It is heartening to realise that Christianity is inclusively membered by differently abled people. Paradoxically, although the Church has cared for, and engaged with persons living with disabilities (PWDs) throughout history, African Church leadership has been exclusively made up of predominantly identically abled persons. Researchers report that ecclesial, infrastructural, leadership, and ministerial structures do not accommodate PWDs, mainly because of misunderstandings about disabilities, discriminatory traditions, hermeneutics and theologies. Disabilities are often generalised as repercussions of disobedience, sin, curses or defeat by evil spirits and witchcraft. Consequently, PWDs are misjudged as lacking abilities to be effective ecclesial leaders. While calls for inclusivity are loud globally, little research has been done to reconcile disabilities and abilities in ecclesiology and Christian leadership. If the Church merely proclaims but neglects demonstrating inclusivity, the gospel can be mistaken as paying hypocritical lip service in this regard, and rendering the Church exclusive, insensitive and imprisoning when it should be inclusive, sensitive and liberating for everyone, regardless of their impairments and (dis)abilities. Drawing from the inclusivity of Jesus Christ, missionary demands of the Church to minister to, with all creation as well as eschatological reflections, under grounded theory and reviewing related literature, this article unpacks the significance of inclusivity, identifies (dis)abilities and argues that Church authorities should consider, appreciate, accommodate, empower, develop, and enable PWDs to be part of ecclesial leadership for inclusionary transformation in and beyond Church walls.Contribution: This article advances transformational inclusivity in ecclesiology and Christian leadership.
{"title":"Enabling abilities in disabilities: Developing differently abled Christian leadership in Africa","authors":"Kimion Tagwirei","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.252","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.252","url":null,"abstract":"It is heartening to realise that Christianity is inclusively membered by differently abled people. Paradoxically, although the Church has cared for, and engaged with persons living with disabilities (PWDs) throughout history, African Church leadership has been exclusively made up of predominantly identically abled persons. Researchers report that ecclesial, infrastructural, leadership, and ministerial structures do not accommodate PWDs, mainly because of misunderstandings about disabilities, discriminatory traditions, hermeneutics and theologies. Disabilities are often generalised as repercussions of disobedience, sin, curses or defeat by evil spirits and witchcraft. Consequently, PWDs are misjudged as lacking abilities to be effective ecclesial leaders. While calls for inclusivity are loud globally, little research has been done to reconcile disabilities and abilities in ecclesiology and Christian leadership. If the Church merely proclaims but neglects demonstrating inclusivity, the gospel can be mistaken as paying hypocritical lip service in this regard, and rendering the Church exclusive, insensitive and imprisoning when it should be inclusive, sensitive and liberating for everyone, regardless of their impairments and (dis)abilities. Drawing from the inclusivity of Jesus Christ, missionary demands of the Church to minister to, with all creation as well as eschatological reflections, under grounded theory and reviewing related literature, this article unpacks the significance of inclusivity, identifies (dis)abilities and argues that Church authorities should consider, appreciate, accommodate, empower, develop, and enable PWDs to be part of ecclesial leadership for inclusionary transformation in and beyond Church walls.Contribution: This article advances transformational inclusivity in ecclesiology and Christian leadership.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":"27 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141816732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Economies of the African continent have been faced with difficulties in the last decade caused by various factors including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), unemployment, poverty and so forth. In the South African context, there is another factor that has emerged in the last decade called ‘load-shedding’ resulting in power cuts that affected the economy of the country. Consequently, many small businesses had cut jobs as they could not afford alternative energy generation such as generators and solar energy. These harsh economic conditions have produced some level of economic difficulties where the economy is not growing because of job losses and other challenges. How do Pentecostals respond to economic difficulties? This article attempts to answer this question through the radical economic approach. This approach is framed as a theory that confronts the conventional economic approaches. In addition, this theory is based on radical giving, radical charities and radical development.Contribution: The radical economic approach is relevant in dealing with economic difficulties; however, its radical giving has the potential to produce some level of exploitation of the poor and the marginalised in some instances. To deal with these exploitations, this article suggests a radical economic approach that will be considerate of the poor and the marginalised in communities by juxtaposing it with radical sociology.
