Pub Date : 2023-07-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a4
M. S. Kgatle, J. S. Thinane
The New Prophetic Churches is a religion in the mix, demonstrated by their points of contact with classical Pentecostalism, the prosperity gospel, African independent churches, and African traditional religion. New Prophetic Churches have points of contact with classical Pentecostalism with reference to the doctrine of baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. They are also influenced by the African traditional religions with reference to their connection with the spirit world. In addition, they have points of contact with the African independent churches concerning the use of healing and deliverance products. Furthermore, they have points of contact with the prosperity gospel in teaching the message of material blessing. The original form of these influences is presented in this article as opium religion, whereas the corrupted form of these influences is presented as opioid forms of religion. The latter refers to a somewhat dangerous mix of religious teachings, advocated by self-appointed spiritual leaders within the New Prophetic Churches. These spiritual leaders have concocted this mixture contrary to the original purpose of such teachings with the intention to satisfy their commercial desires to the detriment of the spiritual wellbeing of their followers and the sa-credness of religious teachings, particularly Christian teachings. Relying on a literary analysis, this article challenges the religious teachings of opioid religions that undermine the original good intentions with which these teachings are mixed. It suggests that any religious teaching in the Christian tradition should be consistent with the eternal purpose of God's mission, identity in Christ, and the fundamental tenets of the Christian tradition. There are neo-Pentecostal churches that are consistent with the mission of God, bringing solutions to various challenges in Africa. However, the focus here is on the New Prophetic Churches that have transited from the opium of religion to religion as opioids.
{"title":"Transition from the Opium of Religion to Religion as Opioids: Abuse of Religious Teachings in the New Prophetic Churches in South Africa","authors":"M. S. Kgatle, J. S. Thinane","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a4","url":null,"abstract":"The New Prophetic Churches is a religion in the mix, demonstrated by their points of contact with classical Pentecostalism, the prosperity gospel, African independent churches, and African traditional religion. New Prophetic Churches have points of contact with classical Pentecostalism with reference to the doctrine of baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. They are also influenced by the African traditional religions with reference to their connection with the spirit world. In addition, they have points of contact with the African independent churches concerning the use of healing and deliverance products. Furthermore, they have points of contact with the prosperity gospel in teaching the message of material blessing. The original form of these influences is presented in this article as opium religion, whereas the corrupted form of these influences is presented as opioid forms of religion. The latter refers to a somewhat dangerous mix of religious teachings, advocated by self-appointed spiritual leaders within the New Prophetic Churches. These spiritual leaders have concocted this mixture contrary to the original purpose of such teachings with the intention to satisfy their commercial desires to the detriment of the spiritual wellbeing of their followers and the sa-credness of religious teachings, particularly Christian teachings. Relying on a literary analysis, this article challenges the religious teachings of opioid religions that undermine the original good intentions with which these teachings are mixed. It suggests that any religious teaching in the Christian tradition should be consistent with the eternal purpose of God's mission, identity in Christ, and the fundamental tenets of the Christian tradition. There are neo-Pentecostal churches that are consistent with the mission of God, bringing solutions to various challenges in Africa. However, the focus here is on the New Prophetic Churches that have transited from the opium of religion to religion as opioids.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44324749","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}
Pub Date : 2023-07-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a2
M. Suleman
Muslim personal law (MPL) has been a controversial issue in South Africa. Proponents of it becoming legalized in South Africa, say that women would be handed benefits which they do not have because their marriages lack legal recognition. Women lack support from theological bodies which are largely male dominated. These bodies have been accused of adopting a conservative view of Islam and of wanting to maintain the patriarchal status quo. It can be argued that such views are culturally and structurally violent, as they lead to direct violence, as women are denied important resources such as divorce which could be legally ratified in a court where MPL is recognized. Religious leaders who are against MPL, are in a state of 'hysteresis' as Bourdieu would say. Theological bodies, on the other hand, state that MPL cannot be intertwined with secular laws that are contrary to Shariah (Islamic law). They criticize the clergy who were in favor of MPL becoming legalized. My doctoral research focused on religious leaders' views of domestic violence experienced by Muslim women. Using a qualitative research methodology, their views were obtained, using in-depth interviews. Thereafter, their opinions were organized in the form of themes. One of the core themes that emerged from the data, was Muslim religious leaders' views on MPL. In conjunction with the literature, it was found that there are religious leaders against the legalization of MPL and those who favor MPL becoming legalized.
