Theses and Dissertations (Dogmatics and Christian Ethics)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/32154

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Etisering - personalisering - eksistensialisering van die geloofsbegrip
(University of Pretoria, 1989-05) Wethmar, Conrad Johannes; Schmithals, W.; Veldsman, Daniel Petrus
English: This historic-systematic investigation by means of a literature study, focuses on the theological propositions in the thought of Rudolf Karl Bultmann (1884-1976) wi~h regard to his understanding of faith and, connected with this, his concept of science. The investigation is on the one hand firmly embedded into the historic-theological tradition which precedes and inspires the thought of Bultmann. Representive of this tradition are Albrecht Ritschl (1822-89) and Wilhelm Herrmann (1846-1922) who respectively ethisized (Ritschl) and personalisized (Herrmann) the concept of faith with regard to the meaning of the work and person of Jesus of Nazareth for the present act of faith, in the light of the intensifying dangers of the upcoming natural sciences. This investigation is on the other hand embedded in the realm of existensialist thought expecially of Kierkegaard (1813-53) and Nietzsche (1844-1900). These two currents of thought are creatively interconnected in the theological programme of Bultmann in which theology becomes the existential interpretation of the message of the new testament. This investigation of the historical context of his thought and the rereading of his theological propositions, has been necessitated by theological suspicion, misunderstanding and unjust criticism. Over against this criticism, this thesis asserts the continuing theological significance and contribution of the work of Bultmann.
African spirituality and Christianity : revisiting clashing worldviews
(University of Pretoria, 2023-09-30) Mdingi, Hlulani; u18190881@tuks.co.za; Monnamme, Charlotte Mitta
Black people in Africa have practiced spirituality for a long time, years before colonialism took over Africa. The African people had a very special relationship with ancestors and relating to the worship of God with the acknowledgment of ancestors. When missionaries came to Africa with the movement of colonial Christianity, they abolished African Spirituality and its practices as this was seen as worshipping idols and disregarding “God”. As a result, many Africans abandoned their spiritual practices and adopted the Christian faith. This research aims to explore the similarities and differences between African spirituality and Christianity. Often African spirituality is misunderstood and demonized by the Christian faith, however, comparing the two will expose the similarities that occur between the two movements, and investigating its origins and practices will shed some light on why both can co-exist. As such, this research aims to compare clashing worldviews of Christianity and African Spirituality, with an attempt to clarify any misconceptions that exist when it comes to African Spirituality.
A contextual political theology for the Ghanaian society and its implications for human flourishing
(University of Pretoria, 2023-12) Veldsman, D.P. (Daniel Petrus), 1959-; revisaacboaheng@gmail.com; Boaheng, Isaac
Every human society is faced with one challenge or the other. Ghana (the context of the study) is a West African country facing such challenges as poverty, hunger, poor education system, poor road networks, environmental degradation, poor governance, bribery and corruption, injustice, human rights abuse, high inflation, and local currency depreciation, among others emanating from political governance. In addition, there are a lot of misconceptions about human flourishing and so many people use unethical means to acquire wealth and yet, consider their ways as means of attaining a flourishing life. The survey of existing literature revealed the persistence of Ghana’s political is partly due to the lack of a strong biblical foundation, and the lack of adequate contextualization as some of the key research gaps to be filled. This literature-based research, therefore, was undertaken to explore how contextual political theology might be formulated to address Ghanaian political challenges and correct wrong notions about human flourishing. After the general introduction, a biblical-theological study of selected biblical texts was conducted which was followed by an examination of the political thoughts of selected scholars from the ancient Greek era to the contemporary era. The study then examined the contemporary Ghanaian political situation to determine which issues need attention in the study. Using the historical, biblical and Ghanaian political situation as contextual frameworks, a Ghanaian political theology was formulated to cover governance and nation-building, education, work, wealth and the environment, among others. The study found that Ghana’s political challenges are diverse and therefore cannot be addressed without the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. It was also found that Ghana’s communal sense of life resonates with the biblical perspective of life and so can serve as a tool in developing and implementing policies to address the nation’s problems. The main thesis of the dissertation is that a political theology that can address Ghana’s political challenges and correct wrong notions about human flourishing needs to be biblically grounded, historically informed and genuinely contextual within the Ghanaian socio-cultural framework. Such a theology will not only offer an antidote to people’s misconceptions about political power but will also foster improved divine- human, human-human and human-environment relations.