{"title":"Radical economic approach in Pentecostalism: A Pentecostal response to economic difficulties","authors":"M. S. Kgatle","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.251","url":null,"abstract":"Economies of the African continent have been faced with difficulties in the last decade caused by various factors including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), unemployment, poverty and so forth. In the South African context, there is another factor that has emerged in the last decade called ‘load-shedding’ resulting in power cuts that affected the economy of the country. Consequently, many small businesses had cut jobs as they could not afford alternative energy generation such as generators and solar energy. These harsh economic conditions have produced some level of economic difficulties where the economy is not growing because of job losses and other challenges. How do Pentecostals respond to economic difficulties? This article attempts to answer this question through the radical economic approach. This approach is framed as a theory that confronts the conventional economic approaches. In addition, this theory is based on radical giving, radical charities and radical development.Contribution: The radical economic approach is relevant in dealing with economic difficulties; however, its radical giving has the potential to produce some level of exploitation of the poor and the marginalised in some instances. To deal with these exploitations, this article suggests a radical economic approach that will be considerate of the poor and the marginalised in communities by juxtaposing it with radical sociology.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":" 14","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141831248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The heinous ideology of apartheid in South Africa created a citizenry of distrust, disharmony and discord. With the demise of apartheid in 1994, the South African society needed a process of healing. There were and are attempts to bring about social cohesion through various discourses via the South African government and non-governmental organisations. It has been 30 years since the end of apartheid, yet South Africa still grapples with deep-seated distrust, disharmony and discord among its citizens. In 2021, this issue extends beyond the divide between white and non-white citizens to include tensions among other racial groups as well. This article attempts to offer a perspective on social cohesion from a concept known in Sanskrit as Nishkama Karma which means, in its basic form, desireless desire or selflessness. The idea of Nishkama Karma is examined by the researchers by referring to the commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita by Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva to formulate an understanding of Nishkama Karma that can contribute to social cohesion.Contribution: This article contributes to understanding the Hindu concept of Nishkama Karma as a contributor to social cohesion in South Africa and also examines the important role that different religions play in supporting governmental objectives in the country.
{"title":"For the greater good: Hinduism, selflessness, and social cohesion in South Africa","authors":"M. Shunmugam, Maniraj Sukdaven","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.245","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.245","url":null,"abstract":"The heinous ideology of apartheid in South Africa created a citizenry of distrust, disharmony and discord. With the demise of apartheid in 1994, the South African society needed a process of healing. There were and are attempts to bring about social cohesion through various discourses via the South African government and non-governmental organisations. It has been 30 years since the end of apartheid, yet South Africa still grapples with deep-seated distrust, disharmony and discord among its citizens. In 2021, this issue extends beyond the divide between white and non-white citizens to include tensions among other racial groups as well. This article attempts to offer a perspective on social cohesion from a concept known in Sanskrit as Nishkama Karma which means, in its basic form, desireless desire or selflessness. The idea of Nishkama Karma is examined by the researchers by referring to the commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita by Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva to formulate an understanding of Nishkama Karma that can contribute to social cohesion.Contribution: This article contributes to understanding the Hindu concept of Nishkama Karma as a contributor to social cohesion in South Africa and also examines the important role that different religions play in supporting governmental objectives in the country.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":" 29","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141674934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Evangelism is about forming Christian identity, but what is important is how to sustain Christian identity in a religiously pluralistic society. Can one cultivate dedication to a specific religious tradition without vilifying, assimilating, or relativising other religions? It is crucial to recognise that fostering healthy relationships with the religious ‘other’ is a critical element of ecclesial mission in the contemporary global context. As much as Christians need to be educated in intra-religious identity formation using evangelism training, they also need to be prepared for inter-religious dialogue. This article questions the role and purpose of evangelism in a post-colonial South Africa by firstly exploring the historical role of evangelism and thereafter uses current examples from interactions with the Hindu religion to reveal the way in which evangelism perpetuates outdated colonial values. It argues for the need for inter-faith dialogue as well as considers how Christian communities could engage interfaith dialogue.Contribution: The article considers the interplay of the Christian mandate of evangelism with the need for Christians to live in plurality and religious diversity. It places at the forefront the neglected need of inter-faith dialogue essential for social cohesion in broader society.