{"title":"Muslim Personal Law, Yes and No: Religious Leader's Views on its Legalization","authors":"M. Suleman","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a2","url":null,"abstract":"Muslim personal law (MPL) has been a controversial issue in South Africa. Proponents of it becoming legalized in South Africa, say that women would be handed benefits which they do not have because their marriages lack legal recognition. Women lack support from theological bodies which are largely male dominated. These bodies have been accused of adopting a conservative view of Islam and of wanting to maintain the patriarchal status quo. It can be argued that such views are culturally and structurally violent, as they lead to direct violence, as women are denied important resources such as divorce which could be legally ratified in a court where MPL is recognized. Religious leaders who are against MPL, are in a state of 'hysteresis' as Bourdieu would say. Theological bodies, on the other hand, state that MPL cannot be intertwined with secular laws that are contrary to Shariah (Islamic law). They criticize the clergy who were in favor of MPL becoming legalized. My doctoral research focused on religious leaders' views of domestic violence experienced by Muslim women. Using a qualitative research methodology, their views were obtained, using in-depth interviews. Thereafter, their opinions were organized in the form of themes. One of the core themes that emerged from the data, was Muslim religious leaders' views on MPL. In conjunction with the literature, it was found that there are religious leaders against the legalization of MPL and those who favor MPL becoming legalized.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44449909","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}
Pub Date : 2023-07-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a3
Ashraf Kunnummal
Farid Esack and Hamid Dabashi are two critical Islamic liberation theology scholars who redefined the discourse on 'self and 'other' in contemporary Islamic thought. These two scholars engage with the self and other category of pluralism and the employment of theodicy in Islamic liberation theology. Using pluralism to clear the space for a liberating praxis is the task of Esack, while Dabashi uses the idea of theodicy to challenge the existing consensus on and reconfigure the liberation in Islamic liberation theology. Moving from the otherness of Muslims to the multiplicity of otherness - the various manifestations of self and other - in a pluriversal horizon of liberation, this article deploys both Esack's and Dabashi's notions of self and other towards building a new politics of Islamic liberation theology.
{"title":"The Politics of Post-Essential Islamic Liberation Theology: The Difference and Intersection between Farid Esack and Hamid Dabashi","authors":"Ashraf Kunnummal","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a3","url":null,"abstract":"Farid Esack and Hamid Dabashi are two critical Islamic liberation theology scholars who redefined the discourse on 'self and 'other' in contemporary Islamic thought. These two scholars engage with the self and other category of pluralism and the employment of theodicy in Islamic liberation theology. Using pluralism to clear the space for a liberating praxis is the task of Esack, while Dabashi uses the idea of theodicy to challenge the existing consensus on and reconfigure the liberation in Islamic liberation theology. Moving from the otherness of Muslims to the multiplicity of otherness - the various manifestations of self and other - in a pluriversal horizon of liberation, this article deploys both Esack's and Dabashi's notions of self and other towards building a new politics of Islamic liberation theology.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43770923","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}
Pub Date : 2023-07-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a1
Agnieszka Podolecka
One of the social changes with the collapse of Apartheid in the South African society was the emergence of so-called 'white isangomas' or 'white izangoma'. This was not the first time that people of European origins were called by amadlozi (ancestral spirits) to ubungoma2. The first records are dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, but the social situation (colonialism and then Apartheid) made it impossible for Whites to be trained. However, with the growing awareness of the importance of African cultures, white people who felt the calling, started looking for answers. The calling is characterized by a sickness of body and mind that shows itself in having visions and an overwhelming weakness. It is widely believed that it can be healed only through the training by a fully-fledged isangoma. This essay analyses white izangoma vocation and work, establishing if they really are part of ubungo-ma, and if they influence and change black izangoma'steachings and work. The information originates from the author's field study, written izangoma'stestimonials, and other academic research. The field studies that allowed gathering first-hand information for this essay were financed by the Polish National Science Centre (Narodowe Centrum Nauki), Poland, project no. 2017/25/N/HS1/02500.