Towards an Ubuntu/Botho ethics of technology
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Veldsman, D.P. (Daniel Petrus), 1959-; mokoenology@gmail.com; Mokoena, Katleho Karabo
Humanity and technology have been in co-evolution and co-development in human history and it has been an intricate part of our daily lives today. However, since the Industrial Revolution, technology has had a negative impact, especially in the African context. The 4IR poses questions if emerging technologies such as AI will continue to have a negative impact in Africa or if Africa will harness its power to compete in the global economy. There have been many global discourses about AI in how it can change socio-economic structures and our way of life. This study investigates technology as power and the landscape of global AI ethics. It emphasised that AI ethics should take into consideration the historical impact of technology in Africa to establish patterns as emerging technologies are not in isolation from history. This study used a critical literature review methodology and decoloniality as a theoretical framework. It used an interdisciplinary study of technology and Ubuntu ethics from an African theological and philosophical perspective. This study identified that the global AI ethics discourse is dominated by Western ethics which embed universalism. This study highlighted that universalism is an imposition as AI does not impact countries the same way and a one-size-fits-all ethical approach is incompatible. The study argued that African ethical perspectives such as Ubuntu are appropriate in the African context to deliberate on the impact of AI. This study also identified that the current AI ethics discourse emphasizes the impact of AI on humanity and less or not at all on its impact on spirituality and the environment. This study contributed a holistic Ubuntu AI ethics approach that includes humanity, spirituality, and the environment in the African context generally and South Africa specifically.
The reformation atonement theory of penal substitution : a systematic-theological study of its coherence with divine justice
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Veldsman, D.P. (Daniel Petrus), 1959-; Rist.troy10@gmail.com; Rist, Troy
Penal substitution has been explored in detail both within the areas of theology and philosophy. Its understanding and application of justice has been a focal point of objection for many. While often understood in purely retributive terms, there is scope to analyse its coherence with divine justice in a more comprehensive biblical manner. This systematic-theological study explores whether the Reformation atonement theory of penal substitution is coherent with divine justice. There are three objections to consider that challenge this coherence: the Reformers understanding and application of divine justice was influenced by their cultural legal context instead of being directed by scripture; penal substitution is self-contradictory as it both attempts to uphold positive retributivism (through its focus on punishing the guilty) while also contradicting negative retributivism (Jesus was innocent yet punished); penal substitution reduces divine justice to purely retributive terms. Firstly, a threefold approach is utilised to identify a broad overview of divine justice: four theories of justice within contemporary philosophy are identified and four OT narratives are analysed to determine their use/application; an exploration of OT and NT justice terms; divine justice and its wider structure within the kingdom of God motif. Secondly, an analysis of selected Reformers to determine their understanding of penal substitution as well as the place and application of divine justice within their atonement thinking. Lastly, an evaluative discussion assesses whether the Reformation atonement theory of penal substitution is coherent with divine justice in light of the findings of the previous two sections. Three observations are made: firstly, the Reformers had a clear scriptural basis for understanding retributive justice to be an essential element of divine justice. Secondly, implicit within their thinking and available within their environment are the necessary concepts to address the supposed self-contradiction within penal substitution. Thirdly, clarifying methodology such as “doctrine”, “metaphor”, “theory”, and “motif”, the kaleidoscopic view, and the epistemological presuppositions, can prevent penal substitution from being reductive in its understanding and application of divine justice. It is therefore possible to conclude that penal substitution is coherent with divine justice.
Challenges faced by women in church-leadership : a multifaceted and intersectional map
(University of Pretoria, 2023-12-30) Van Wyk, Tanya; ndumi.phumelele@gmail.com; jini, Patrick Phumelele
This study examines the hurdles women encounter when seeking leadership positions within religious institutions. It highlights that despite changing cultural standards and increased recognition of the need for diversity and inclusiveness in religious leadership, women still face numerous barriers. The study takes an intersectional approach, recognizing that gender discrimination intersects with other factors such as race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status, leading to specific challenges for women from diverse backgrounds. The challenges explored in the study include doctrinal and theological interpretations that have historically supported patriarchal structures, societal norms, deeply ingrained biases, and institutional obstacles like limited access to leadership roles, disparities in compensation and recognition, and a lack of mentorship and support networks. These challenges vary in intensity depending on individual circumstances, creating a complex landscape of adversity. Furthermore, the study examines the psychological impact of these challenges, including burnout, self-doubt, and emotional fatigue, affecting both women in leadership and the communities they serve. The ultimate goal of the research is to raise awareness of these difficulties and encourage collaboration among religious organizations, academics, and activists to create more inclusive and equal environments for women in church leadership. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about gender equality in religious institutions and emphasizes the importance of addressing the interconnected nature of these issues. It is part of a broader effort to shed light on the challenges faced by women in leadership roles across various industries and sectors, driven by deeply rooted cultural norms and systemic biased.
