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

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Provoking the Rocks: A Study of Reality and Meaning on the Zambian Copperbelt.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007) Parsons, Elizabeth C.
Even though the West, or Global North, initiates extensive development policymaking and project activity on the African continent, this study argues that one source of major frustration between different parties entrusted to do the work arises from cognitive differences in their worldviews. These differences affect people's actions and have theological ramifications involving how we all understand meaning and reality. The study employs a case method analyzed through the lens of Alfred Schutz's sociology of knowledge theories and augmented by insights from African scholars to look at basic perceptual differences between Zambians and expatriates working on the Copperbelt Province's mines. After exploring how participants in the study interpreted various experiences, this study concludes that Zambians and expatriates were essentially living in "parallel universes" of meaning regardless of their apparently shared activities and objectives. The study further argues that viewpoints expressed by Zambian participants can be extrapolated into powerful lessons for members of civil society who are concerned about international development and the environment. Such teaching elements could especially help reshape how Americans and other Westerners understand ourselves in relation to physical creation and the cosmos as well as to those from radically different cultures. Lessons learned from the Zambian perspective could also help reinvigorate Western theological thinking, providing much needed critiques of discourses that currently dominate international development policymaking and planning and that determine value principally according to economic strategies and fulfillment of efficient, measurable objectives.
None greater than John : towards a social-description and narrative-theological study of John the Baptist in Luke-Acts.
(2007) Mlilo, Luke G.; Draper, Jonathan Alfred.; Decock, Paul Bernard.
"I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John" (Luke 7:28). Thus the author of Luke-Acts expresses his basic assessment of John the Baptist. The present study aims to understand the role of John the Baptist as he is portrayed in Luke-Acts through a reading that combines social description and narrative-theological analysis in order to gain hermeneutical access to the subject of our investigation. This study seeks to achieve this aim in two ways. In the first instance there is an attempt (through recourse to a combination of the stated critical methodologies) to provide a reading of Luke-Acts that interfaces social description and narrative-theological analysis in order to make possible a rhetorical engagement with the text in a way that provides hermeneutical access to John the Baptist as he is portrayed in Luke-Acts. In his portrayal of John the Baptist as a prophet and witness who plays a unique role in the history of salvation, the author of Luke-Acts weaves a spell over his readers that draws them into his narrative world and into his particular theological perspective. In the second instance, this study also aims to show how Luke-Acts preserves a unique dynamic of John the Baptist which has rather been buried in the other Gospel traditions. Through this dynamic, Luke seeks to transmit his own ideal of the authentic prophet and witness in such a way that his audience may be moved to emulate John's example with conviction and imagination both in living out their Christian ideal as well as in proclaiming the good news.
Liberation and reconstruction in the works of J N K Mugambi : a critical analysis in African theology.
(2007) Gathogo, Julius Mutugi.; Phiri, Isabel Apawo.
This study builds on Jesse Mugambi's post-Cold War proposal for a paradigm shift, from liberation to reconstruction. Mugambi's line of reasoning is based upon his understanding of the post-Cold War period in Africa, and the need for a shift from the "dominant" paradigm of liberation, in articulating African theology, to reconstruction. The Cold War had divided Africa (and the rest of the world) into two ideological blocks, namely, the East Bloc nations (i.e., Warsaw Pact) vs. the nations in the West (NATO). With the destruction of the Berlin Wall, the end of western colonial rule in Africa, and the demise of apartheid, Mugambi prods that, there is a need to shift the theological emphasis from the Exodus motif to that of a Reconstructive motif. While the former motif was biblically modelled on Moses, and the Exodus from Egypt and the Journey to the Promised Land, the latter is biblically modelled on Nehemiah who led the Jews in the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem following their return from Exile after seventy years of Babylonian captivity. Thus Mugambi sets the stage for the debate in this study, by his proposal that the post-Cold War Africa should now shift its paradigm in theo-social discourses.
Vulnerability and capability in Kenya : towards an African women's public theology.
(2008) Muriithi, Sicily Mbura.; De Gruchy, Steve M.
