Biblical & Historical Studies, Theological Studies & Ethics

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6837

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 694

1 Enoch in Jude and in the EOTC "Canon" : developing an adequate insight in second temple literature (STL) in the various Ethiopian churches for a better understanding of each other and for the promotion of ecumenism and mutual cooperation.
(2015) Asale, Bruk Ayele.; Decock, Paul Bernard.
The Epistle of Jude not only used 1 Enoch and some Second Temple Literature as authoritative Scripture, but also it has been significantly influenced by it. Until it disappeared from the Church since the fifth and sixth centuries, except the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, 1 Enoch has been used as authoritative Scripture among many Jewish and Christian communities. Unlike any other church, the EOTC is the Church that has preserved the text in Ge’ez in its entirety and made 1 Enoch part of its canon, which is unique both in its concept and extent. As part of its Scriptures, which has been received as early as the reception of Christianity itself, 1 Enoch has significantly influenced the EOTC directly and other Ethiopian churches indirectly. However, the unifying factor of the Scriptures and the positive role 1 Enoch and other STL would have played, have been misunderstood as a source of differences among Ethiopian churches. This misunderstanding arises from the neglect and misrepresentation of the concept and extent of the canon of the EOTC by the western scholarship, which is permeated Ethiopian Evangelicalism. So, the central question this thesis asks is: Why do the Ethiopian Churches, Orthodox and Evangelicals, who have the Scriptures in common, who are considered as Trinitarian churches and who have been shaped and influenced by 1 Enoch, hold strongly opposing views on the STL in general and on 1 Enoch in particular? The tripolar African contextual approach, complement by the history of reception approach, and an ecumenical appreciative approach, is the best framework to this study. The tripolar African contextual approach helps us to see this from an African/Ethiopian context, against the western approach which tends to assume that all contexts as the same. Whereas the history of reception approach helps us to frame the reception history of both the Scriptures and Christianity to Ethiopia, the ecumenical appreciative approach directs us to positive impacts in cooperation and unity. The findings suggest that (1) the concept of the canon of the EOTC refers more to the “rule of faith” understanding than a “list of books”. (2) 1 Enoch has an impact in shaping the ancient Ethiopian literature, culture, theology, spirituality, chronography and popular religious practices. (3) With all the possible interpretive differences, the Scriptures have more of a unifying than a dividing effect in the Ethiopian churches, and if other dividing elements are adequately and properly addressed, they can play a positive role in ecumenical unity. (4) Ecumenical unity is indispensable for all Ethiopian churches not only to tackle the challenges of the twenty-first century, but also for their very existence. It is suggested that these findings should be taken positively and seriously for a better future of both citizens and churches in Ethiopia.
A Christian ethical approach to economic globalization : an alternative to Samir Amin's humanism and Hans Küng's global ethic and its implications in the Burundian context.
(2001) Ntibagirirwa, Symphorien.; Nurnberger, Klaus Bilfried.
Economic globalization is a relatively recent phenomenon which has become familiar nowadays both in theory and practice. By definition, economic globalization is a transnational phenomenon characteristic of the post-industrial era and whose driving forces are respectively the recent technological innovations (as its engine), media of communication (information technology) as its facilitator, and political liberalism as its underlying political ideology, particularly after the collapse of doctrinaire socialism and the disintegration of the Soviet Union and its satellites. The phenomenon of economic globalization is ambiguous. It is a symbol of promise for some, yet a symbol of threat and alienation for others. It has both positive and negative effects. In effect, we can appreciate the dividends of economic globalization as they are evident in the growth of international trade, a tendency to universalize liberal democracy as a result of the failure of socialism and its command economy, an apparent international solidarity, economic prosperity as well as the triumph of the market economy. On the negative side, we cannot be blind to the obvious growing marginalization of the poor countries and the poor within countries, the demise of the nation-state coupled with social and political instability, inequality and social injustices between and within countries, ecological degradation and moral decadence due to blind interests in the market and maximization of profit. However, the negative effects seem to weigh more than the positive ones. This raises the question of how to respond to economic globalization. Two responses are analysed and critiqued in this dissertation. The first response, that of Samir Amin, comes from a Neo-Marxist perspective. Amin suggests a reversal of economic globalization altogether. This reversal consists in the reconsideration of the international socialism whereby each state should be allowed to negotiate the terms of interdependence with other states (poly-centrism). The second response is that of Hans Kung, who suggests a global ethic that could give economic globalization a human face. This economy with a human face is an "Aristotelian mean" economy; a