Sharpening Our Social Conscience

Conspectus, 2022

Social justice has become a deeply contested subject among Christians. These disagreements indicate an ongoing process of discernment and reflection regarding Christian participation in transforming the social order. For the post-apartheid context, the need to reformulate our vision and approach is crucial to cementing our witnessing. This article seeks to explore how the concept of shalom could provide for a thicker theological and conceptual framework for Christian praxis in the Namibian post-apartheid context. It seeks to provide a theological basis for Christian participation in the social ordering and what role the church can play to ensure more positive social outcomes. The paper engages in critical analysis and suggests critical participation as a way of embodying Christian values and the gospel in the public sphere. This engagement is an attempt to answer the question: In what ways could the notion of shalom provide for a new, radical, and transformative vision for taking part in minimizing the effects of post-apartheid social injustice?

2016

This research paper explores the ways by which the practice of social holiness can be reactivated in the lives of the members of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in order to enhance the church's mission pillar on human empowerment and economic development in the face of the existential reality of poverty in South Africa. The MCSA is one of the largest mainline churches and it is renowned for its historical role in social transformation through the actions of members as they spread scriptural holiness. These actions are the heritage that can be traced from the Methodist movement in the 18 th century England to South Africa, especially in advocacy for human rights during the apartheid era. The central problem of this research is that the "cutting edge" of Methodism in South Africa seems to be losing its sharpness in spite of its wellarticulated vision, mission statement and strategies which are aimed at bringing healing and transformation. These initiatives seem to be failing to yield significant results to offset the presently escalating levels of poverty and other social ills in society in the Republic of South Africa. This research paper traces the concept of social holiness to the Wesleyan doctrine of Christian perfection, which is central to the lives of the Methodist people. This doctrine is unpacked to show that this perfection is not an inward, purist holiness journey, but rather the spiritual formation of a character and then the community whose sole purpose is to seek to love God and his/her neighbour. This holiness is relational to the character of a disciple, whose life manifests CHAPTER ONE

Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020

By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 2022

Social injustice and inequality create existential worries and social instability. Public theology, as a method rather than as a discipline, developed as a response to fortify Christian witness in the public arena and to answer to issues such as social injustice. This article builds on this theological method for social engagement and on the inherent social capital that religion holds to produce the common good in a secular environment. As part of reflecting upon the significance of theology in the public sphere, I first will examine the role theology can play to shape our social vision. Secondly, I will examine how the notions of covenant and neighbourliness could be providing a turning point regarding social justice. Thirdly, I address the search for the common good as God's tool to inform alternative and humane associational life. Fourthly, the article will explore theology's role to inform and create a vibrant civic society. The dialogue partners in the article are intentionally chosen to formulate a theological pedagogy distinctive from defensive, and at times violent, postures witnessed in social justice dialogues. I aim to create a space for a more objective examination of habits and practices in search of a fuller description and embodiment of God's Kingdom in Southern Africa. The article explores the following question, how can theology, through pursuing the common good, become a significant social capital generator to influence social justice in Southern Africa?

Pharos Journal of Theology, 2022

The Church is God's agency to bring about well-being in the world (Harold, 2018a). This bringing out of well-being to humanity call for an understanding of justice and compassion through a missional reading of the Bible and its intersection with "actions" of the Evangelical Church in post-apartheid South Africa. The aim of this article is twofold , the first, is to examine the praxis of the Evangelical Church and its relevance to the marginalised in South Africa critically, and the second, is to help the ECSA understand that a missional reading or a missional hermeneutic through theosis brings about a correct understanding (orthodoxy) of compassion, justice and the Missio Dei leading to the right action (orthopraxis). Using literature, this article will explore and recommend ways the ECSA can act prophetically by speaking to and on behalf of the voiceless in South Africa. The researcher then employs the notion of Theosis to show that by acting compassionately, the Church reflects the very nature of God.