This thesis concerns African women’s experience of comprehensive vulnerability, and a proposal to develop an African Women’s’ Public Theology to enable the church in Africa to adequately respond to that vulnerability. The research involved a case study of 126 women in the Kenyan district of Meru South undertaken through interviews, focus groups and participant observation, and revealed that women experience vulnerability in eight key areas, namely, Domestic violence, Inheritance, HIV and AIDS, Education, Health, Female Genital Mutilation, Polygamy and a lack of control and access to property. The thesis argues that this constitutes a comprehensive experience of vulnerability that has five fundamental causes, namely, Patriarchal traditions and customs; Poverty; Policies and law; Religion and the church; and Internalisation. The thesis then examines an appropriate response from Christians and the Church to this experience of comprehensive vulnerability. It notes that many of these concerns are voiced by African Women’s’ Theology, but that in order to adequately deal with the experiences and causes of women’s vulnerability identified in the research there is a need to engage the field of public policy, constitution and law making to really make a difference. An engagement with the male theologians, Duncan Forrester, Jesse Mugambi and Charles Villa-Vicencio provides the impetus to develop a public theology, whilst at the same time the thesis offers a gender sensitive critique of these attempts. Any public theology needs a social theory in order to engage the public sphere, and this thesis examines the work of the feminist philosopher and jurist, Martha Nussbaum in promoting the Human Capabilities Approach. We examine her formal proposal of ten fundamental human capabilities that should be supported by states and governments. Her work is affirmed for three important reasons, namely, it deals with the reality of women on the ground as revealed through the field research, it provides a public way of dealing with this vulnerability that is not based on one faith tradition, and yet thirdly, it is congruent with a Biblical faith that promotes Human Dignity, Freedom and Justice. In drawing the research to a close the thesis proposes an African Women’s Public Theology with the following seven characteristics. African Women’s Public Theology (i) is a member of the family of African Women’s Theologies, (ii) is grounded in the reality of the lives of African women, characterized by comprehensive vulnerability; (iii) claims the right for women to do theology in the public arena; (iv) works self-consciously in an inter- disciplinary manner; (v) challenges the church to be more active in seeking social justice, with an emphasis on gender justice; (vi) focuses on women’s capabilities – what they are actually able to be and to do; and (vii) challenges the hitherto male-dominated public theologies to take seriously the concerns, wisdom and passion of women seeking gender justice in Africa.
Space and place in the Gospel of John.
(2009) Mtata, Kenneth.; Draper, Jonathan Alfred.
The Fourth Gospel uses space to arrange its narrative and uses its narrative to represent Johannine space and experience. The spaces alluded to in John are full of contestation and serve as identity markers. By Nathanael asking if anything good can come from Nazareth, he represents Nazareth and its inhabitants as insignificant. Yet, by Jesus seeing in Nathanael, not a Galilean but an Israelite, Jesus subverts the regional stereotypes operative in Nathanael and John’s narrative world but maybe reflective of John’s concrete experience. By denying the sacred places of Jerusalem and Samaria, and proposing worship in spirit and truth, the Johannine Jesus is theologically and socially located on the margins of sacred place but at the centre of sacred presence. When the Johannine Jesus sees the arrival of the Greeks as the ‘hour of glory’ he subverts diaspora existence and marginalises the centre, Palestine. If the ultimate place to access God in John is utopia, then this is, no place.
The impact of the imaginal and dialogical (relational) processes in the spiritual exercises, on image of self and image of God in women making the nineteenth annotation retreat.
(2008) Paulin-Campbell, Annemarie Renée.; Rakoczy, Susan Francis.; Lindegger, Graham Charles.
The thesis is situated in the interface between psychology and Christian spirituality. It explores the experience of women in the South African context making the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius as a Nineteenth Annotation Retreat. The results of the study show that shifts in image of self and image of God are facilitated by the imaginal and dialogical/relational processes in the Spiritual Exercises. A qualitative, hermeneutical approach was taken in which nineteen women were interviewed about their experience of making the Spiritual Exercises. Fifteen of these were interviewed after completing the Spiritual Exercises while four were interviewed during the process. Shifts towards more positive self and God-representations were reported by all but one of the women interviewed. Images of God shifted from distant or ambivalent to positive relational images. Images of self also shifted in concert with shifts in image of self, with the women coming to see themselves as intrinsically valuable and unconditionally loved by God. A marked lessening in defensive processes was also noted. A constructive interpretation of the themes which emerged from an analysis of the data was done from both psychological perspective and spiritual-theological perspectives. From a psychological perspective Object-Relations theory and Dialogical Self theory were used to better understand the mechanisms enabling shifts in God and self-representation. From a spiritual theological perspective, Rahner’s (1960, 1964) relational theology of grace shed light on the spiritual processes in the Spiritual Exercises which facilitate shifts in image of God and self. Imaginal dialogical or relational aspects of the Exercises were found to play an important role in facilitating shifts in both image of self and image of God. The findings of this study provide compelling evidence for the interplay between psychological and spiritual processes in the Spiritual Exercises in particular, and spiritual experience in general, resonating with the work of Meissner (1987, 2003) and Ulanov (2001). It also resonates with Rahner’s (1960, 1964) theology of grace as God’s self-communication which parallels the move in psychology towards the relational which is strongly evident in both object-relations theory and the more recent Dialogical Self psychology.