随着南非社会种族隔离制度的崩溃，社会发生了变化，其中之一就是出现了所谓的“白人伊桑戈马”或“白人伊桑戈马”。这不是欧洲血统的人第一次被祖先的灵魂称为乌班戈马2。最早的记录可以追溯到20世纪初，但社会状况（殖民主义和种族隔离）使白人无法接受培训。然而，随着人们越来越意识到非洲文化的重要性，感受到这种召唤的白人开始寻找答案。这种召唤的特点是身体和精神的疾病，表现为有幻觉和压倒性的弱点。人们普遍认为，只有经过成熟的伊桑戈玛的训练，它才能痊愈。本文分析了白人伊桑戈玛的职业和工作，确定他们是否真的是乌班戈玛的一部分，以及他们是否影响和改变了黑人伊桑戈马的职业和生活。这些信息来源于作者的实地研究、伊桑戈玛的评论和其他学术研究。为本文收集第一手信息的实地研究由波兰国家科学中心（Narodowe Centrum Nauki）资助，项目编号为2017/25/N/HS1/02500。
{"title":"White Izangoma: The Creation of New Significance or New Members of Traditional Healing-Divining Practice?","authors":"Agnieszka Podolecka","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2023/v36n1a1","url":null,"abstract":"One of the social changes with the collapse of Apartheid in the South African society was the emergence of so-called 'white isangomas' or 'white izangoma'. This was not the first time that people of European origins were called by amadlozi (ancestral spirits) to ubungoma2. The first records are dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, but the social situation (colonialism and then Apartheid) made it impossible for Whites to be trained. However, with the growing awareness of the importance of African cultures, white people who felt the calling, started looking for answers. The calling is characterized by a sickness of body and mind that shows itself in having visions and an overwhelming weakness. It is widely believed that it can be healed only through the training by a fully-fledged isangoma. This essay analyses white izangoma vocation and work, establishing if they really are part of ubungo-ma, and if they influence and change black izangoma'steachings and work. The information originates from the author's field study, written izangoma'stestimonials, and other academic research. The field studies that allowed gathering first-hand information for this essay were financed by the Polish National Science Centre (Narodowe Centrum Nauki), Poland, project no. 2017/25/N/HS1/02500.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42186131","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}
Pub Date : 2023-01-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a2
M. Ibrahim
This article examines the ambiguous values that guide and sustain livelihood practices and everyday struggles of different classes of people in the context of contemporary Sharia reforms, introduced in Nigeria at the turn of the 21st century. It specifically analyzes the economic impact of the Yan Hisbah (moral police) in Kano in Nigeria, who enforce Islamic moral values in the economy. While the Sharia reformers promise economic prosperity in the face of allegedly failed secular government and economic systems, their interventions come under sustained criticism. Muslim subjects argue that the activities of the Yan Hisbah are limiting economic opportunities and development. They also criticize the Yan Hisba Sharia moral project as an economy thriving in an 'immoral' economy that it seeks to correct. The essay shows that moral economies in the context of state, religious reform, and capitalism are not easy to implement.
{"title":"Sharia Reforms, Hisbah, and the Economy of Moral Policing in Nigeria","authors":"M. Ibrahim","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a2","url":null,"abstract":"This article examines the ambiguous values that guide and sustain livelihood practices and everyday struggles of different classes of people in the context of contemporary Sharia reforms, introduced in Nigeria at the turn of the 21st century. It specifically analyzes the economic impact of the Yan Hisbah (moral police) in Kano in Nigeria, who enforce Islamic moral values in the economy. While the Sharia reformers promise economic prosperity in the face of allegedly failed secular government and economic systems, their interventions come under sustained criticism. Muslim subjects argue that the activities of the Yan Hisbah are limiting economic opportunities and development. They also criticize the Yan Hisba Sharia moral project as an economy thriving in an 'immoral' economy that it seeks to correct. The essay shows that moral economies in the context of state, religious reform, and capitalism are not easy to implement.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41416434","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}
Pub Date : 2023-01-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2ar1
M. Frahm-Arp
{"title":"Book Review","authors":"M. Frahm-Arp","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2ar1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2ar1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46863861","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}
Pub Date : 2023-01-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2aintro
Asonzeh Ukah
Since the re-purposing of the concept of the moral economy by the British historian, E.P. Thompson in the late 1960s, scholars from a variety of disciplines in social sciences and humanities have attempted to apply it as a tool for empirical analysis. As a migratory concept, the meaning of 'moral economy' has shifted from theology to philosophy to anthropology and history. Scholars of religions and historians of religion, however, have shown a reluctance in deploying the concept in their field of study. A flexible and vintage concept such as the moral economy may seem to be an oxymoron when applied to the study of religion and religious reforms. Its utility, however, is demonstrated by a collection of four critical articles in this special issue of this journal to explore wide-ranging empirical materials and contexts. These include the contemporary analysis of religious morality and regulation in Northern Nigeria, the entanglements of Muslim-owned restaurants and Islamic morality in Mumbai (India), Zulu ethnic nationality and morality in the Nazareth Baptist Church in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), and finally, the pre-modern theoretical and philosophical reflections of the 14th-century Tunisian Muslim philosopher, Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun. In these diverse scenarios and contexts, the moral economy concept illustrates its theoretical and analytical capacity and potential in the field of the study of religions.