{"title":"Considering the evangelism mandate in the face of interfaith dialogue in South Africa","authors":"M. Shunmugam, Marilyn Naidoo","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.237","url":null,"abstract":"Evangelism is about forming Christian identity, but what is important is how to sustain Christian identity in a religiously pluralistic society. Can one cultivate dedication to a specific religious tradition without vilifying, assimilating, or relativising other religions? It is crucial to recognise that fostering healthy relationships with the religious ‘other’ is a critical element of ecclesial mission in the contemporary global context. As much as Christians need to be educated in intra-religious identity formation using evangelism training, they also need to be prepared for inter-religious dialogue. This article questions the role and purpose of evangelism in a post-colonial South Africa by firstly exploring the historical role of evangelism and thereafter uses current examples from interactions with the Hindu religion to reveal the way in which evangelism perpetuates outdated colonial values. It argues for the need for inter-faith dialogue as well as considers how Christian communities could engage interfaith dialogue.Contribution: The article considers the interplay of the Christian mandate of evangelism with the need for Christians to live in plurality and religious diversity. It places at the forefront the neglected need of inter-faith dialogue essential for social cohesion in broader society.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":" 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141675139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"They have killed your prophets: Roman Catholic Church priests in Nigeria and (non)state actors","authors":"F. Uroko","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.246","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":"101 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141683801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Women and young girls continue to face a plethora of challenges in contemporary contexts. This is caused and compounded by various factors such as male-orientated perceptions, constricted opportunities and lagging will to advance the transformation and liberation of women and young girls. This is enough to indicate that, unequivocally, there are continued setbacks that affect women. By the same token, it cannot be downplayed that women continue to overcome some of these setbacks. Therefore, this article aims to explore women’s challenges and victories in the Bible, with special reference to the New Testament. To do this, liberation theology is applied as a conceptual framework to advance the discussions in selected incidents. This article makes three notable findings. Firstly, women exercise agency in resisting and denouncing oppressive structures. Secondly, there is a necessity to (re)examine certain biblical narratives with an emphasis on justice and liberation in an attempt to elicit revolutionary perspectives on narratives that have traditionally been interpreted in ways that obstruct women’s roles. Thirdly, there are instances in the New Testament where women find liberation and empowerment through spiritual leadership roles. In closing, this article underscores the significance of scrutinising women’s issues that transcend the biblical narratives in a bid to elicit reasonable solutions to any identified challenges.Contribution: The scholarly contribution of this discourse lies in the exposition of women’s dialogues and biblical narratives. In so doing, this article chooses to focus on liberation theology on account that it is downplayed with presumptions that it is too discipline-focused.
{"title":"Exploring women’s challenges and victories in the New Testament through liberation theology","authors":"Mlamli Diko","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.230","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.230","url":null,"abstract":"Women and young girls continue to face a plethora of challenges in contemporary contexts. This is caused and compounded by various factors such as male-orientated perceptions, constricted opportunities and lagging will to advance the transformation and liberation of women and young girls. This is enough to indicate that, unequivocally, there are continued setbacks that affect women. By the same token, it cannot be downplayed that women continue to overcome some of these setbacks. Therefore, this article aims to explore women’s challenges and victories in the Bible, with special reference to the New Testament. To do this, liberation theology is applied as a conceptual framework to advance the discussions in selected incidents. This article makes three notable findings. Firstly, women exercise agency in resisting and denouncing oppressive structures. Secondly, there is a necessity to (re)examine certain biblical narratives with an emphasis on justice and liberation in an attempt to elicit revolutionary perspectives on narratives that have traditionally been interpreted in ways that obstruct women’s roles. Thirdly, there are instances in the New Testament where women find liberation and empowerment through spiritual leadership roles. In closing, this article underscores the significance of scrutinising women’s issues that transcend the biblical narratives in a bid to elicit reasonable solutions to any identified challenges.Contribution: The scholarly contribution of this discourse lies in the exposition of women’s dialogues and biblical narratives. In so doing, this article chooses to focus on liberation theology on account that it is downplayed with presumptions that it is too discipline-focused.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":" 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140992195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leadership, fundamentally, is about people. It is especially during times of uncertainty, as created by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when resources become scarce or inaccessible that people remain vital for continued and sustainable leadership. Yet, sustainable leadership is more than the longevity of an organisation. Sustainable leadership is also about community and developing people. The aims of sustainable leadership are most suitable within the church where the community is accessible. However, this article will not simply address the community in the church but the youth as part of the community as vital elements for sustainable leadership. Furthermore, the responsibility of nurturing and supporting the youth for leadership needs to be intentional. The article will address sustainable leadership through practical theology and social capital to achieve its aim.Contribution: The article recognises that the dilemma of sustainable leadership cannot only be approached from a theological perspective but must engage with and pursue an interdisciplinary discussion. In this case, theoretical perspectives and approaches from leadership and social sciences were dialogue partners with theology to address sustainable leadership.
