Doctoral Degrees (Biblical & Historical Studies, Theological Studies & Ethics)

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And God said "Let there be charismatics in the city" : a study into the practise [sic] and presence of a charismatic megachurch in the city of Durban.
(2007) James, Genevieve Lerina.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
The turn of the century has brought with it a global population explosion that has never before been experienced by any other generation. In addition to this, for the first time the world is now more urban than rural. Over half of the world's six billion people now live in cities. This study includes two areas of increasing sociological and theological interest during the 21st century, both of which are maligned in many circles: the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement, and, the City. The Pentecostal/Charismatic movement is active in 80% of the world's 3300 metropolises. In South Africa a positive growth trend in Pentecostal/Charismatic churches has been noted. As the city grows, so too does the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. This growth has decisive sociological and theological implications in South African cities since "the pulse of South Africa" is "beating to an urban rhythm". This study is located in the city of Durban where the Urban Foundation1 recorded the highest population growth in the world during the period between 1970 and 1980. The record growth was 100 % (the city with the second highest growth rate was the Nigerian city of Lagos at 93, 7% (in De Beer 1998: 30). In the light of the dynamic urban context of Durban, this study attempts to critically evaluate the transformative praxis of a Pentecostal/Charismatic megachurch in the city. A probe into the subject group's urban presence and social interventions were conducted in order to explore the intentional and unintentional consequences of the church's initiatives. The critical analysis in the study displays the significant role of this faith community as an urban asset and a vital agent of societal change, as well as, its unwitting espousal of neo-liberalism, consumerism and middle-class values.
Authenticity of Christian conversion in the African context : an investigation on the rationale for the Hehe to convert to Christianity with special reference to the Iringa Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (1899-1999)
(2005) Mdegella, Owdenburg Moses.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
This thesis contends that Christian conversion in the African context has been authentic because of the translatability of the event of Christ. The event of Christ is defined as the incarnation, the suffering and death on the cross and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Through these events God made the calling of all humanity including Africans, for transformation unto salvation. God is perceived as the originator and the initiator of Christian conversion while human beings and their culture are perceived as the recipients and channels of God's mission. The combination of the concepts of preparation evangelical, the translatability of the event of Christ and the theology of the cross are the basis of the theological deliberations of this thesis. The thesis contends further that the proclamation of the gospel hence, Christianisation moved together with the wave of modernization. Due to the continuity of translation, Christianity strengthened its influence and became the Word of God in the Hehe vernacular. In that way Christianity was naturally indigenised and continually contextualised in the Hehe culture and belief thus being deeply entrenched in their daily life and could be rightly described as renewed Hehe (African) Religion. Therefore, the Hehe accepted Christianity because God appeared in the human (Hehe) nature through Jesus Christ and dwelt in the Hehe community and shared everything with them. God through Jesus Christ participated in the daily suffering. He was humiliated and became vulnerable and weak. Through the translation of the Word God was no longer the ineffable beyond. Through the manifestations of the spiritual gifts God remained among the Hehe; instructing, comforting and reminding them of the benevolent love and the call of God for the universal salvation through which the Church builds its response to God's mission.
The concept of Mang-Djala with reference to church unity in a context of ethnic diversity : the case of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon (ELCC).
(2013) Deouyo, Paul.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
This study examines the issue of ethnocentrism that has become so detrimental to Christian unity within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon, as it is pulling apart Christians of different ethnic groups. The study puts forward the indigenous practice of Mang-Djala as a possible indigenous resource that can be used as an added value not only in enhancing the Christian understanding of unity, but also in advocating for peace, justice and reconciliation in ordinary social life. In this regard, the study investigates the possibility of Mang-Djala functioning in the secular sense as social contract and in a religious sense as covenant. The study argues that the rejection of African cultures by the colonisers and the first missionaries was a big mistake, and that the Gospel needs to be incarnated in every culture and context. Contextualization therefore needs to be used to integrate African cultures and the Gospel. Hence, the study posits that Mang-Djala is a preparation for the Gospel, which can be defined as anything within a culture that can become an entry point, facilitating the transmission, clarifying the understanding of the Gospel and allowing the openness of the local people to that Gospel. The basic research question of the study is: in view of the challenges being presented to church and society by ethnic diversity in Cameroon is there a possibility that the indigenous concept of Mang-Djala may act as a reconciling or unifying agent? The study suggests that the concept of Mang-Djala should be introduced into the church at different levels via its structures in order to popularise it and integrate it into the church‘s theology and practice. In this way, the ethnic groups that are not accustomed to the concept will come to understand and appropriate it, as a new paradigm of understanding and living the Gospel of unity. The problem of ethnicity and the possibility of using Mang-Djala as a possible antidote needs to be introduced as part of the training of the clergy. Other institutions in the church where it could be introduced are The Women for Christ Fellowship and the Christian youth organisation. It should also be introduced at synodical level. More importantly, the study suggests that the Church should create and insert in its constitution a clause that should declare ethnocentrism a sin against which every Christian should stand because it promotes discrimination which is against God‘s commandment of love. The study also acknowledges, however, that Mang-Djala should not be considered as an ultimate solution to the problems posed by ethnocentrism.