{"title":"Moral Economy: The Afterlife of a Nebulous Concept","authors":"Asonzeh Ukah","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2aintro","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2aintro","url":null,"abstract":"Since the re-purposing of the concept of the moral economy by the British historian, E.P. Thompson in the late 1960s, scholars from a variety of disciplines in social sciences and humanities have attempted to apply it as a tool for empirical analysis. As a migratory concept, the meaning of 'moral economy' has shifted from theology to philosophy to anthropology and history. Scholars of religions and historians of religion, however, have shown a reluctance in deploying the concept in their field of study. A flexible and vintage concept such as the moral economy may seem to be an oxymoron when applied to the study of religion and religious reforms. Its utility, however, is demonstrated by a collection of four critical articles in this special issue of this journal to explore wide-ranging empirical materials and contexts. These include the contemporary analysis of religious morality and regulation in Northern Nigeria, the entanglements of Muslim-owned restaurants and Islamic morality in Mumbai (India), Zulu ethnic nationality and morality in the Nazareth Baptist Church in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), and finally, the pre-modern theoretical and philosophical reflections of the 14th-century Tunisian Muslim philosopher, Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun. In these diverse scenarios and contexts, the moral economy concept illustrates its theoretical and analytical capacity and potential in the field of the study of religions.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46384137","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}
Pub Date : 2023-01-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a6
F. Esack, Raeesah Boomgaard, C. Vincent-Lambert
The Bachelor of Health Science degree in Emergency Medical Care (BHS EMC) in South Africa requires that students participate in clinical learning and medical rescue practicals. This study explores the views and experiences of a sample of Muslim students studying EMC at one university regarding potential areas of conflict between their religious obligations and the required academic activities. Second, in presenting the outcomes of these interviews, the article also reflects on the challenges facing secular universities when confronted with heterogeneity in understanding the religious requirements or obligations of the faithful - articulated or unarticulated - in the same religious community on the one hand, and the dilemma of maximum religious accommodation and embrace of religious pluralism versus pragmatism and the limitations of programmatic and budgetary constraints, on the other. Third, in discussing the challenges presented by the students, and their understanding of Islam and its requirements, we use the ideas of Shahab Ahmed (d. 2015) as articulated in his magnum opus, What is Islam? (Ahmed 2016). He argues that the term 'Islam' 'expresses a historical and human phenomenon in its plenitude and complexity of meaning' (Ahmed 2016:5). Finally, in locating the responses of our informants within their religio-theological and legal contexts, as well as in the broader world of Islam in social and cultural contexts, we draw attention to the nuanced realities of both textual and lived Islam.
南非的紧急医疗保健(BHS EMC)健康科学学士学位要求学生参加临床学习和医疗救援实践。本研究探讨了在一所大学学习EMC的穆斯林学生样本的观点和经验，涉及他们的宗教义务与所要求的学术活动之间的潜在冲突领域。其次，在展示这些访谈的结果时，文章还反映了世俗大学在面对理解同一宗教社区中信徒的宗教要求或义务(明确或未明确)的异质性时所面临的挑战，以及最大程度的宗教适应和宗教多元化与实用主义的拥抱以及计划和预算限制的局限性之间的困境。另一方面。第三，在讨论学生提出的挑战，以及他们对伊斯兰教及其要求的理解时，我们使用了Shahab Ahmed (d. 2015)在其代表作《什么是伊斯兰教?》(Ahmed 2016)。他认为，“伊斯兰”一词“以其丰富性和复杂性表达了一种历史和人类现象”(Ahmed 2016:5)。最后，在定位我们的线人在他们的宗教神学和法律背景下的回应，以及在更广泛的伊斯兰世界的社会和文化背景下，我们提请注意文本和生活伊斯兰教的微妙现实。
{"title":"Tension in Religious Practices of Muslim Students when Studying Emergency Medical Care","authors":"F. Esack, Raeesah Boomgaard, C. Vincent-Lambert","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a6","url":null,"abstract":"The Bachelor of Health Science degree in Emergency Medical Care (BHS EMC) in South Africa requires that students participate in clinical learning and medical rescue practicals. This study explores the views and experiences of a sample of Muslim students studying EMC at one university regarding potential areas of conflict between their religious obligations and the required academic activities. Second, in presenting the outcomes of these interviews, the article also reflects on the challenges facing secular universities when confronted with heterogeneity in understanding the religious requirements or obligations of the faithful - articulated or unarticulated - in the same religious community on the one hand, and the dilemma of maximum religious accommodation and embrace of religious pluralism versus pragmatism and the limitations of programmatic and budgetary constraints, on the other. Third, in discussing the challenges presented by the students, and their understanding of Islam and its requirements, we use the ideas of Shahab Ahmed (d. 2015) as articulated in his magnum opus, What is Islam? (Ahmed 2016). He argues that the term 'Islam' 'expresses a historical and human phenomenon in its plenitude and complexity of meaning' (Ahmed 2016:5). Finally, in locating the responses of our informants within their religio-theological and legal contexts, as well as in the broader world of Islam in social and cultural contexts, we draw attention to the nuanced realities of both textual and lived Islam.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48571963","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}