kind of economy which is between the welfare state and neo-capitalism. The content of this global ethic supposed to underlie this economy is a set of values drawn from most of the religious traditions of the world. My contention is that neither Amin's international socialism nor Kung's global ethic constitute a satisfactory challenge to the power of the market and profit that are the main motive of economic globalization. Amin's international socialism is unrealistic and unreliable, particularly in this time when Marxist socialism has failed economically and has shown itself unpopular and unhelpful in practice. Kung's idea of global ethic is a powerful suggestion. Nevertheless it lacks a conceptual foundation which would redeem it from the risk of being a mere ethical contract. This conceptual framework should be an alternative to that of the Smithian homo oeconomicus that informs today's economy. The present economic order evolves around the neoclassical narrow understanding of the human being as homo oeconomicus. Thus, if we are to provide an ethic for the phenomenon of economic globalization, we have to build it on a concept that goes beyond the economic man. Such a concept should be an answer to the following double question: What/who are we, and how should we live given what/who we are? The concept that seems to best answer these questions is the concept of imago Dei as relational, central to the Judeo-Christian anthropology. The social, political and ecological implications of imago Dei as relational should help us to reconstruct the human community as the context of moral values, empower the state as the natural society that can work in partnership with the Church as the family of God, and finally consider those values that can help us to consider the enviromnent as something that is not at the disposal of human domination and overexploitation. The ethic of imago Dei as reIational is applied to the Burundian context as its testing ground. With the ethic of imago Dei as relational, the growth of the international trade should benefit the poor instead of marginalizing them, political liberalism would not lead to disorder which the profit seekers exploit to the detriment of the state, solidarity would imply equality and social justice as well as environmental care, and moral values would recover their priority over market judgment in which everything is referred to in terms of commodity. The implications of such an ordering are the following: the humanization of foreign aid and humanitarian service, the orientation of economic investment towards human promotion and not only for profit, a shift from self-enrichment minded political leadership to a leadership open to socio-economic empowerment of the poor as well as environmental care.
A critical discernment of the image of God amongst the Black, urban, isiXhosa speaking Catholics within the Catholic Archdiocese of Cape Town, in relation to other sources of sacred power, in a context of on-going change.
(2024) Goldie, Pierre.; Decock, Paul Bernard.
With view to a deeper appreciation of how the Xhosa Catholics within the Archdiocese of Cape Town have assimilated Catholicism, the thesis delimits this compound objective to the way in which the image of God has been appropriated by the urban amaXhosa, in relation to other sources of sacred power, a manageable scope for this paper. Pauw (1975) presents research on how the Xhosa have adopted Christianity, assisted by a substantial team of research assistants. Some Catholic researchers have contributed to religious-cultural analyses of indigenous Catholics in South Africa, but there is a research deficiency within the Cape Town environs due in part to the relatively smaller proportion of Black Catholics within this Archdiocese. These numbers have grown substantially with on-going migration from country to city. A qualitative questionnaire has been utilised as part of an interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the image of God held by the Xhosa Catholics supplemented with a comprehensive literature review. The research discovers that there are a range of contenders for sacred power with which to cope with existential issues, not only ‘God’. Also, God exists no longer as a distant, awesome deity, represented as such in African Tradition. He now dominates the religious consciousness of the people. The ancestors have been displaced from their formerly dominant role but are still perceived as significant dispensers of sacred power. Christ’s image as God is overshadowed and he does not appear to command a pre-eminent, authoritative relationship with the congregants. The ancestors generally invite more deliberation than Christ. This depreciation of the Christ image critically undermines the Easter mystery, for the Catholic Church the pivotal episode of revelation. Catholic parishioners also patronise other sources of sacred power. The research results generally concur with literature, concluding that the qualitative impact of Christianity is found wanting. Lack of cultural awareness, and imperfect evangelization account for the partial realization of Christian mission. The Holy Spirit too has only been partially appropriated. Results highlight a significant Christological shortcoming, even crisis. Tlhagale (2018) adjudicates indigenous Christians to be closer to ATR than to Christianity. Strategies are proposed to address the challenges.
A critical enquiry into the socio-philosophical trends of Aurobindo's integral philosophy and Marx's philosophical communism.
(1988) Nayagar, Pragashen.; Naidoo, T.; Zangenberg, F.
No abstract available.
A critique of ministers’ welfare policy in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.
(2022) Zinduru, Knowledge.; Siwila, Lilian Cheelo.; Moyo, Herbert.