An emerging form of the church? : community-based volunteers in HIV and AIDS work as a religious health asset.
(2009) Madondo, Mfazo Cliford.; De Gruchy, Steve M.
In South Africa faith plays an important role in community-based volunteering related to HIV and AIDS work. Many community-based volunteers make use of their faith to provide healthcare and social services related to HIV and AIDS. This research examines this faith or religious vibrancy and critic two things: (1) to what extent such volunteers can be understood as a Religious Health Asset, and (2) what criteria can be used to consider community-based volunteers as a new form of the church emerging in a time of HIV and AIDS. The research first examines the concept of voluntary work in South Africa, particularly in times of HIV and AIDS. Field research relies on community based volunteers linked to Sinomlando, a research centre at the University of KwaZulu- Natal through participant observation and open ended interview method. I examine faith or religious aspects in volunteers serving the communities. The research notes that in community-based volunteering, the use of prayers, religious choruses and/or quoting of the Bible is a visible faith practice. I learnt that prayers and choruses are spontaneous, and they are volunteers’ expression and release of emotions caused by socio-economic stressors. The use of the Bible is not a common practice among groups of volunteers as it is with praying and singing. Given this, the thesis argues that faith practices in community-based volunteering can be understood as a religious health asset. Using the ecclesiogenesis theory of Leonardo Boff, the thesis then analyses whether these groups signify a new form of the church is emerging. However, the finding is that they do not constitute a new form of the church, but rather a new form of missionary spirituality as the laity is taking on the responsibility of living out their faith in a new context and in the face of new challenges.
The Semah Sedaqah of Jeremiah 33:15 and its significance for the Congolese leadership.
(2009) Mavinga, Joseph Nzita.; Decock, Paul Bernard.
This dissertation consists of a contextual reading of the texts of Jeremiah on semah (23:5-6; 33:14-16), together with the related texts in Isaiah (4:2; 11:1-2) and Zechariah (3:8; 6:12). The context I am reading from is the present political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and the leadership crisis since independence. I first approach the Masoretic Text (MT) in a synchronic way and I do not focus on a rigorous study of the texts in discussing their form, source and redaction criticism. To analyse the texts on "branch" in Jeremiah, Isaiah and Zechariah, I pay particular attention to the literary context of texts. My synchronic approach seems to de-contextualise the texts under study from their socio-historical context. However, in chapters Three and Five I place these texts in the broad historical context of the Davidic kings from about the time of Jeremiah until Judah‟s return from Exile. The analysis of the current Congolese leadership situation is confined particularly to the governance of President Mobutu Sésé Seko. In particular, the focus is on the second period of his presidency, from 1975 to his dismissal on May 17, 1997. The social situation, during this period, had worsened immeasurably in the country.
Partnership in Christian mission : a history of the Protestant Missionary Movement.
(2010) Barnes, Jonathan Spencer.; De Gruchy, Steve M.