Narrating the political Christian self : Chief Albert Luthuli's political theology in his autobiography "Let my people go"
(University of Pretoria, 2023-09-30) Van Wyk, Tanya; dambudzo.mushambi@tuks.co.za; Mushambi, Dambudzo Darlington
The study utilises the articulations and understandings of ‘narrative’ and ‘narrative theology’ from George Stroup and Stanley Hauerwas. ‘Narrative’ is a fundamental theological category that shapes theological reflection on the form of the gospel, and an account which sponsors the intelligibility and coherence of human life and actions performed as moral agents. Narrative articulates the contingency and irreducible particularity of selves, and shapes personal and communal identity by providing interpretive horizons through which one understands and describes the world. Autobiography is a narrative that inscribes one’s personal identity and subjectivity, implicating the lives of others and creating associations or distance between the self and others, entrenching or challenging hierarchies, and potentially reconstructing or fabricating social realities. Autobiography is marked by the intervention of fallible memory, and performs rhetorical acts of assertion, justification, judgment, conviction, and interrogation which intersect with idiosyncratic acts of remembering. The rhetorical acts performed by Chief Luthuli in Let My People Go disclose a political theological critique of apartheid South Africa. Political theology is discourse about God relating to the organisation of bodies in time and space. The study utilises Emmanuel Katongole’s understanding of political theology within Africa as discourse about overcoming harmful stories about Africa and Africans that have produced predictable scripts of violent politics, and proposes the necessity of reconfiguring personal and communal identity as a negotiated journey whose telos is the drama of God’s new creation. Leveraging insights from narrative theology, autobiography criticism, and political theology, the study describes the rhetorical acts that articulate Chief Luthuli’s political theological critique. These are: the title of the autobiography which positions white South Africans as oppressors; questioning the legitimacy of white leadership in apartheid South Africa; his critique of the church’s apathy toward and collusion with apartheid; eschewing violence as a tool for liberation; lastly, embracing broad alliances to agitate for a non-racialised South Africa. Chief Luthuli’s political theological critique, while lacking some nuance, successfully meets Katongole’s 5 challenges for Christian social ethics in Africa, namely: colonial impact, social memory, and forgetfulness; the lies of noble ideals; the politics of greed and plunder; the wanton sacrifice of Africa; and the visible invisibility of Christianity.
The God of whom? : from a psychological to a systematic-theological intertwining of black liberation theology and anatheism
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Veldsman, D.P. (Daniel Petrus), 1959-; ambergordon71@gmail.com; Gordon, Amber-Leigh
From the psychological concept of fear, the two counterparts of Black Liberation Theology and Anatheism are not simply brought together but so too are intertwined. This is done to answer the question of “The God of whom?” The psychological concept of fear is used as it is a common emotional state that people experience as they develop and grow throughout their lives. More than this, however, the psychological concept of fear is used as it is an emotional state that the victims of Auschwitz (used in Anatheism) and the oppressed black people would have felt – a feeling that would have helped encourage the creation of both Anatheism and Black Liberation Theology. The exploration and intertwining of Black Liberation Theology (hereafter BLT) and Anatheism, with the help of fear, brings one to consider the strength and resilience found within both counterparts. The strength and resilience within Black Liberation Theology and Anatheism, essentially, come from weakness and vulnerability – the qualities that make us undeniably human. What makes us human brings one to consider both the Liberator God (from BLT) and the Stranger (from Anatheism). In delving into the powerless and suffering God, one comes to the realisation that the Liberator God and the Stranger are the same Being. This is extrapolated further in the political spheres of BLT and Anatheism – for both counterparts are deeply rooted in politics. In taking a closer look at who the powerless and suffering God is, a new and yet ancient perspective comes to the fore. This new and yet ancient perspective stands in critique against the Freudian psychoanalysis view that simply perceives God as a concept. More than this, however, the powerless and suffering God that gives power to those who protect and cherish this God in their hearts, makes those philosophers who encourage the Light Metaphor stand trial for their toxic positivity that has been fed to all walks of life and causes all of God’s people harm. This powerless and suffering God, is the God who sits with us in our suffering and teaches us things such as love, justice, acceptance, unity and peace.