This study uses a post-colonial theory to critique the welfare policy of ministers in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA)’s Presbytery of Zimbabwe. The UPCSA traces its origins to the Scottish missionaries and the missionary activity that coincided with the colonial activity in Southern Africa. The UPCSA uses a congregational stipendiary system in which a minister is paid at the local congregation where he/she is attached. This system leaves some ministers vulnerable as they are placed in congregations that cannot pay their remuneration. The study therefore sought to answer the question: How contextually relevant and progressive is the UPCSA ministers’ welfare policy to the ministers as the intended beneficiaries of the policy? Previous work has highlighted the challenges that ministers face when perform their duties however this study discusses the policy in place to enhance the welfare of ministers in the UPCSA. The policy was enacted in a segregated context whereby the minority white people were economically empowered and could easily pay the ministers appointed in their congregations who also happened to be white. The black congregations became dependant on the subsidies of the white congregations. However, with the demise of colonial governments, the UPCSA has remained stuck with the same policy and has failed to remunerate its ministers. This study was a qualitative empirical research and used in-depth interviews with selected UPCSA ministers and UPCSA to generate data. The study found that the UPCSA policy on the welfare of ministers is static and ambiguous. The existence of two types of congregations-one that can call a minister because of the financial muscle and the other that has a minister appointed to them because of the lack of finances puts ministers at a different footing. The study concludes by proposing that the UPCSA must draw from the Christian tradition of koinonia, the ubuntu philosophy and training ministers differently as ways of enhancing the welfare of ministers
A marriage enrichment programme : a study of the proposed contribution of a modern pastoral care and counselling model to urbanised Xhosa communities with special reference to the congregants at Umtata Methodist Church, Eastern Cape.
(2000) Sigaba, Avis Lumka.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.
This study was done to explore how modern Pastoral Care and Counselling models could be in dialogue with some valuable Xhosa traditional practices in the urbanised context around Umtata in the Eastern Cape. The intention is to provide a marriage enrichment programme to the congregants of the Methodist Church in this region. This has been offered in response to increase in the rate of divorce, separation and emotional distress experienced by many couples in the area. Chapter one offers the methodological framework for the entire theoretical and practical study. The second chapter explores various concepts of the family systems theory with particular focus on Murray Bowen's systems theory. This should bring forth a clear understanding of behavioural patterns which manifest in marriage when the system loses equilibrium. Grounded in the family systems theory is the concept of normal family processes. The third chapter looks into the understanding of normal family processes as brought across by various American authors. The chapter takes the interpretation further by looking into normal family processes in the original Xhosa cultural communities. The reason for the exercise is to bring awareness about what is normal before one can address what is abnormal. This is for widening the horizons so that what is culturally normal should not be labelled as abnormal. The fourth chapter prepares groundwork for the establishment of intervention and counselling strategies specifically within the Xhosa communities around Umtata. This chapter is field work done through interviews so as to gain an awareness about what the people of this region presently think, feel and say about marriage and family life experiences. The fifth chapter looks into the minister's uniqueness in marriage enrichment in comparison with his or her colleagues in medical, social work and family therapy or psychotherapy fields. A theological exploration is dealt with in the sixth chapter with a view to contend with biblical principles applicable to marriage. Chapter seven discusses a training model for a lay team of twelve members to promote the concept of the priesthood of all believers. The views of authors like Switzer, Clinebell, Colilns, Herbert Otto and others are consulted and opened to dialogue with Xhosa Traditional practices offered by oral sources. Chapter eight focuses on premarital education. Within this eduGative counselling, a hand-out on marriage contracts is prepared in both English and the vernacular language. Interdisciplinary work has been included through the engagement of resource personnel from the medical, financial and legal fields. Chapter nine actually presents the Marriage Enrichment Programme in a workshop form. Within the programme, theoretical and practical work is done in contextual bible study, communication and conflict resolution exercises as well as conscietisation about valuable Xhosa traditional marriage practices. The contextual model on marriage enrichment is offered to a group of forty-four congregants. The evaluation forms provide a positive result of this marriage enrichment model. The results express a need to address marital problems in our communities. This does give support to the Hypothesis that was tested. Modern pastoral care and counselling models can be adapted to traditional context with positive results. Lay involvement promotes maximum participation of the People of God in care giving. However, further results will be achieved with more workshops or retreats. More effectiveness will also come with the training of more lay teams. This demands large sampling in lay training, more interviewing and more involvement of the rural community elders for more information on traditional practices.