Conversion and revival : a critical analysis of the revival movement among Lutheran Christians in the North Western Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.
(2005) Kabigumila, Simeon Kajelero.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
The topic of this dissertation is to show the meaning and the importance of conversion to the Lutheran Christians including Abalokole in the North Western Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. It critically investigates how the Abalokole and other Lutheran Christians in the area under study understand and practice conversion and revival in their Christian lives. The descriptions and analysis in this research have the importance of challenging Christians about their understanding of conversion and revival. The aim of all this will be to understand conversion as a type of Christian transformation and thus to develop new pastoral understanding of how to assist people in their process of transformation. It is important to understand how and why transformation takes place in the lives of men and women in a Christian context. In understanding conversion in depth, new insight is gained into the process of evangelism and the dynamics of Christian formation. Furthermore, by its very nature, conversion provides a rich topic for investigating the connection between understanding a phenomenon and applying that understanding to the practice of ministry. From this understanding, more educative methods will be needed among Lutheran Christians so that they will not need to be confused when they meet with doctrines of other Christian faiths. This thesis has the following chapters: Chapter One: This chapter deals with the introduction of the study. It introduces: the statement of the problem, the aim of the study, research hypothesis, research questions, scope and limitations, problems encountered during the research and clarification of the basic terminologies used in this study. Chapter two describes research methodology used to obtain data. It seeks to describe and validate the applied method. Inductive methodology has been utilized by beginning with people and their experiences and expertise. Therefore only those trusted key informants who could provide the required information were interviewed. Chapter Three explains the historical background of the advent of Lutheran Christianity and the impact of the Revival Movement or Balokole movement in the North Western Diocese (NWD) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). This background information is necessary for the reader to grasp how people in the area became Christians and how they are experiencing conversion and revival today. Chapter Four: This chapter is all about data analysis and presentation of the findings. It focuses on what Christians are experiencing and saying about conversion and revival. It seeks to analyse the data reflected from these case studies and interviews. Chapter Five investigates the consequences of the Revival Movement in the North Western Diocese. It shows the strengths and weaknesses of the movement. It argues that in order to be a good disciple of Jesus Christ, one needs to be faithful, to repent and therefore to receive forgiveness from God. Chapter Six: This chapter shows some of the challenges facing the church as an institution. It focuses on the new vision and a way forward by introducing practical implementations on the topic under research. It moves into focusing on what has to be done by the Church. Chapter Seven: This chapter summarises the findings of the research. It deals with summary, conclusions and recommendations. It concludes by suggesting some of the work to be done by the Church (NWD) and some suggestions for further research. This thesis concludes with appendices: names of interviewees, Dioceses of ELCT, interview questions, transcriptions as well as a full bibliography.
In search of prophetic theology: South African political theology in conversation with Anabaptism.
(2017) Suderman, Andrew Gregory.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
The South African Kairos Document: A Challenge to the Church (KD) written in 1985 continues to be critically important even 30 years after its release. Its ongoing significance is due to three inter-related dynamics: a) the process by which the document was generated; b) the insightful analysis and bold proposal it contains; and c) its functional utility as a base-line against which progress can be measured. It has indeed provided the challenge it suggests. The purpose of this study is two-fold. The first is to offer a critical review and analysis of these three aspects of the document. The second is to recommend a few suggestions for a mid-course adjustment that could be helpful in the ongoing quest for ecclesial faithfulness within the South African context. This thesis suggests that, although the KD emerged as an example of the Prophetic Theology that it proposes as an antidote to the dominance of “Church and State Theologies,” such a depiction has itself been co-opted in the twenty-two years of post-apartheid ecclesial experience. The roots of this cooption are, primarily, threefold: an anemic eschatological perspective as too-soon realized in the overthrow of the apartheid regime; a too-optimistic view of the inherent benevolence of state power once in the hands of the formerly oppressed; and an under-rated comprehension of the nature of the church as an alternative politic within the realities of empire. This thesis further suggests that Anabaptism, a theological movement that emerged out of the struggle of re-defining the relationships between church and state since the 16th century, offers a helpful perspective as the South African church strives to take the next steps of faithfulness in its new post-apartheid political dispensation.