{"title":"Youth as a valuable resource for sustainable leadership","authors":"Garth Aziz","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.214","url":null,"abstract":"Leadership, fundamentally, is about people. It is especially during times of uncertainty, as created by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when resources become scarce or inaccessible that people remain vital for continued and sustainable leadership. Yet, sustainable leadership is more than the longevity of an organisation. Sustainable leadership is also about community and developing people. The aims of sustainable leadership are most suitable within the church where the community is accessible. However, this article will not simply address the community in the church but the youth as part of the community as vital elements for sustainable leadership. Furthermore, the responsibility of nurturing and supporting the youth for leadership needs to be intentional. The article will address sustainable leadership through practical theology and social capital to achieve its aim.Contribution: The article recognises that the dilemma of sustainable leadership cannot only be approached from a theological perspective but must engage with and pursue an interdisciplinary discussion. In this case, theoretical perspectives and approaches from leadership and social sciences were dialogue partners with theology to address sustainable leadership.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":"14 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140369025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The challenge of women’s infertility in the South African context, particularly in rural communities, continues to be a plague because of cultural and religious systems that are interwoven in these communities. The amaXhosa ethnic group is no exception to this challenge given that it is profoundly rooted in its ethnological and religious belief systems. Nevertheless, the fair popularity of this conundrum does not denote that it is not a problem that compromises people’s welfare with major adversarial effects on women. Therefore, this article aims to conduct a scoping literature review to reflect on and explore the cultural and religious implications as well as intricacies of infertility among the amaXhosa ethnic group. The principal findings and discussions indicate that amaXhosa, specifically those that are deemed a couple, are compelled to bear children because of cultural and religious expectations that are further linked to societal expectations. On account of this, the principal arguments herein indicate the necessity to contest and examine how African religious systems, in the context of amaXhosa, configure the overall existence of many individuals, with special reference to issues of infertility.Contribution: The scholarly significance of this article lies in the stimulation of ethnological and religious dialogues that pursue to serve as agents of social transformation in the South African context. In addition to this, the emphasis is on the existing gap that points out that some of the injustices that exist in today’s society are profoundly rooted in African culture and its religious facets.
{"title":"Cultural religion and infertility in South Africa with particular focus on amaXhosa","authors":"Mlamli Diko","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.208","url":null,"abstract":"The challenge of women’s infertility in the South African context, particularly in rural communities, continues to be a plague because of cultural and religious systems that are interwoven in these communities. The amaXhosa ethnic group is no exception to this challenge given that it is profoundly rooted in its ethnological and religious belief systems. Nevertheless, the fair popularity of this conundrum does not denote that it is not a problem that compromises people’s welfare with major adversarial effects on women. Therefore, this article aims to conduct a scoping literature review to reflect on and explore the cultural and religious implications as well as intricacies of infertility among the amaXhosa ethnic group. The principal findings and discussions indicate that amaXhosa, specifically those that are deemed a couple, are compelled to bear children because of cultural and religious expectations that are further linked to societal expectations. On account of this, the principal arguments herein indicate the necessity to contest and examine how African religious systems, in the context of amaXhosa, configure the overall existence of many individuals, with special reference to issues of infertility.Contribution: The scholarly significance of this article lies in the stimulation of ethnological and religious dialogues that pursue to serve as agents of social transformation in the South African context. In addition to this, the emphasis is on the existing gap that points out that some of the injustices that exist in today’s society are profoundly rooted in African culture and its religious facets.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":"1 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140412572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
South Africa, like all nations, faces several societal ills. In recent years, poverty has seen an increase in its prevalence rates – gaining attention from local, national, and international institutions. Poverty as a global phenomenon has existed for centuries and is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future. Amid this gloomy prediction, religion offers a beacon of hope. Religious communities provide a sense of comfort, security, and hope for a better future. However, they are also institutions capable of great social change and influence. Considering South Africa’s diverse and large religious community, the question of how religious communities can support poverty alleviation efforts and curb the growth of poverty becomes important, necessary, and relevant to the existing discourse on multilateral collaboration towards poverty alleviation.Contribution: This article contributes to understanding different religious views on poverty towards understanding the importance of the religious community and interfaith dialogue and collaboration in addressing the growth of poverty in South Africa.