Re-imagining development in underdeveloped Africa and South Africa : perspectives from the lenses of liberation theologies and the call for decolonisation
(University of Pretoria, 2022) Mdingi, Hlulani; vincentnathi99@gmail.com; Mandla, Vincent Nkosinathi
This research is concerned with the human subject and therefore, engages the notion through the liberation paradigm with the benefit that Black Liberation theology emerges from the concrete historical realities of black people in the Third World being subject to colonialism, imperialism, exploitation, racism and slavery. The interest of this research is to affirm the humanity of black people through the principles of Imago Dei and from there engage white anthropology as a theory which lacks praxis. The research explores how the lives of black people have been commodified to capitalism as a mode of maximizing profits. The Black Consciousness as a philosophy which affirms, values and defends the lives of black people becomes an employable discipline in arguing the flaws of white anthropology, institutionalized racism, assumed truths, imperialism, materialism and exploitation. The Black Consciousness philosophy is incorporated as a discipline which allows black people to be subjects of their own history. It interprets the Bible in a way that reaffirms the humanity, likeness and value of black people through the principles of Imago Dei. This research explores how the democratic government has failed dismally to develop, transform and better the living conditions which black people have been subjected to. As a means of seeking solutions the study discovers the human problem to be the fundamental issue regarding the dehumanization of black people, whereby leaders (politicians, clergy, employers, etc.) assume leadership through greed, self-enrichment and spiritual poverty.
The relationship between spirituality and culture in Africa : a Christian-ethical perspective
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Van Wyk, Tanya; giventt@gmail.com; Thoka, Thabiso
This study will investigate the relationship between spirituality and culture using a Christian ethical perspective, specifically, Hauerwas’ universal ethics. The study intends to examine the nature of the relationship between both spirituality and culture and evaluate if there’s an intersection that exists and if so, what it means. The context under which the two phenomena will be analysed will mainly be an African context. The context itself will be examined which means that the study will look into what is African and what is Africa.
Land redistribution in South Africa : a perspective from the doctrine of creation, theological anthropology and black liberation
(University of Pretoria, 2022-10) Mdingi, Hlulani; u18231064@tuks.co.za; Mongwe, Kheto
The issue of land in South Africa has been going on for so many years without a breakthrough, it prevented progress in the process of reconciliation and Justice for the Black people of South Africa. This research seeks to find ways in responding to the Land debate. This research also seeks to contribute to that debate by bringing attention to the question of Land debate from a theological premise and through black liberation theology. The thesis seeks to establish theological grounds for understanding the land question. The thesis further seeks to project from a black liberation point of view the way in which the dispossession of land in south Africa dehumanises Black people. Furthermore, the thesis discusses major point in the process of land redistribution in South Africa with the lenses of Black liberation theology, what land mean to the Black people of South African which then brings an understanding of the reason why they demand their land back. The study will begin by arguing about the land question from the doctrine of creation then proceed to reflect on theological anthropology and finally discuss the land question from the perspective of black liberation theology and the policies around land.
The role of religion in politics : the Roman Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the presidency of Joseph Kabila
(University of Pretoria, 2020-08) Maluleke, Tinyiko S.; did_heeyhoo.co.uk; Kuzituka Did'ho, Jean-Marie
This study examines the role of religion in the DRC’s political sphere from 2015 to 2019 during the second and last term of office of President Joseph Kabila. During these years (2015-2019), the government subjected religious organisations, their followers and leaders, mostly Catholics, and the general population to intimidation, arbitrary arrests and violence because of the Catholic Church’s involvement and support for credible elections. The Catholic Church in the DRC was involved in protest marches after the failed implementation of the Agreement signed between the government and the opposition parties to postpone for a year, the elections. Agreement facilitated and mediated by the Catholic Church in the country at the request of Joseph Kabila’s government. I evaluate the role of the Catholic Church in the DRC using the theological principles set out in the Kairos Document as methodology. This theological document was written by a group of church leaders, activists and theologians to oppose and challenge the Church’s stance with regard to the oppressive apartheid regime. This research is a case study of the relationship of the Catholic Church in the DRC to the struggle for democracy. The Catholic Church in the Congo became one of the strongest voices calling for the 2018 DRC general elections not to be postponed again. These elections were supposed to have been held in December 2016 but were postponed to December 2018. As an accredited election observer, the Catholic Church in the Congo played a crucial role in ensuring that the elections were as free and fair as possible. While the Catholic Church may not be credited with being the sole mover for the elections to be held in 2018, it played a big role. In this study, we shall also be able to indicate how the Catholic Church in the DRC has a prophetic intervention in the recent politics of the DRC.