Ntumbuluko and Christian faith : an evangelical perspective on some aspects of a Tsonga worldview and the implication for Christian mission in southern Mozambique.
(2004) Chitlango, Andre Jonas.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
This thesis consists of a detailed study of ntumbuluko (Tsonga life force or worldview) as it emerges from field research which investigated Tsonga traditionalists, academics, artists, Christian practitioners and Bible translators to establish the meaning and use of ntumbuluko. The aim of the thesis is to uncover the impact of ntumbuluko in Tsonga Christianity by assessing its relationship with the gospel and to discern its influence in the apprehension of Christian faith among the Tsonga people of Mozambique; and finally to propose an evangelical perspective on the encounter between gospel and culture in Mozambique. The study demonstrates that ntumbuluko is a very pervasive concept or worldview. It has a highly integrated view of life and reality, thus, resisting a dualistic conception of life, the universe and the reality thereof. It is in ntumbuluko that the Tsonga find the essence of life, reality and humanity in harmonious correlation with the cosmos. Thus, ntumbuluko is a heuristic key for interpreting reality, including Christian faith. It provides a system of meaning for everything. It is at this point that ntumbuluko's relationship with the gospel needs to be examined. Tsonga people see ntumbuluko as the pre-established divine order of things and as a firm foundation of Tsonga existence. Tsonga society can be compared to a house built upon a bridge. Cracking the bridge is labouring towards one's own demise. Therefore, any affront against or disregard for ntumbuluko with modernist or faith argument threatens the centre of gravity of the Tsonga existence. Such an attitude warrants a counter response to maintain cosmic harmony to ensure a harmonious and balance existence. If Christians attempt to use the gospel to alter or disregard this principle, the gospel is viewed as "bad news." The peaceful encounter between and co-existence of ntumbuluko with the gospel is replaced with an antagonistic one. All in all, ntumbuluko is very ambivalent; it can be either positive, negative or neutral. Regardless of the fact that ntumbuluko is so often used negatively in the Bible and in official Christian discourse, most Christians concur with their traditionalists counterparts in perceiving, describing and using ntumbuluko in a more positive and/or neutral sense rather than negative sense. Christian practitioners, although indirectly, join the traditionalist attack on modernity (colonialism), Marxism and Christianity (Western missionary Christianity) for having destroyed ntumbuluko, thus weakening the life force therein. The alleged result has been humanitarian, ecological and environmental disasters (wars, droughts, flooding, disease, infant mortality, short life-span, etc.). Any religion and/or ideology which could be logically acceptable and desirable in Tsonga society would be the one that tunes into the ntumbuluko maintenance system or principle, thus ensuring cosmic harmony and an increase life force, with the subsidiary benefits thereof. This is why Christian faith is either resisted (the Tonga Mission 1560-1562 story) or undermined (as many informants indicated) in its encounter and co-existence (relationship) with ntumbuluko. This researcher argues, therefore, that the depth, complexity and pervasiveness of ntumbuluko require an approach such as "translation" and "interpretation", historically associated with John the Apostle. The gospel of John is the example par excellence. The author (John, for argument's sake), translated the divine truth, revelation and incarnation into Hellenistic cultural thought forms (Arche and Logos) and interpreted his translation with Christian truth, thus giving these age-old known concepts new meanings, Christian meanings. In that way, Arche and Logos mediated a deeper understanding and apprehension of the Christian faith to the Greeks. In so doing, the author bypassed the question of the relationship between Jesus and the above concepts in the Greek thought. Dealing with ntumbuluko from an evangelical perspective will also require translating the divine revelation and incarnation into Tsonga categories of ntumbuluko and interpreting it with new meanings, Christian meanings, to enable or mediate a deeper and profound apprehension and understanding of the Christian faith in the Tsonga cultural milieu, thus producing a vibrant Tsonga evangelical Christianity in Mozambique.
The Pentecostal movement as represented in breakthrough international : an expression of Missio Dei? : a contribution to an experiental pneumatology of mission.