Despite the fact that partnership has be en a pronounced goal in ecumenical relationships for over eighty years, the realization of mutuality, solidarity, and koinonia has, even until present times, proven to be illusive. This fact raises a number of questions. First, why is this so? What wer e the historical antecedents that led to the concept of partnership? What were the original secular and religious contexts in which the term partnership was used, and how has its meaning been understood and contested over time? And secondly, what can we learn from this history? Are there any problematic issues or themes that repeatedly appear in the narrative, causing churches to continually fall short in these relationships? In seeking to answer these questions, this thesis will trace the history of ecu menical partnerships from its antecedents, found in the beginning of the modern Protestant missionary movement, through to current times, focusing on the relationships between churches historically involved in the International Missionary Council (IMC) and , after 1961 when the IMC integrated with the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Commission on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME). Importantly, Lamin Sanneh’s typology of churches as either Global (the churches of the North or Western world, also forme rly known as ‘sending’ or ‘older’ churches) or World (the churches of the South and East, formerly known as ‘receiving’ or ‘younger’ churches) will be the lens used to understand these ecumenical relationships. Using this typology, each of the chapters th at form the main body of this research focuses on a different era of history and will follow a similar pattern. The first section of each chapter serves to situate the church’s partnership discourse in its secular setting, paying special attention to issu es pertaining to North/South political and economic power, as well as how power has been contested. The remainder of each chapter will trace the ecumenical history of partnership, focusing especially on the discussions and findings of world ecumenical mis sion meetings, starting with The Ecumenical Conference on Foreign Missions in New York in 1900. While the main emphasis will be on these ecumenical meetings and their findings, attention will also be given to individuals and events that played significant roles in the development of the understanding and practice of partnership. Significantly, at the conclusion of each chapter four prominent themes or issues will be traced which continually reappear in the narrative and make partnership difficult to reali ze. When reviewing this history, it is evident that the term partnership was a product of colonial times and therefore captive to colonial and, later, neocolonial interpretations. However, it is also clear that from the very beginnings of the moder n Protestant missionary movement some church and missionary leaders, from both the Global and World churches, have sought to ground partnership in Biblical, egalitarian, and liberationist understandings. While this can serve to encourage those involved in partnership today, the historical analysis also shows plainly four key themes or issues that continually make the attainment of equitable relationships impossible to realize; namely, the home base , humanitarianism and development , authority , and rhetoric and reality . It is clear that the differences in worldviews, as described by Sanneh’s typology, have had and continue to have detrimental effects on the relationships between the churches of Global and World Christianity. Given this history, it is assert ed in this thesis that for ecumenical partnerships to have any chance of overcoming these issues, the churches of Global Christianity must stop seeing mission as expansion and lose the desire to remake others in their image; in short, they must become, in their worldview and ethos, World churches.
The applicability of the translatability and interpretation theory of Sanneh and Bediako : the case of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in namibia, in northern Namibia.
(2010) Ngodji, Martin.; Phiri, Isabel Apawo.
This thesis contends that the translatability and interpretation theories are what allow the Bible and its message to be accepted by and relevant to all people in the world, including those in the northern belt of Namibia, among Ovawambo and Okavango communities. This thesis deals with the applicability of the translatability theories in the process of the translation of the Bible into Oshindonga, Oshikwanyama and Rukwangali, a project undertaken by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). The thesis starts with the introduction, which shows how the work was carried out, and its objectives are described in chapter one. Chapter two deals with the translatability and interpretation theories of the Bible as represented by Lamin Sanneh and Kwame Bediako. Lamin Sanneh (1989) and Kwame Bediako (1997) speak of the translatability theory of the Bible and of Christianity as a whole, which allows everyone to speak of the wonderful work of God in his/her own tongue. Translatability is the theoretical framework of this thesis. The theory aims at translating the Bible from one language to another, and goes further to include the social sphere of the person. The translatability theory is what makes the translation process in any vernacular language relevant and acceptable. The translatability theory not only includes the language, but also the cultural aspects of the people.
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.
Religion and politics : a critical study of the politicization of Islam in Kenya.
(2008) Ndzovu, Hassan J.; Dangor, Suleman Essop.
In Kenya, there has been a tendency to portray a separation of Church and State. However, attempts made by political leaders to separate Church and State have not successfully severed the relationship between religion and politics. The interweaving of religion and politics is the subject of this project. In particular it studies the changing relationship between Muslims and various political orders in Kenya from the pre-colonial times to the present. The study traces the role of Muslim individuals and associations under different political regimes. It explores the ways in which Muslims have politically mobilised in a context of political authoritarianism and limited space for protest. This has led to increasing politicization of Islam in Kenya with the formation of the Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK) in 1992 crystallizing the growing process of radicalization of sections of the Kenya's Muslims. Therefore, this study focuses on the politicization of Islam in Kenya and discusses the factors that triggered the process of its politicization and its challenges in Kenya's politics. Over a period of one year, a structured interview with selected informers and informal discussions was conducted. The finding of the study indicates that the emergence of politicization of Islam in Kenya is a reflection of the exclusionary-repressive politics of the various Kenyan regimes. This political system is alleged to have contributed to the perceived political marginalization of Muslims in the country. It is this perceived marginalization which Muslims are striving to overcome. The formation of the IPK was an attempt by Muslims to address this perceived political marginalization. Fearing Islamic oriented political competition the Kenyan government refused to offer the IPK recognition. It is concluded that despite the registration setback the Muslims faced in Kenya's politics, they are still a significant opposition to political leadership in the country. None the less, this study shows that Muslim political engagement is not a monolithic. There are political differences among Muslims in relation to Kenya's politics. These differences are attributed to ethnic and racial binaries exhibited within the Muslim community.