Die Kerkbegrip van die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis
(University of Pretoria, 1986) Heyns, J.A.; Cloete, Gert Johannes
Afrikaans: Die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis word steeds, meer as vier eeue na sy ontstaan, as belydenisskrif gebruik in 'n beduidende groep Gereformeerde kerke. Dit het ontstaan teen baie besondere historiese omstandighede, en die vraag bestaan of. dit neg steeds met reg as normatiewe belydenis gebruik kan word. Verder beleef die kerk tans uitdagings soos selde tevore, en die vraag is of die kerk met die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis as grondslag horn . daarteenoor kan verantwoord. In hierdie studie is die kerkbegrip van die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis krities ondersoek om te bepaal in hoeverre hierdie vrae beantwoord kan word. Uit die studie het geblyk dat daar in die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis duidelike apologetiese elemente enderskei kan word - veral teenoor die Roomse Kerk en die Anabaptiste. Die belydenis van die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis, en in die besonder in sy kerkbegrip, is egter so Skriftuurlik verantwoord dat die apologetiese elemente 'n ondergeskikte rol speel in die formulerings. Daar is ook bevind dat die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis, veral in sy standpunte random die kerk as die resultaat van sowel God se verkiesing en die gehoorsame samekoms van die gelowiges, asook die eenheid, katolisiteit en heiligheid van die kerk aan die kerk van enige era 'n vaste fondament bied vir die vervulling van sy taak. Sy standpunte is egter baie staties geformuleer, en sekere leemtes - veral die gebrek aan 'n missiologiese visie en die feit dat geen aandag gegee word aan die kerk se rol binne die koninkryk van God nie, kon uitgewys word. Alles in ag geneem, bied die kerkbegrip van die Nederlandse Geloofsbelydenis aan die kerk 'n uitstekende grondslag vir verdere besinning, en kan dit steeds met vrymoedigheid as normatiewe belydenis gebruik word.
Skepping en ekologie : 'n Sistematiese ondersoek na die teologiese verstaan van die werklikheid
(University of Pretoria, 1985) Engelbrecht, B.J.; Buitendag, Johan
Afrikaans: Te wyte aan 'n werklikheidsverstaan wat sy wortels in die Kartesiaanse dualisme van gees teenoor natuur vind, het die mens se omgang met die natuur in die ekologiese krisis ontaard. Sodanige werklikheidsverstaan was ook gekondoneer deur die Christelike teologie se interpretasie van Genesis 1 vers 28. Alhoewel die mens se verhouding tot die natuur vandag eties herskrywe is, is dit dogmaties nog tastend. Dit is daaraan toe te skrywe dat genoemde dualisme hom nog steeds in die teologie van ons dag skuilhou. Die taak is hier opgeneem om hierdie dualisme in die Protestantse teologie van die twintigste eeu bloot te le. Dit is gedoen deur bepaalde rigtings in die teologie wat tendensieuse karakter het, te identifiseer. 'n Verteenwoordigende eksponent is vir elke model gekies by wyse van kriteria wat 'n onderlinge koherensie sou verseker. Die volgende keuses is gemaak: die fisiko-teologiese model soos by K. Heim, .die eksistens-teologiese model soos by F. Gogarten, die onto-teologiese model soos by K. Barth, die eskato-teologiese model soos by J. Moltmann en die etico-teologiese model soos by G. Altner. Nadat hierdie modelle sistematies beskryf is, en wel op so 'n wyse dat die bree strekking van 'n bepaalde teoloog steeds daarin teruggevind kan word, is hulle in die lig van Bybels-reformatoriese beginsels gewaardeer en relevante kritiese aspekte is uitgelig. Uit die ondersoek het dit geblyk dat die Kartesiaanse dualisme op twee wyses in die werklikheidsverstaan van die teologie figureer. Enersyds is daar die metafisiese modus soos verwoord deur Heim se polariteitswet, Barth se ontologiese verbondsbeginsel en Moltmann se triniteitsideologie. Andersyds is daar die gnoseologiese modus soos verwoord deur Gogarten se mistieke bewussyn en Altner se abstrakte subjek. Op grond van die insigte wat verkry is, word gestel dat die teologie die werklikheid nog metafisies-ontologies vanaf God, nog mistiesabstrak vanaf die mens, maar wel fisies-solider vanaf die natuur moet verstaan. Die teologie behoef 'n pneumatologiese skeppingsleer wat ruimte bied vir die toekoms wat God skenk en wat nou reeds beleef kan word. En dit voer tot solidariteit en hoop - ekologies sowel as sosiologies.