(2004) Meyer, Lutz Eugen Robert.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
This thesis critically evaluates the experiential missionary practice of Breakthrough International (BCI), an African charismatic Church, from a perspective of Missio Dei, a modem paradigm of mission conceptualized by ecumenical missiology. BCI, within its African world view, where the spiritual is tangibly real, has grown out of its experience of the Spirit, the divine principle of origin and normal experience of faith. Theological academic discourse, bound to an enlightenment concept of truth within a modem Cartesian world view, can reasonably access and evaluate BCl's experience of the divine as proper source for theological discourse through BCl's narrative. Missio Dei, a response to the old church centered paradigm of mission, redefines mission as an activity of God, in which the mission centered church participates. God's mission unfolds in (post)modern history transformed through Christ's coming to an eschatological reality. It is realized as such by the local congregation in (post)secular times, acknowledging God's preferential option for the poor and aims to humanize and liberate the world. God's mission is mediated through culture, and through contextualization creates a polycentric cultural identity of the gospel modeled after Christ's incarnation. It is in as much contextual as it is culture critical. BCI resembles Missio Dei in a very limited fashion. The difference in world views, and its focus on personal experience, creates an uncritical paradigm of mission aiming to save the believer not the world. With little regard for the history of mission BCI wants to rewrite personal (hi)story without involving itself in world history imposing a spiritual agenda upon the world from the perspective of those who are victimized by history. Though it represents the poor it doesn't grasp Christ's incarnation and its implications for an understanding of the struggle of the poor as an issue of theology proper. Poverty is spiritualized to a matter of personal piety. BCI does not appreciate the contextuality of the gospel but understanding it as above culture. It creates a Christian subculture in limited corrilliunion with the church universal, very reluctant to involve itself in the public domain. Our dialogue with BCl's narrative form of theology acknowledges that modem, ecumenical missiology needs to rediscover the experience of the Spirit as source of mission; yet BCI needs to develop a theology which makes use of scripture, tradition, and reason in order to find a broader and sustainable understanding of its experience of the divine. As required by university regulations, I hereby state unambiguously that this study, unless specifically indicated to the contrary in the text, is my own original work. In accordance with the regulations of the University I request to take note that this thesis exceeds the recommended length for a doctoral dissertation. This has been unavoidable since the central question of this study deals with the experience of the Spirit in an African world view and assesses this experience from a modem Cartesian academic world view with special reference to Missio Dei. I have spelled out in detail (cf. pages 11-15 "The plan of the thesis") how incompatible those two world views are and that this incompatibility requires an intensive discussions with respect to the central issues of this thesis (especially Epistemology and Missio Dei). I therefore request the reader to bear with me as I try to move through the problems posed by the complexity of the main question.
The quest for identity in African theology as a mission of empowerment.
(2002) Musasiwa, Roy.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
The thesis links African Theology with three notions: identity, mission and empowerment. Out of this linkage arise three interrelated themes that dominate the thesis. Firstly, different African theologies can be read as different modes of the quest for identity. The thesis demonstrates how the quest for identity in African Theology fits into political, philosophical, religious and other quests for identity in Africa, which are driven by historical factors such as the slave trade, imperialism, colonialism and neocolonialism. The responses of inculturation and liberation theologies to these historical factors of disempowerment leads to the conclusion that being Christian can be both liberating and fully compatible with being African. Secondly, the quest for identity in African Theology properly belongs to the notion of mission understood as missio Dei. This conclusion is derived from an examination of critical aspects of missio Dei. These include determining the purposes of missio Dei as being the restoration of the imago Dei and the salvation and liberation of humankind. The conclusion is also derived from acknowledging that missio Dei is effected through missiones ecclesiae and missio hominum. Thirdly, constructing mission as missio Dei leads to the notion of the quest for identity as a mission of empowerment and an empowerment for mission. A multidiscipline theoretical framework of empowerment leads to a stipulation of ways in which African theology, through a quest for identity, is empowering or can empower its interlocutors. At the same time the mission of empowerment becomes an empowerment for mission. This is especially significant in the light ofthe acknowledged southward shift in Christianity's centre of gravity. That shift implies African Christianity having a missionary responsibility that extends to the rest of the world. The quest for identity in African Theology is fraught with ambiguities, dilemmas and risks. But this is a price various African theologies are willing to pay in order both to help uplift the historically disadvantaged Africans and also to secure the future of Christianity on the continent.
The relationship between eschatological hope and Christian mission in the theology of Jurgen Moltmann and its implications for Seventh-Day Adventist theology.