This paper presents an overview of the application, and unique expression, of Christian Perfection as it has taken shape within Methodism in Southern Africa. Christianity, and in particular Methodism, is a dominant faith perspective in Southern Africa. The ideology of apartheid in South Africa forms the background against which the Methodist Church of Southern Africa developed a social holiness approach to Christian perfection. The paper presents and discusses 5 seminal historical events in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa that illustrate this theological emphasis.

2010

From back cover: This excellent book provides new impetus to the academic debate around the assessment criteria of the impact of the broad religious sphere on social development in contemporary South Africa. The volume is exemplary in its interdisciplinary approach and for advancing a new theoretical framework that combines hermeneutical and empirical methods. Indeed, the book sets new standards in the fields of practical theology and sociology of religion. Prof Wilhelm Gräb, Professor of Practical Theology & Director of the Institute of Sociology of Religion and Community Development, Humboldt University, Berlin This book may easily stand out in future as seminal in the way that it promoted the social development debate of the church and its organisational structures from an interdisciplinary focus. The book will not only impact on how the church and religious structures should reach out to address social development themes such as poverty. It will, in turn, facilitate understanding by other disciplines of the role of the church and FBOs, which will encourage them to engage the church and religious structures more meaningfully in pursuing the social development agenda. Prof Antoinette Lombard, Professor of Social Work & Head of the Department of Social Work and Criminology, University of Pretoria This publication makes a significant contribution to the debate about the role of the faith-based sector in social development in post-apartheid South Africa. Its initial positive hypothesis is supported by original interdisciplinary research that paints a realistic picture of organised religion in contemporary South Africa; it also sets new standards for empirical and socially based religious and theological research. As such, it presents an appropriate intellectual response to the social agenda of the “New South Africa”. Dr Ian Nell, Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology, Department of Practical Theology and Missiology & Director of the Unit for Religion and Development Research, Stellenbosch University This book provides valuable theoretical and practical perspectives for critical engagement in the field of development in post-apartheid South Africa. It provides much-needed insight into the contribution of the religious sector while, at the same time, challenging this sector to embrace a more holistic view of development. With its combination of experienced and novice “voices”, the text is a vigorous and commendable example of interdisciplinary collaboration. Prof Jaco Dreyer, Professor of Practical Theology, Department of Practical Theology, University of South Africa

Religion & Development Discussion Paper 01/2018, 2018

Independent and Pentecostal Churches initiated in Africa – subsumed here as African Initiated Churches, AICs – represent large parts of the population in many African countries. They are rooted in the communities and can hence be understood as experts for people’s daily needs and challenges as well as for the kind of support and development interventions needed. However, religious actors outside the mission churches are often not recognized as potential partners by international development organizations. Despite this lack of recognition, AICs are already active as development actors themselves. AICs see the human being in its physical, social and spiritual dimensions. Therefore, they support their members and the wider community through prayer and counselling, but also through various social service activities. This article highlights the perspective on development cooperation of AICs themselves. Focusing predominantly on the South African context, it seeks to outline the ideas of South African AICs for fruitful development cooperation. While it turns out that the interviewed church leaders show interest in collaboration with development agencies, this does not come without conditions such as equal partnership, transparency, accountability and respect for their religious identity.

HTS teologiese studies, 2024

This article investigates why the Ecumenical Church in South Africa has not responded effectively to social issues such as bad governance, corruption, inequality, crime, and ethical decline. It uses contextual and comparative analysis to examine the historical, political, and theological factors that influence the church's role and identity. It draws on missiology, practical theology, and ecclesiology to argue that the church is neglecting its moral and prophetic duty to uphold human dignity and value, and to offer hope and healing to all. The investigation identified six reasons for the church's social failure and proposes some practical and theological ways to improve its social responsibility and witness. Contribution: This article challenges the church to be a prophetic voice and witness for social transformation in South Africa. It calls for a national convention of Christian leaders to craft a unified vision for the country's future and foster dialogue, cooperation, and social responsibility among diverse and complex churches.