Christianity as vernacular religion : a study in the theological significance of mother tongue apprehension of the Christian faith in West Africa with reference to the works of Ephraim Amu (1899-1995)
(2006) Laryea, Philip Tetteh.; Bediako, Kwame.
Ephraim Amu is a distinguished musician. He is well known for his advocacy on African tradition and culture. Amu's pride in the African personality has earned him a place in Ghana's hall of fame. It was in recognition of these achievements that his portrait was embossed on Ghana's highest currency, the Twenty Thousand Cedi note. But there is more to the Amu story. In this thesis I have drawn substantially on Amu's own works to demonstrate how, in fact, he is an exemplar of mother tongue apprehension of the Christian faith in Africa. Amu showed in his songs, diaries, sermons, letters, addresses and private papers that the mother tongue, in this case, Ewe and Twi can be used to express not only Christian experience but also to formulate theological ideas in an innovative and creative ways. Amu's credentials as "African statesman" and "a self-conscious nationalist" owe not so much to Pan-African ideologies as his understanding of African culture and tradition from a biblical perspective. Amu believed that the entire universe, including the African cosmos, was created by God from the very beginning as kronkronkron (pure), pepeepe (exact), and fitafitafita (without blemish). He wrestled with the problem of (evil) and how this may have polluted an otherwise unblemished creation. Amu also wrestled with the issue of human participation in God's work of creation and the extent to which humankind may have contributed to the desecration of creation. In spite of the pollution, Amu believed that creation can be redeemed and restored to its original status by cleansing with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. This belief led him to adopt a positive stance towards African culture and tradition. Amu demonstrated this particularly in the use of language. Most of his sermons and notable musical compositions are in Twi or Ewe. He kept a diary in his mother tongue, Ewe, for almost seventy years. Amu demonstrated that by using indigenous African languages it is possible to make a fresh contribution to theological issues and thereby present African Christianity as an authentic expression to God and capable of contributing to world Christianity. Apart from language, Amu believed that other elements in the African tradition could be employed to express the Christian faith. It is in this regard that his contribution to Christian worship, particularly the use of indigenous musical instruments, must be appreciated. Amu's realisation, that "There are deep truths underlying our indigenous religions, truths which are dim representations of the great Christian truths", led him to deal with the perception that
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.
Theology and education : the role of the church in education for social transformation : a Methodist contribution.
(2005) Kumalo, Simangaliso Raymond.
Islam and the environment within the context of globalisation and South Africa.
(2004) Karodia, Mahomed Sayeed.; Dangor, Suleman Essop.
This thesis titled Islam and the Environment within the context of globalisation and South Africa asserts the integral role that religion and culture place on social transformation. It also dispels any myths about the unscientific nature of religion. Religion, in its very tenets, advocates the total respect of all living and non-living things. An analysis of the verses found within the divine book of Muslims, the Quran shows the role of humans in conserving, preserving and caring for the natural environment. The environment is given to humans as a gift. Humans are the custodians and the care-takers of the environment. Planet Earth is in grave danger. Globalisation has placed unreasonable demands on (unnatural resources. Overproduction, the result of mass consumption has led to large scale industrialisation. Pollution, depletion of the ozone layer, global warming, climatic changes are some of the concomitant results of globalisation. South Africa is no exception to the rule. The Muslims of South Africa, via a closer link with the environment can achieve social transformation through the process of Environmental Education and taking greater care of the environment. It is critical that Muslims in South Africa begin to define their relationship with the environment. Muslim schools and institutions formed part of this empirical investigation to ascertain what efforts are being made to develop a sustainable Muslim community in South Africa. The research is both qualitative and quantitative in nature with an exploratory modality. Proposals are made to implement environmentallyfriendly programmes with a view to build capacity amongst Muslims in South Africa through the two fundamentally important stakeholders in South African Muslim society: Islamic schools and the Body of Theologians. The "return to basics" call is further resonated within the context of a textual analysis of verses of the Quran, with a view to ascertain the ordained role of Muslims vis-a-vis their purpose on this earth with reference to the natural environment. This theoretical, conceptual framework provides the bedrock for assumptions that protecting the natural environment is incumbent upon all Muslims. There is an urgent need for South African Muslims to galvanise around environmental issues within the parameters of Islamic schools and Islamic institutions (the Jamiats). These milieus form the pivotal points in this praxiological approach. Programmes for communities and educational institutions are suggested for maximum optimisation in a systemic way of promoting and sustaining environmental education de Nuevo. Socially responsive models and other pragmatic proposals are suggested in a bid to conscientise and empower South African Muslims concerning ways and means of protecting the environment. This thesis highlights the unquestioned assumptions which underlie growing calls for social transformation and considers the significance of a socially critical orientation to environmental education in relation to divine doctrines.