Kairos consciousness and the christian response to the Zimbabwean crisis (2000 - 2013)
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Vellem, Vuyani Shadrack; De Beer, Stephan F.; u16383542@tuks.co.za; Paradza, Kudakwashe
This study is based on the contemporary Christian Church’s response to the Zimbabwean crisis for the period 2000 to 2013 through the lenses of Kairos Consciousness as articulated by Allan Boesak. The framework of this study constitutes a liberationist perspective and is, thus, armed with insights from liberation paradigm in its broadest sense analysing the significant role of the church in contemporary Zimbabwean society. The research was analysed through Kairos Consciousness which implies that the marginalised, the powerless, the ghetto people, the masses occupy the central epistemological space in this ecclesiological discourse. Further, Kairos consciousness is a liberationist framework of ecclesiology, when the church becomes the interlocutor and articulator identified and associated with non-persons and marginalised. Fundamentally, Kairos consciousness is probing liberationist questions as to what the church has not done in post-independent Zimbabwe. Crucially, this discourse is categorically liberationist, hence black liberation theology starts when there is pain, the cries of the voiceless, the impoverished, those who go to bed without a meal. This study strongly argues that Kairos Consciousness existed in Zimbabwe when the church joined the masses in the liberation struggle. The days when the church was called ‘the church of the struggle in trenches and combat with the marginalised people’. The church actively participated in Chimurenga (armed struggle). However, the attainment of political independence silenced the prophetic voice of the church. Possibly, the black government partnered the church in coming up with a shared horizon on some post-armed struggle themes such as reconciliation, reconstruction, education, nation-building and peacebuilding. The research investigates the ambivalent that the attainment of political independence also meant the emergence of the black elite, the minority who hold the epicentre of power and control of political and economic spaces at the expense of the majority impoverished. Hence, the Christian church rose from the slumber of silence to challenge this injustice. This thesis is developed in the context of the Zimbabwean ecclesiology as an appraisal to some action by the church as responsive to the crisis in Zimbabwe. In addition, the study also makes an in-depth analysis on what was behind the smokescreen in Zimbabwe, particularly the genesis of the Third Chimurenga (land restoration) in the year 2000, economic meltdown, Operation Murambatsvina (restore order), and political violence. These issues, in Zimbabwe, inevitably called for a critical engagement between ecclesiology and political discourses. Subsequently, the problem under spotlight has seen the political discourses calling the church to shy away from the public space, perpetuating a myth that the church must not be involved in politics. Crucially, the landmarks of the study are meant to realign our ecclesiologies to current conceptual challenges in Zimbabwe, a society broken by conflict and crisis. In other words, the Zimbabwean crisis calls for a church with Kairos Consciousness whose theological roadmap is based on the wounds, pain and dehumanisation of the marginalised. Therefore, the main thrust of the church brings the marginalised people to the centre and first business of its existence. Over and above all odds, this study also made a ground-breaking contribution to theology exploiting some possibilities to integrate the African philosophy of Ubuntu and ecclesiology in Zimbabwe as a positive move towards creating Africanness community promoting moral fibre and realigning a genuine African church.