A study of the Divine Life Society with special reference to its socio-religious implications in South Africa.
(1986) Singh, Nelistra.; Oosthuizen, Gerhardus Cornelius.
No abstract available.
A survey of the distribution of temperament types amongst ministers in the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa as measured by the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II.
(1999) Stevenson, Neill Strangford.; Ward, Edwina Deborah.
Differences in psychological attitudes, functions, types and temperaments have been shown to have significant effects on the functioning of Christian ministers and their congregations. Knowledge of the distribution of these differences could facilitate more specifically targeted education, training and development programmes for ministers. In Post Academic Training programmes for ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA), the assumption is made that the distribution of attitudes, functions, types and temperaments among ministers of the PCSA is similar to that among clergy from various denominations in the USA and Presbyterian ministers in the USA. These results differed from the distribution of the general population represented by those tested on the World-Wide-Web. In order to investigate this assumption, a survey was conducted of the 310 ministers and licensed probationers of the PCSA in South Africa using the Keirsey Temperaments Sorter 11. There were 90 responses giving a response rate of 28.9%. As expected, the distribution of psychological attitudes, functions, types and temperaments among ministers of PCSA was different from the general population. Contrary to expectations, it was also significantly different from clergy from various denominations in the USA and Presbyterian ministers in the USA. The most notable difference was with the Sensing-Judging (SJ) temperament, which was preferred almost twice as much by PCSA ministers (58%) than either of the other clergy groups (34% and 29%). The temperament next most strongly preferred by PCSA ministers was Intuitive-Feeling (NF), although at 33% the distribution was similar to the other clergy groups (41 % and 44%). The implications of these, and other, findings for ministers, congregations and the education, training and development of ministers is discussed in detail.
The accountancy profession and its professional and social responsibility: a systems theoretical approach to social and ethical accounting.
(2018) Muvandi, Denson.; Murove, Munyaradzi Felix.
The accounting profession all over the world has found itself entangled in many scandals. Businesses, organizations and society at large rely on the financial information that is provided by the accounting profession. The financial information which accountants give remains critical to the overall economic wellbeing of society. In this regard, financial misinformation has led to serious economic crises in the world and sometimes to the collapse of powerful companies. Whilst the traditional understanding of the accounting profession was based on acquiring techniques and abiding by the codes of ethics that govern this profession, the experience of accountants is that their work place is characterized by chaos and complexity instead of orderliness which is implied in the codes and the popular technical practices of the profession that are mostly required in the office. Scholars have argued that the current type of education which is given to accounting students which is mainly based on technique acquisition does not prepare the student with professional competency when it comes to issues of ethical maturity which cannot be attained through the acquiring of professional qualification. The accountancy profession has a responsibility not only to shareholders or to the organizations which employed them but responsibility to stakeholders as well. The financial information which accountants provide is thus for the good of the whole of society and sometimes for the world as a whole. For this reason, some scholars have argued that accountants should be seen as guardians of the public interest. In the contemporary global neo-liberal capitalism, the question of whether accountants have any social responsibility when performing their professional responsibilities has been influenced by the debate on whether a business person has responsibilities towards society. The current global deregulation of financial markets has brought about the profession of accounting in a way that alienates the majority of the global citizens from benefiting from the financial information which is provided by this profession. The standardization of the global financial reporting is intended to facilitate the smooth flow of global capital in a way that serves the interests of investors, lenders and creditors who are in most cases the providers of capital on the global market. Accurate accounting and accountability are superficially undertaken with the aim of giving legitimacy to the shareholders of global capitalism. In light of the above observation, this study argues against the shareholder theory by insisting that shareholders are not the sole owners of business as there are others in society who are affected directly or indirectly by the activities of the business or organization. The implication of this argument is that the accounting profession must provide information that takes into consideration the expectations of all stakeholders. By adopting the stakeholder model of accounting,I have shown that monetary value requires reporting that takes into consideration social and environmental issues, which in most cases are not necessarily and solely determined by monetary value. The stakeholder perspective that has been adopted in this study finds its complementarity in general systems theory. Thus the accounting information as a sub-system should be seen as contributing to the suprasystem. Since systems theory is based on a holistic view of reality, it is argued that accounting education should be integrative whereby it incorporates information from other disciplines. From the perspective of general systems theory, any information that is provided should be seen as an abstraction from the suprasystem. Each system taken in isolation can only be seen as extending a partial view of reality. The study also argues that ethical and social accounting requires an inclusive approach in one’s professional outlook, especially when one takes into consideration the reality of complexity inherent in human society and social organization.
