s personal pastoral experience in ministry. The selection of scholars and the reading of the personal experience is made through the lens of decoloniality, which is considered essential in today’s African context and beyond. While this paradigm has gained relevance among scholars from Latin America and Africa, it is still entirely unacknowledged in church environments and among Church pastoral agents for social transformation. The article concludes with the wish that the new decolonial perspective applied to the Church’s social action can favor the rethinking of Church’s theology and praxis for social transformation.