Ubuntu - a soteriological ethic for an effaced umntu in a post 1994 South Africa : a black theology of liberation perspective
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Kgatla, Selaelo T.; u04532563@tuks.co.za; Mpetsheni, Lungile
This thesis sets out to explore Ubuntu as a soteriological ethic for the liberation of an effaced umntu in the post 1994 South Africa from a black perspective. It is conducted from the perspective of Black Theology of Liberation and it sets out on the premise that Ubuntu is consonant with the objectives of Black Theology of Liberation. It is theoretically informed by Ramose’s position of Ubuntu as African philosophy and Dussel’s theory of modernity as an extension of the European influence to the other parts of the world. The effects of that extension of the European influence have been dire to the peoples who were colonised and the effacement of umntu has been one of the consequences of that influence. The post 1994 South African society still bleeds from the effects of that dominance, which reached its zenith during colonial and apartheid periods. Those periods were characterized by acts of ukunxaxha (hamartos – missing the mark) and an assault to the image of God. The 1994 transition became a change of face politically, but the socioeconomic conditions are still averse to the nonpersons. Umntu continues to be undermined, marginalised and denigrated. Umntu is wounded and broken. The study explores Ubuntu as a strive towards wholeness and further explores ukunxaxha, guided by the Ubuntu philosophy from the perspective of Black Theology of Liberation. In its findings, the study upholds Ubuntu as an African philosophy and as a progression towards wholeness. The study discovers that umntu has been effaced under the influence of modernity in its various manifestations from context to context, which in South Africa were colonialism, apartheid and current wave of globalisation, corruption and greed. The study proposes Ubuntu as a liberative soteriological ethic where umntu lives in harmony in a three-dimensional relationship of the living dead, the living and the yet-to-be-born, another aspect of wholeness. Ubuntu fosters communalism, interconnectedness and interdependence. The fulcrum of Ubuntu is umntu ngumntu ngabantu. The epistemology of Black Consciousness and Black Theology of Liberation shows that Ubuntu remains a relevant soteriological ethic for the liberation of umntu. Ubuntu buyahlangula, buyakhulula. The study, thus, proposes a new community of Ubuntu that will promote human dignity, equality, peace, justice and prosperity. That community is based on the three pillars, namely just socioeconomic order, unshackled church and academia. That is a revolution. The Accra Confession provides the basis to deal with the empire towards the establishment of a just socioeconomic order. There is need to lift the poor for them to stand up against empire in all its manifestations. There is need for decolonising the mind in all the three spheres – society, church and academia. Black Theology of liberation has a big role to play in this venture. The expropriation of land should be done with the main motive being to promote the dignity of the effaced people.
Imagination religion and morality : an interdisciplinary approach
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Veldsman, D.P. (Daniel Petrus), 1959-; u11045427@tuks.co.za; Serfontein, Bernice
Every human society as well as almost all of human life is infused with ethics. How do we best understand human morality and ethics? I believe responsible ethics rests on a credible understanding of what it means to be human. This thesis proposes that a more comprehensive understanding of the distinctive human imagination, religious awareness, and morality – all of which are significant aspects of being human – will facilitate a more responsible understanding and practice of ethics. Such an understanding entails a bottom-up view, which takes seriously the exploration of the fundamental evolutionary realities of human nature, i.e. a natural history of morality. The quest for understanding the propensity for imagination, religious awareness and morality can be aided by exploring the core role of the evolutionary transition between becoming and being human. Accordingly, this thesis combines a niche construction perspective with fossil and archaeological evidence, highlighting the role of complexity in human evolution, which adds to our understanding of a completely human way of being in the world. A short overview of human evolution in this thesis reveals the substantial impact of changes in behaviour, bodies, and life histories in our human ancestors and ourselves today. The interactive process of niche construction emphasizes a dialectical relationship between organisms and their environments, a process by which organisms modify their own and each other’s evolutionary niches. A distinctively human imagination is part of the explanation for human evolutionary success and accordingly our sense of morality and religious disposition. The methodology this thesis applies is that of an interdisciplinary study combining perspectives of some of the most prominent voices in the modern discourses on imagination, religious awareness, and morality such as Agustín Fuentes, Celia Deane-Drummond, Frans De Waal, Michael Tomasello, Steven Mithen, and Wentzel Van Huyssteen. What results from this approach is, first, a more comprehensive understanding of the human imagination, the capacity for religious awareness and morality. Ultimately, by creatively integrating the various perspectives evident in this study – by way of a philosophical bridge theory between evolutionary anthropology and theology – this thesis attempts to determine whether evolutionary thought can be constructively appropriated to interdisciplinary Christian theology and ethics.