Administration of Islamic law of marriage and divorce in South Africa.
(1993) Toffar, Abdul Kariem.; Ebrahim, Abul Fadl Mohsin.; Nadvi, Syed Salman.
No abstract available.
Administration of Islamic law of succession, adoption, guardianship, legacies and endowment in South Africa.
(1998) Toffar, Abdul Kariem.; Nadvi, Syed Salman.; Dangor, Suleman Essop.; Omar, M. S.
Abstract not available.
The African cultural heritage : deculturation, transformation and development.
(2004) Tondi, Tsoabisi Pakiso Ensle.; Smit, Johannes Andries.
This study begins by highlighting the fact that after identifying the causes of defects in the socio-economic development of Africa and its populace African scholars argue for the re-centering of African cultural heritage as a strategy for (re)-construction and socioeconomic development. In fact, the alienation and marginalization of African cultural values and traditions by the designs of colonialism and apartheid have resulted in the distortion and disorientation of some of the most fundamental aspects of the culture of the colonized. Undeniably, this phenomenon contributed immensely to the situation of 'underdevelopment' in Africa Culturally, people were prevented from engaging the European culture(s) on their own terms. Economically - because the African cultural heritage was degraded to the level of the 'savage', the 'primitive', 'uncivilized' and even the level of the 'superstitious' or 'mystical' compared to the ' logical' found in the Western cultural thought and behaviour - African people(s) were mostly prevented from participating in the development of the continent. More importantly, given the present unfolding scenario of the African leaders' dream for an African century- manifested in the transformation of the Organization of African Union into the African Union (AU) (during the week of the 9 to 12 July 2001) and the vision and mission of New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) - juxtaposing this ideal to the pressures globalisation process exerts on the African continent, this study III seeks to identify essential elements of African Cultural Heritage that (if reclaimed and redefined) can contribute towards the transformation and development of (South) Africa and its people. The two critical questions here are: (a) Against the backdrop of Africa's economic disposition, what is the way forward for the continent to extricate itself from the quagmire of poverty, disease and instability? (b) Is Pan-Africanism the solution to the African crisis in the 2IIt century and the globalizing world? The African Renaissance discourse (as a new Pan-Africanism vision in the 2IIt century and a philosophical framework for (re)-construction and development) is central to this study, precisely because no nation that was uprooted from its soul can be able to recover wholly and progress without basing its socio-economic development plans on its own cultural identity and self-knowledge. It is hoped that this study will form part of existing critical resource material concerning the legacy of underdevelopment, and the constructive proposals and strategies critical in the socio-economic (re)-construction and development of Africa in the context of g1obalisation and its marginalising tendencies and practices against the countries of the South.
African indigenous churches and polygamy in the context of HIV and AIDS : the case of the Mutima church in Zambia.
(2007) Masaiti, Bridget Nonde.; Phiri, Isabel Apawo.
Women in the Mutima Church in Zambia have for some years had the highest HIV rate in the church, but because this is one of the African Indigenous Churches (AICs), not much is known about the behavioural and other risk factors that predispose these women to the virus. One of the reasons is that some members of the Mutima Church cannot make their own decisions when getting married. The church founder makes marital decisions for some of the church members. This problem raises serious questions for HIV health practitioners, activists and some of the church members. Informed by some of the Mutima Church members that HIV testing in their church is not considered a norm, this dissertation demonstrates theological teachings on polygamy and HIV and Aids employed by the church founder. In this dissertation, some church members from the Mutima Church were asked to describe and explain what polygamy and HIV and Aids meant to them and how they theologically perceived and understood them. While the major results indicate that polygamy in the Mutima Church contributes to the spread of HIV and Aids, the other new research findings are that the Mutima Church members' theological understanding on polygamy is that it is a blessing from God; and that HIV and Aids is a punishment from God. These responses are analysed and discussed in this dissertation.
African ministers and the emergence of resistance to colonial domination : the development of indigenous clergy in the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Zimbabwe from 1891 to 1980.
(2011) Gondongwe, Kennedy.; Denis, Philippe Marie Berthe Raoul.