The tribal dimension in the division of the kingdom of Israel: a contextual study of 1 Kings 12:1-24 from the perspective of the struggle for national unity in Rwanda.
(2010) Nyirimana, Eraste.; West, Gerald Oakley.
This study aims to undertake a contextual analysis of the event of the division of the kingdom of Israel narrated in1 Kings 12:1-24. This text and its context are analysed in the light of the context of tribal conflicts in Rwanda, using the inculturation hermeneutical approach that makes the contemporary context of the reader the subject of interpretation. The interactive engagement between the two contexts is conducted in a way that allows insights from each context to enrich the understanding of the other. The socio-historical analysis of the Rwandan context showed that the 1994 genocide resulted from a long period of social conflict opposing the main social groups in Rwanda namely the Hutu and the Tutsi. Conflicts arose from the determination of elites from each social group to monopolize political power and to control resources, to the exclusion of members of the other social group. It was noted that the failure of the church to discharge its prophetic responsibility reinforced the perception that God was absent during the genocide. The literary analysis of the text narrating the division of the kingdom of Israel noted the theological interpretation that explained that event as a result of Yahweh’s punitive intervention against an apostate king, Solomon. However, literary analysis showed that the conflict involved socio-economic aspects and had much to do with the struggle for access and for the sharing of resources. Socio-historical analysis of the context of the division then revealed that, from the rise of the monarchy in Israel, the issue of the control and distribution of resources had been a challenge to unity among the tribes of Israel, generating conflicts that culminated in the division of the kingdom. Interaction between the two contexts of conflict, in Rwanda and in Israel, allowed for the identification of categories of players who had a share of responsibility in the conflicts. First, political leaders instituted patrimonial regimes that practised inequitable distribution of resources and privileges and antagonised social groups in both contexts. Second, the people, faced with the discriminative policies of their leaders, grouped themselves according to their shared interests or common challenges. Diverging or opposing interests among different groups exacerbated divisions, alienation and conflicts. Third, neighbouring countries and external powers had strategic or economic interests that led them to intervene in support of the warring social groups, thus aggravating the situation. Lastly, God’s servants, who were supposed to play a unifying role, failed in their prophetic responsibility, not only by doing nothing to denounce social injustices, but by openly supporting them and actively taking part in them. This study has reasoned that social conflicts result from diverging interests. They are a human responsibility, not imposed by God. Diverse social identities are not intrinsic obstacles to social unity. They jeopardize unity when they give expression to conflicting interests. Change for lasting peace and unity in Rwanda requires a change of attitude from the four categories of players identified as the key protagonists.
Constructing an oikotheology : the environment, poverty and the church in South Africa.
(2005) Warmback, Andrew Edward.; De Gruchy, Steve M.
South Africa is a country of great natural resources yet suffers from high levels of poverty. This study looks at the relationship between the environment and poverty in South Africa and the role of the church in this context. There is a focus on the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (CPSA) and on one of its dioceses, the Diocese of Umzimvubu. While the church in South Africa has been conscious of its responsibility in eradicating poverty, it has not expressed a strong concern for the environment, less still has it been conscious that this concern is closely connected to the task of eradicating poverty. The metaphor of the oikos (or household) of God is explored as a metaphor that may be usefully employed to help describe the relationship between the environment and poverty. It is proposed that an oikotheology be constructed to enable the church to engage with both the ecological and the economic aspects of the environment. This study asserts that the preservation and enhancement of the environment impacts positively on the alleviation of poverty. What is also needed, and often neglected, is to ensure that the resources of the environment are accessible to all and equitably distributed. Theological resources that articulate an oikotheology for the South African context are explored, and possible actions for the church promoted.
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.
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.

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