Pub Date : 2023-01-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a1
Magnus Echtler
Isaiah Shembe founded the Nazareth Baptist Church (NBC) in 1910, and this new institution distinguished itself from mission Christianity not least through the markedly different moral economy. With the church headquarters at the outskirts of Durban (South Africa), the church catered to black Africans, dispossessed of their land and forced into the capitalist labor system. To them, Shembe preached a Protestant work ethic, while at the same time condemning involvement in city life and striving to acquire land and attain economic autonomy for his congregations. With female adherents running away from fathers and husbands, he started out as a 'thief of women', but soon gave religious support to the patriarchal authorities of chiefs, who granted the church land in native reserves in turn. Prohibiting members from joining labor unions, the church connected cities and mines with rural homelands and contributed to the stabilization of the migrant labor system. In addition, Shembe preached moral ethnicity, and hence partook in the creation of Zulu nationalism. The ambiguous moral economy of the NBC persisted during apartheid capitalism and post-apartheid neoliberalism. My essay focuses on preaching and the heterotopic character of the large gatherings of the NBC, and I will also connect church morals with the wider Zulu traditionalist milieu and, given the preoccupation of classic moral economy with riots and revolutions, conclude with some observations on the 2021 unrests in South Africa.
{"title":"Moral Economy in the Nazareth Baptist Church, South Africa","authors":"Magnus Echtler","doi":"10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a1","url":null,"abstract":"Isaiah Shembe founded the Nazareth Baptist Church (NBC) in 1910, and this new institution distinguished itself from mission Christianity not least through the markedly different moral economy. With the church headquarters at the outskirts of Durban (South Africa), the church catered to black Africans, dispossessed of their land and forced into the capitalist labor system. To them, Shembe preached a Protestant work ethic, while at the same time condemning involvement in city life and striving to acquire land and attain economic autonomy for his congregations. With female adherents running away from fathers and husbands, he started out as a 'thief of women', but soon gave religious support to the patriarchal authorities of chiefs, who granted the church land in native reserves in turn. Prohibiting members from joining labor unions, the church connected cities and mines with rural homelands and contributed to the stabilization of the migrant labor system. In addition, Shembe preached moral ethnicity, and hence partook in the creation of Zulu nationalism. The ambiguous moral economy of the NBC persisted during apartheid capitalism and post-apartheid neoliberalism. My essay focuses on preaching and the heterotopic character of the large gatherings of the NBC, and I will also connect church morals with the wider Zulu traditionalist milieu and, given the preoccupation of classic moral economy with riots and revolutions, conclude with some observations on the 2021 unrests in South Africa.","PeriodicalId":42808,"journal":{"name":"Journal for the Study of Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2023-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41792427","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}
Pub Date : 2023-01-18DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2022/v35n2a4
A. Tayob
The idea of a moral economy has gained salience in the 21st century. It has been used by economists, political scientists, and to a lesser extent, scholars of religion, for alternative values of money, exchange, debt, poverty, and prosperity. As an actual moral economy seems elusive in the presence of a dominant capitalist market, this essay reflects on the work of Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun, the 14th-century historian and philosopher. Ibn Khaldun's reflections on the different ways in which individuals seek a livelihood (ma'ash) reveal systematic and also ethical considerations. The essay examines some key terms which he uses to understand human sustenance and ethical reflections on various crafts. His 'moral economy' combines economic considerations with divine beneficence, rational thought, and ethical purpose.
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