{"title":"Religion and poverty alleviation in South Africa","authors":"M. Shunmugam","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.224","url":null,"abstract":"South Africa, like all nations, faces several societal ills. In recent years, poverty has seen an increase in its prevalence rates – gaining attention from local, national, and international institutions. Poverty as a global phenomenon has existed for centuries and is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future. Amid this gloomy prediction, religion offers a beacon of hope. Religious communities provide a sense of comfort, security, and hope for a better future. However, they are also institutions capable of great social change and influence. Considering South Africa’s diverse and large religious community, the question of how religious communities can support poverty alleviation efforts and curb the growth of poverty becomes important, necessary, and relevant to the existing discourse on multilateral collaboration towards poverty alleviation.Contribution: This article contributes to understanding different religious views on poverty towards understanding the importance of the religious community and interfaith dialogue and collaboration in addressing the growth of poverty in South Africa.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":"72 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140426971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Without a doubt, pastoral care as the frontline ministry of the church has been crucial in Africa. Numerous obstacles confronting the African continent as a whole make pastoral care indispensable. Despite the fact that many scholars have acknowledged this, the distinctiveness of pastoral care in Africa has not been extensively investigated. What is it about pastoral care that makes it such an essential ministry in Africa? Other questions that must be addressed to clarify the primary question include: If pastoral care is essential, what is the church doing to expand pastoral care in Africa? What contributions are pastoral care theologians making to the academic impact of pastoral care discourse? This article examines why pastoral care is essential and how the church and pastoral care theologians can increase its impact in Africa. The article’s thesis is supported by extant research within the field of pastoral care.Contribution: The article presents a discussion on the importance of pastoral care in Africa. The article helps elaborate on the need to have pastoral care in Africa that will effectively serve its people. Churches and pastoral care scholars in Africa will benefit from the discussion of this article as it helps in mapping the direction of pastoral care in Africa.
{"title":"Why is pastoral care crucial to Africa? Towards an African pastoral care perspective","authors":"Patrick Nanthambwe","doi":"10.4102/tv.v48i1.228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/tv.v48i1.228","url":null,"abstract":"Without a doubt, pastoral care as the frontline ministry of the church has been crucial in Africa. Numerous obstacles confronting the African continent as a whole make pastoral care indispensable. Despite the fact that many scholars have acknowledged this, the distinctiveness of pastoral care in Africa has not been extensively investigated. What is it about pastoral care that makes it such an essential ministry in Africa? Other questions that must be addressed to clarify the primary question include: If pastoral care is essential, what is the church doing to expand pastoral care in Africa? What contributions are pastoral care theologians making to the academic impact of pastoral care discourse? This article examines why pastoral care is essential and how the church and pastoral care theologians can increase its impact in Africa. The article’s thesis is supported by extant research within the field of pastoral care.Contribution: The article presents a discussion on the importance of pastoral care in Africa. The article helps elaborate on the need to have pastoral care in Africa that will effectively serve its people. Churches and pastoral care scholars in Africa will benefit from the discussion of this article as it helps in mapping the direction of pastoral care in Africa.","PeriodicalId":34066,"journal":{"name":"Theologia Viatorum","volume":"13 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140424674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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