(2014) Majola, Phumlani Lucky.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
This research has the primary objective of developing Seventh-day Adventist theology through a dialogue with Jurgen Moltmann, on the relationship between eschatological hope and Christian mission. Due to space limitations, the particular focus in Seventh-day Adventist theology is on the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment. This research demonstrates that while there are some areas of agreement between Moltmann and Seventh-day Adventist theology, such as that eschatological hope does influence Christian mission, there are also remarkable differences in their views of Christian mission. The particular area that is identified in this study is that of social justice. While Moltmann’s eschatological hope drives him to strong socio-political agendas, Seventh-day Adventist eschatology, while strong in such areas as health and education as methodologies of mission, falls short of the extent of emphasis in socio-political mission that Moltmann has. It is particularly found to be so in the Seventh-day Adventist doctrine of the Investigative Judgment that has traditionally been given spiritual significance to believers on earth as they wait for the Parousia. The dialogue between Seventh-day Adventist theology and Moltmann is designed to challenge SDA theology, even though Moltmann completely rejects the doctrine of the Investigative Judgment. The study argues for a “socio-spiritual” version of the Investigative Judgment. “Socio” refers to its earthliness in direct socio-political relevance to the community, while “spiritual” refers to its heavenliness and relational significance between the saint(s) and Christ. The research begins with an introductory chapter that orients the reader with matters like the background, methodologies and structure of the research. The research then continues to do an analytical overview of the major scholarly discussions on this topic. It then considers Moltmann’s views, and after that the views of Seventh-day Adventist theology. Prior to the analytical focus on the Seventh-day Adventist theology of the Investigative Judgment, there is a chapter dedicated to an overall comparison of Moltmann’s and Seventh-day Adventist theology. The focus becomes polemical in revising the Seventh-day Adventist theology of the Investigative Judgment towards an added significance that is directly socio-political and transformational. The closing chapter then demonstrates the added value of the proposed version of the Investigative Judgment in the South African socio-political context. The significance of this research lies in the fact no other work has, to the knowledge of the researcher, ever proposed a revision of the Seventh-day Adventist theology of the Investigative Judgment towards direct socio-political relevance, beyond, and not instead of, the traditional spiritual significance, especially through a dialogue with Jurgen Moltmann.
Samuel Johnson of Yoruba Land, 1846-1901 : religio-cultural identity in a changing environment and the making of a mission agent.
(2009) Olabimtan, Kehinde Olumuyiwa.; Balcomb, Anthony Oswald.
This thesis explores the cultural and the religious formation of Rev. Samuel Johnson and his response to the changing environment of West Africa, particularly Yorubaland, in the nineteenth century. Divided into two parts, the first part looks at the biography of the man, paying attention to his formative environment and his response to it as a Yoruba evangelist in the service of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). The second part explores the issues that were involved in his response to his changing milieu of ministry—encounter with Yoruba religions and Islam, the search for peace in the Yoruba country, and historical consciousness. The first chapter, which is introductory, sets the pace for the research by looking at the academic use to which the missionary archives have been put, from the 1950s, to unravel Africa’s past. While the approaches of historians and anthropologists have been shaped by broad themes, this chapter makes a case for the study of the past from biographical perspectives. Following the lead that has been provided in recent years on the African evangelists by Adrian Hastings, Bengt Sundkler and Christopher Steed, and John Peel the chapter presents Samuel Johnson, an agent of the CMS in the nineteenth century Yoruba country, as a model worthy of the study of indigenous response to the rapid change that swept through West Africa in the second half of the nineteenth century. Chapter two explores the antecedents to the emergence of Johnson in Sierra Leone and appreciates the nexus of his family history and that of the Yoruba nation in the century of rapid change. The implosion of the Oyo Empire in the second decade of the nineteenth century as a result of internal dissension opened the country to unrestrained violence that boosted the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Sierra Leone offering a safe haven for some of the rescued victims of the trade, “Erugunjimi” Henry Johnson, was rehabilitated under the benevolence of the CMS. At Hastings, where the Basel trained missionary Ulrich Graf exercised a dominant influence, Henry Johnson raised his family until he returned with them to the Yoruba country in 1858 as a scripture reader. The Colony of Sierra Leone, however, was in contrast to the culturally monolithic Yoruba country. Cosmopolitan, with Christianity having the monopoly of legitimacy, the colony gave Samuel and his siblings their early religious and cultural orientations.

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Biblical & Historical Studies, Theological Studies & Ethics) by Author "Balcomb, Anthony Oswald."