Hermeneutical Reflections on the Prodigal Son: Christian Educational Framework for African Father-Child Relationships

Abstract

This article presents a hermeneutical analysis of the parable of the Prodigal Son in the context of African father-child relationships. The research majorly focusses on exploring the biblical narrative's insights into the complexities of African father-child relationships, characterized by authoritarianism, paternalism, and cultural expectations. The paper posits that a contextualized Christian education framework can facilitate transformative father-child relationships which is critical for African national development. Through a qualitative research methodology, the study adopted a biblical hermeneutical analysis of the parable of Prodigal Son in the Gospel of (Luke 15:11-32), as well as a review of existing literature on father-child relationships in Africa. Key findings reveal that the Prodigal Son’s father exemplar offers valuable lessons for fostering acceptance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and mutual respect in father-child relationships in Africa. The parable highlights the importance of a father’s unconditional love as characterized in (1Cor. 13:4-8) for nurturing healthy and harmonious relationships between fathers and their children in Africa. Based on these findings, the major recommendation of this study is for African fathers to draw on the teachings of the Prodigal Son’s father to cultivate a culture of unconditional love of their children to foster: forgiveness, reconciliation, and mutual respect within their households. Embracing these values, African fathers-children bonds will not only improve positively, but will also impact the development of Africa significantly. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on father-child relationships in Africa and offers practical insights for promoting positive family dynamics in the region.