This study is a critical assessment of the degree of political consciousness of the Zimbabwean Wesleyan Methodist indigenous ministers from 1891 to 1980. It documents the nature of the domination that the Wesleyan Methodist indigenous ministers experienced. It also documents and analyses how the indigenous ministers responded to the domination. The study relies upon primary documents from the National Archives of Zimbabwe, the Methodist Connexional Archives and other private archives. Information found in these archives includes minutes of synods, minutes of quarterly meetings, minutes of conferences, ministers' personal files and many other documents. The thesis also depends on interviews and other secondary material relevant to the study. Additionally, this thesis explores the training of the indigenous ministers. It emerges that the theological training of the indigenous ministers brought about some form of political radicalism. This was strengthened by the fact that the stipends and working conditions were not attractive. This thesis argues that the indigenous ministers had no clear position with regard to the significance of African culture. They oscillated between its rejection and acceptance. When they were politically inspired they rejected African culture to embrace it when it seemed expedient to do. It is further observed that the indigenous ministers contributed immensely to the liberation struggle. Using, Of Revelation and Revolution, Peasant Consciousness, Domination and the Arts of Resistance and Savage Systems as theoretical frameworks, this thesis concludes that the level of political consciousness of the indigenous ministers increased phenomenally in the second half of the 20th century. This was because of a number of reasons including the role played by mission churches in education, the impact of the Second World War, and adherence to certain constructions of John Wesley particularly those with liberation emphasis and many more. It also emerges that, although the political consciousness of the indigenous clergy was high, quite a number of them oscillated between two poles of patriotism and expediency. Put differently, the indigenous clergy were sometimes ambivalent in terms of what they adhered to. This was particularly so in cases to do with African culture.
African sacral rule and the Christian church : an investigation into a process of change and continuity in the encounter between Christianity and African tradition, with particular reference to Cameroon and Ghana.
(2003) Fossouo, Pascal.; Bediako, Kwame.
This investigation into a process of transformation was intended to explore the institution of African sacral rule in its relation to the Christian church and to provide a theological model, which could be used to establish a new mission field. The bulk of the work has been conducted through anthropological and historical methods crossing international boundaries and cultures within both sacral rule and the Christian church in Africa. The specific case studies have been the sacral rule of Grassfields people in Cameroon and the Akan in Ghana with focus on the Basel Mission and resulting churches. On the one hand, this comparative approach brought to light in-depth knowledge of the sacral ruler's encounter with the institution of the Christian church and its representatives. On the other hand, the investigation shows that with some preconceived ideas of sacral rule inherited from the missionaries who had established themselves in deliberate rejection of the existing system of government and the people involved, the African church leaders were put at a disadvantage. However, it has been demonstrated that in the process of struggle for survival and change, each institution has been partially assimilated by the· other. Those who have helped these two institutions to deepen their relationship through a genuine dialogue are outstanding Christians who occupied the position of sacral rulers in both Cameroon and Ghana. They have provided historical material on which an understanding of the cultural changes within sacral rule as well as the Christian church was based. The previous religious experience and knowledge of the sacral rulers are invariably used as a frame of reference for their understanding and interpretation of the Bible and their relationship with Christ.
African spirituality and methodism : a survey of Black members of the Thaba-Nchu Methodist Church.
(1997) Sibeko, Malika.; Denis, Philippe Marie Berthe Raoul.
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) has been plagued by a number of problems. One of this problems has been the breakaway of some of its members. Some of these members have joined other churches (Mainstream and African Indigenous Churches) and others have founded their own churches. One of the major reasons for the breakaways is what I have framed lack of "African Spirituality" in the MCSA. By "African Spirituality" I imply that the African way of life does not distinguish between sacred and secular. African spirituality includes the following component elements: Belief in one God, belief in Divinities, Believe in spirits, veneration of ancestors and practice of medicine. My research in the Thaba-Nchu area confirmed the existence of this problem in the Thaba-Nchu Methodist church. There were three categories of respondents in this research: those who left the church are: those who live between two worlds (belonging to the MCSA and attending services in the African Indigenous Churches at the same time); and those who have single membership. The first two categories, unanimously agreed that the lack African spirituality and that is why they left the church or have dual membership. Ways of addressing this problem, i.e., to remedy the situation, have been suggested by the respondents, some scholars and leaders of the MCSA. These suggestions include the following: (i) singing: use of drums, clapping of hands, etc. (ii) special Sundays for prayers of healing: the church is to use people who are gifted in this, e.g. diviners, sangomas and barapelli. (iii) symbolic things like water to be used. It is hoped that if these suggestions were implemented, the problem would be addressed and the breakaways would stop or slow down and those who have dual membership would be satisfied to stick to the Thaba-Nchu Methodist Church alone. To implement these suggestions, the "top down" communication strategy adopted by the MCSA's leadership on this and other problems has to be revised, the language used must be understandable to the ordinary people (the grassroots or the marginalised) and the material must be easily accessible to them.