Craving restoration : an ecofeminist theological perspective on Lily mine
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Vellem, Vuyani Shadrack; u10045644@tuks.co.za; Ras, Erika Fredrika
In South Africa, the concept of land is caught up in various ideological, religious and political conceptions. Land is not only soil, but also home, identity, economic profit, livelihood and belonging. In this study, we will explore the complexity of land and our relationship to it by firstly exploring the history of colonialism and with it the presence of missionary activity in South Africa to investigate the theological formation and re-arrangement of people’s connection to land. The conflicting views of coloniser and colonised will also be explored. Our connection to ourselves, to others, God, and nature have been broken by the colonialist project, Apartheid and the capitalist process of commodification, which in South Africa have deep historical roots. The dual process of commodification of people and land, is exemplified by the mining history. In this regard, the Lily Mine tragedy is used as a magnifying glass to explore the effect this process has on both people and creation. Lily Mine, the heaving earth, the workers trapped deep beneath the earth and those left behind, signify a haunting. Here, Derrida’s notion of hauntology is employed as a kind of border thinking to recognise and see these ghosts that haunt. The spectre of broken and maimed bodies, and the broken earth haunts our present and poses an urgent ethical demand on those left behind. The ghost seeks wholeness, restoration, recognition and rest. To find some way of responding to the spectre’s haunting cry, we look to ecofeminism and African women’s theologies. Both, ecofeminism and African women’s theologies recognise the interdependence and interconnectedness of life and offer a way of being and doing that challenges patriarchal, androcentric and Eurocentric ontologies and epistemologies. In exploring ecofeminism and African women’s theologies we find ways, life giving praxis, that breathes life into dead and dry bones.
Initiation practices among Ejagham Cameronian women and patriarchy : a womanist perspective
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Vellem, Vuyani Shadrack; u12382851@tuks.co.za; Otob Epse Benoni-Wang, Tabe Jennet
The persistence of the ‘genital mutilation’ problem is still a concern for Africa and the world today. Could this crisis be described as one that was never meant to be? Inspired by second-wave feminist clitoral debates in America, which critiques practising cultures in the Global South, we engaged the Ejagham community of Cameroon to understand the reasons for the persistence of what has been termed “female genital mutilation” in the area. Some of the questions raised are: could the persistence be the result of patriarchy and its suppression of women’s sexuality as feminist theorists suggest; or is there more to this practice that gives meaning to Ejagham women’s sexual life? Is the cultural worldview of the people a motivation? And if so, is there something about the Nkim culture that needs to be engaged or taken into consideration before the practice is labelled as the destruction of women’s sexuality? Are other practices of the Ejagham laced with patriarchal violence towards women’s sexual well-being? An exploration of the Ejagham contextual realities then exposes the sexual complexities that are intertwined within in the ‘genital mutilation’ and orgasm discourses, thus revealing the control factor which still maintains coloniality in the Global South.
A womanist dialogue with Black Theology of Liberation in the twenty first century
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Vellem, Vuyani Shadrack; u04367936@tuks.co.za; Kobo, Fundiswa Amanda
This thesis proposes that a womanist dialogue with Black Theology of Liberation (BTL) in the 21st century is nothing but a de-westernizing praxis for a womanist. This proposition is based on a deeper examination of the gains of the School of BTL. This deeper examination of BTL uncovers a liberation notion that is not truncated, but comprehensive. This comprehensive vision, coupled with the motif of dialogue that is employed in this thesis, in the end debunks Eurocentric, conquering systems of knowledge in theology and the androcentric philosophical heritage, Black Consciousness (BC). The thesis elaborates on notions of liberation that are developed in different phases and strands of the School. For example, if liberation is indeed notional, one strand is focused on race as a construct against which liberation had to be attained. If race was the only, if not major focus, in this strand of BTL, then other constructs such as class, gender and even culture would not receive equal attention and thus this vision of liberation would be truncated, the thesis argues. The notion of liberation that is espoused in this thesis is thus the critique offered both against the internal and external deficiencies on liberation. The philosophy of liberation that is related to BTL for this reason must be denuded of its androcentric language and symbols, while faith itself debunks ideologies that are Eurocentric and patriarchal. The perpetuation of the colonial wound by Eurocentric frames of knowledge makes it difficult for a womanist to uncritically relate with feminist theory. Realising the tensions that constantly exist between one who is an academic and various schools of liberation, some elitist and others quintessentially grass-rooted, this thesis examines the inspiration and animation from lived experiences at grassroots level that must be in continuous dialogue with the construction of liberative knowledge from a womanist perspective. The journey therefore for a liberated black humanity requires both males and females, including other social constructs of gender such as the LGBTQ+, because no truncated view of liberation will be helpful for the advancement of the School.

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