"When the people move, the church moves" : a critical exploration of the interface between migration and theology through a missiological study of selected congregations within the Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa in Johannesburg.
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Abstract
Is the Church a Host, Home or Hostile to migrants in the face of a global migration crisis
which has fuelled mixed reactions? What are the mission-ecclesial implications of human
migration and what does it mean for a local congregation to have over 90% of its members
being foreign migrants in an increasingly hostile context with xenophobic attacks? This study
explored these questions through a mission-ecclesial examination of the lived experiences of
migrants with the UPCSA selected congregations in Johannesburg.
The main objective of the study was to establish contours for a theology of migration in
South Africa with a view to enabling South African theological scholarship to explore the
multiple challenges related to migration. This was done through a theological reflection on
themes that emerged from the sociological examination of the lived experiences of migrants.
In responding to research question on experiences of migrants, the study demonstrated how
migration (like any other phenomenon) gives birth to hybrid contextual theologies as
congregations are constructed or de-constructed by mission-ecclessiological and intercultural
forces of migration calling into question their identity, vocation and witness.
The thesis of the study argued that, ‘when the people move, the church moves’, as an
assertion that the church is not the temples built in local communities, but it is a lived
religious experience embodied by people who belong together through a family or
community called church. As people move, they do not leave behind their religious
experiences (faith/beliefs); instead, they move with them and articulate their migration
experiences in the light of these personal religious convictions and draw on them for the
perilous journeys and as survival strategies in host communities. The study found that
migrants are in the majority of all selected congregations but despite these demographics; but
despite these demographics, congregations continue to conduct services in old liturgical
fashion, oblivious of the changing membership profile and cultural diversity which now
characterises their composition. Therefore, study contends that local congregations should not
treat migrants as ‘hosts’ or people who are temporal guests and need to be taken care of;
rather they are partners whose agency should be valued. The study also argued that the congregations experiencing changes in membership are not
“dying or dwindling,”1 but they are transforming into new multicultural and transnational
Christian communities which provide a safe space for migrants to preserve their cultural
identity, find meaning for their faith and network as part of the survival quality of life
strategies. However, the study alluded to the tensions between what the church preaches and
what it practices with regards to hospitality and care for strangers noting that migrants live
“in between homes. The research also demonstrated how migrant communities appropriate their vulnerability and
marginalization to reinvent and recreate metaphors of survival through constructing or
deconstructing new forms of identity in these contested spaces characterised by multiplicity,
cultural diversity, crime and vulnerability within the Johannesburg CBD. The role of the
church (or lack of it) in the life and wellbeing of migrants was investigated and study found
that most all selected congregations were not competent and study made recommendations to
guide the design and implementation of programs aimed at ensuring that the selected
congregations are spaces of safety for migrants. This study argues that the untapped
theological and spiritual dimensions of migration, if properly understood and natured; can
leverage effective responses to the needs of migrants and re-position the church for
transformation, playing a prophetic role in the lives of the marginalised of society. In attempting to identify theological resources on the migration experiences, study suggests
that any authentic Christian theological reflection must address all forms of tribal, ethnical
and national divisions and promote relationships through acknowledging diversity, arguing
that much as South African churches were the meeting place against colonialism and
apartheid, the post-Apartheid church must continue to take sides with the oppressed and marginalized people. In the light of these observations, Christian experience can be a
resource in dealing with xenophobia and intolerance not just in the church but also in
communities where there are tensions between locals and foreign nationals. Given the new
forms of identities and communities that emerge from these encounters, a clearer
understanding can contribute immensely to the human psyche and in particular; to the
church’s ecclesiological practices and mission. By exploring the lived experiences of migrants, the study unmasked the dominant ideologies
around the experiences of migrants and refugees, exposing the double standards and poor
government policies that perpetuate their exploitation (particularly with regards to women
and children) citing government’s gender insensitive migration policies as a challenge that
needs to be addressed. Study demonstrated that there are intersections between gender,
migration and some biblical narratives noting that these biblical texts should help us to read
and interpret scriptures with new lenses. There is a changing landscape in the face of
intensified human mobility as more women are now active beyond the traditional roles and
the South African experiences of the African migrants selected for this study, attested to this
phenomenon. Study concluded by a summary of the findings and offered guidelines and recommendations
for the government and local churches towards a contextual theology of migration which
seeks to appropriate the agency of migrants at the centre of theological reflection as a way of
developing transformative models of integration, assimilation and social cohesion through
mission engagement with migrants.
Description
Ph. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2015.
Keywords
Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa., Refugees -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- Religious aspects., Emigration and immigration., Theses -- Religion.