An African symbolic Hermeneutical critique of the theory and practice of penal substitution theory of the Doctrine of Atonement in Church Of Christ in Nations (COCIN) within the context of Jos, Nigeria.
(2018) Luxman, Yusuf Jactu.; Hewitt, Roderick Raphael.; Kaunda, Chammah Judex.
This study is an African symbolic hermeneutical critique of the penal substitution theory, a theological concept that constitutes one of the ecclesial doctrines of the atonement as understood and practiced by the Church of Christ in Nations in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. The leaders and members live and practice this doctrine within Jos, a context plagued with systemic and symbolic violence. African symbolic hermeneutics is an ongoing broader perspective used in inculturating Euro-centric Christian doctrines within Africa. This perspective offers an afro-centric nuance in transmitting European cultured Christianity in Africa. Through the African symbolic hermeneutical perspective, this study interrogated the penal substitution theory as a missio-cultural tool that the church can utilise to respond to the violence-prone context. The study also examines the extent to which the leaders and laity are equipped with the African symbolic approaches that can adequately respond to the systemic and symbolic violence. The focus on the clergy leaders is because theologically they are trained to communicate the church’s doctrines and disciplines to its members. The penal substitution theory of the doctrine of atonement asserts that Christ took the legal responsibility of human sin and through his death paid the debt in order to satisfy the compulsory justice of God. In light of this, contemporary scholars have argued that this core teaching of the church has the potential for its followers to embrace violence as a method of demonstrating their allegiance to Christ and the church. Consequent to the retributive nuance contained within the doctrine, this study calls into question the context in which the doctrine was constructed and how this it was transplanted by the Western missionaries following the founding of the Church of Christ in Nations. Contemporary scholars have proposed a shift from the traditional Penal substitution theory of the doctrine of atonement which presents Christ as one who was violently punished for the sake of fallen humankind to a perspective that presents him as one who identifies with God’s love of creation. This assertion was made possible through an empirical research conducted within the Church of Christ in Nations in Jos, Plateau State where it was presented, analysed and interpreted. The symbolic hermeneutical perspective used in this study therefore seeks to appropriate the retributive understanding of the substitutionary work of Christ through the symbolic African viii cultural experience of Pyem people, one of the ethnic groups within Jos, Plateau State, which can better serve as a medium through which the penal substitution theory can be expressed within the violence-prone context of Jos. This serves as an alternative model of the doctrine under consideration that can equip the missional identity of the Church of Christ in Nations to positively respond to the religio-cultural, socio-political and violent context of Jos so as to bring about a just peace among its religiously diverse population.
African women overcoming patriarchy : a study of women in Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) Church in Rustenburg - South Africa.
(2005) Selokela, Oniccah N.; Phiri, Isabel Apawo.
This study is an investigation and description of ways in which the Apostolic Faith Mission churchwomen are succeeding in overcoming patriarchy. It also gives a critical evaluation of the extent to which these women are successful in their endeavour to overcome it. Fifteen women from the AFM Church were interviewed using the narrative methodology. This method was chosen to give women freedom to narrate their stories without interference. The data collected was analysed using a feminist theoretical framework on what it means to be human and to be a church. To avoid repetition and to give a room for a detailed analysis, the study was limited to four stories of the AFM churchwomen. Furthermore library research and fieldwork were also used to give a broader picture in analysing the field research work. The findings of this study indicated that women ministries are not taken seriously and are not fully supported by the church. They are still struggling with the issue of partnership because the church does not trust them to be good leaders. It has been noted in this study that patriarchy is the root cause of the marginalization of women of the AFM church. However, the study has demonstrated that women are resisting patriarchy despite the struggles that they are facing inside this church. The study went further to investigate some Biblical texts that advocate for gender equality and to find ways in which the Bible can be used as the source of liberation for both women and men of the AFM church. It has been suggested that the church should engage in the pursuit of Biblical directives for the Body of Christ. The scriptures prove that men and women are given equality by God and also some differences that clearly express the human diversity in general. So, the AFM women are challenging the church to recognise, affirm and celebrate them.
African women's theologies of survival : intersecting faith, feminisms, and development.
(2000) Haddad, Beverley Gail.; Maluleke, Tinyiko S.; Cochrane, James R.
This study intersects the disciplines of gender and development, feminist studies, and women’s theology. It is located within the socio-economic and political context of the region of Vulindlela, on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Its subjects are poor and marginalised indigenous African women of faith who live in the area and attend the local Anglican churches. Engaging the theoretical debates of these three areas of gender studies, it argues that indigenous African women live by subjugated survival theologies. These working theologies are forged within a context of struggle for literal survival and give expression to the voices of millions of women in South Africa. Survival, it contends, intersects faith, feminisms, and development. Two potential locations of survival theologies of poor and marginalised women are identified in the study: the Mothers’ Union (MU), the Anglican women’s prayer union which is a part of the indigenous manyano movement, and a contextual Bible study group of women from the area. In the MU, an established site of women’s theology, rituals such as the wearing of the church uniform, extempore praying and preaching, and fundraising are practices which reveal aspects of subjugated survival theologies. In the contextual Bible study group, a new social site was established through the efforts of the author, in order to create a place for the safe articulation of these theologies. This aspect of the study explored the extent to which collaborative work amongst women across race and class is possible and the ways in which it furthers the liberative agenda of the women’s project. Employing postmodern notions of identity, subjectivity, agency, and historicised local knowledges, this study argues that survival faith needs to shape the way feminist paradigms understand notions of liberation, activism, and solidarity. It contends that these subjugated survival theologies pose a challenge to the academy and to the practice of the church because they are, in part, a resistance discourse which has not been recognised. The voice and agency of poor and marginalised women of Vulindlela is highlighted throughout and, the study argues, it is these voices that have been neglected in the women’s project. It is the subjugated knowledges of poor and marginalised women of faith that have to be recognised and recovered, if the women’s project is to truly reflect all South African women.
African women, hospitality and HIV/AIDS : the case of the Mothers' Union of St. Margaret's United Church of Zambia.
(2005) Siwila, Lilian Cheelo.; Phiri, Isabel Apawo.
The problem of African women's hospitality has not been well handled in most churches in Africa. Although many churches seem to attach great value to African women's hospitality, there are still a lot of situations related to African women's hospitality that have been dehumanising and oppressive to African women both in the church and in the society. Issues such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic, economic hardship and sexuality have all affected African women's practice of hospitality. The fact that problems related with African women's hospitality surface within the church goes to show that this kind of hospitality needs to be re-examined by the Church if it has to be free and liberative to African women. Despite all these effects, African women themselves have valued and accepted hospitality as part of their calling in their service to God. The aim of this thesis is to discuss African women's hospitality from an African woman theologian's perspective. Writing as an African woman theologian, the researcher was able to bring out some of the effects of African hospitality to African women. Apart from hospitality being an African way of life and a virtue that needs to be embraced by both African culture and Christianity, hospitality is also viewed as a' command from God to all the Jews and Christians. On the other hand it is also important to mention that hospitality is a gift from God in that there are people who are gifted in extending their acts of hospitality to others. Hospitality as a concept, which has been practiced mainly by women in most African societies has impacted many dimensions of life especially in the Christian faith where African women's hospitality has been viewed as God's command to God's people. Although there is some literature produced on hospitality, the researcher noted with special interest that not much literature has been covered from the theological side on the issue of African women's hospitality and HIV/AIDS. The study was undertaken in the United Church of Zambia with the Mothers' Union group of St. Margaret Church of Kitwe. Among many others, the study reviewed the need for enculturation and contextualization of the African culture and the gospel. Chapter one is the introduction to the study. This includes the background to and motivation for the study, statement of the problem, the methodology used to collect data and the literature review. Chapter two brings out the historical background of hospitality both from the Biblical and African concept. The chapter shows African women's practice of hospitality in all these aspects and how their practises impacted the communities and people who lived at that time. Chapter three looks at different ways African women express their acts of hospitality. The effects of this expression of hospitality are also discussed. The other issues that have been covered are the response of African women theologians' to African women's practise of hospitality. Chapter four examines how HIV/AIDS has affected the practise of African women's hospitality and how these women who continue to offer hospitality under HIV/AIDS conditions cope with the risks involved in the practice. Chapter five analyses the research findings using cultural hermeneutics of Kanyoro 2000 as the frame of reference. Chapter six concludes African women's understanding of hospitality. This chapter states that African women's hospitality is a gift from God and women who are involved in this practice should be encouraged to do so. However, there is need for the church and community to re-examine the practice and look out for oppressive structures that are destructive to the African women's practice of hospitality. The chapter has also called on the church to be supportive to African women in their practise of hospitality.

Browse

Browsing Biblical & Historical Studies, Theological Studies & Ethics by Title