Thesis (D. Min.)--Logos Evangelical Seminary, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-134).

Thesis (M.A.)--Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Crozer Theological Seminary, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-143).

Thesis (M.A.)--Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Crozer Theological Seminary, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-143).

Previously issued as Thesis (doctoral)--Lund, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 268-278).

Thesis (M.A.)--Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Crozer Theological Seminary, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-143).

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Throughout history, religion and politics have approached each other with a wary appreciation of mutual power. One of the latest offspring of this uneasy relationship is the Sanctuary movement. On 24 March 1982, Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona and five churches in Berkeley, California publicly proclaimed their status as sanctuaries for Central American refugees. Three years later there were 214 churches involved and eleven church workers were about to be tried in Tucson. This study is an analysis of the rhetoric used by the movement as it sought to extend its mantle of authority and thus move from the social periphery to the center of society evoking a new public vision of reality. The rhetoric of religious critique of the governmental and social order has been designated "prophetic rhetoric" after the often modeled discourse of the Old Testament prophets. Such discourse can be sectarian and polarizing in tone and impact, but to achieve social transformation the prophet needs some central acceptance. This study examines the potential of prophetic rhetoric within the Sanctuary movement in southern Arizona. It explores how Sanctuary rhetoric draws on the prophetic tradition; how that rhetoric expands or leaves the tradition; and how the rhetoric employs prophetic themes, authority claims, and emotional imagery. The letters and statements of Jim Corbett introduce major Sanctuary themes of the God/Love-Money/Government conflict, prophetic action, civil initiative, and the WWII parallel. The predominantly in-group rhetoric of Southside Presbyterian develops religious justification arguments, while ecumenical Sanctuary services use varied texts, church authority figures, and bonding rituals to build prophetic community across denominational lines. In public debate, religious argument is deemphasized as Sanctuary speakers focus on legal justification and assertion of general social values through image manipulation. Sentencing statements of eight Sanctuary workers vary as some are harshly polarizing, others focus on secular images and legal values, and still others deftly interweave religious and secular justification. Sanctuary speakers use prophetic discourse to critique, without falling into the trap of purely secular political campaigning. A tiny core of dissenters, viewed as extremists, grew into a movement with worldwide support. The justifying message adapted and was at times diluted, but it did not lose prophetic essence.

This study examines the issue of ethnocentrism that has become so detrimental to Christian unity within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon, as it is pulling apart Christians of different ethnic groups. The study puts forward the indigenous practice of Mang-Djala as a possible indigenous resource that can be used as an added value not only in enhancing the Christian understanding of unity, but also in advocating for peace, justice and reconciliation in ordinary social life. In this regard, the study investigates the possibility of Mang-Djala functioning in the secular sense as social contract and in a religious sense as covenant. The study argues that the rejection of African cultures by the colonisers and the first missionaries was a big mistake, and that the Gospel needs to be incarnated in every culture and context. Contextualization therefore needs to be used to integrate African cultures and the Gospel. Hence, the study posits that Mang-Djala is a preparation for the Gospel, which can be defined as anything within a culture that can become an entry point, facilitating the transmission, clarifying the understanding of the Gospel and allowing the openness of the local people to that Gospel. The basic research question of the study is: in view of the challenges being presented to church and society by ethnic diversity in Cameroon is there a possibility that the indigenous concept of Mang-Djala may act as a reconciling or unifying agent? The study suggests that the concept of Mang-Djala should be introduced into the church at different levels via its structures in order to popularise it and integrate it into the church‘s theology and practice. In this way, the ethnic groups that are not accustomed to the concept will come to understand and appropriate it, as a new paradigm of understanding and living the Gospel of unity. The problem of ethnicity and the possibility of using Mang-Djala as a possible antidote needs to be introduced as part of the training of the clergy. Other institutions in the church where it could be introduced are The Women for Christ Fellowship and the Christian youth organisation. It should also be introduced at synodical level. More importantly, the study suggests that the Church should create and insert in its constitution a clause that should declare ethnocentrism a sin against which every Christian should stand because it promotes discrimination which is against God‘s commandment of love. The study also acknowledges, however, that Mang-Djala should not be considered as an ultimate solution to the problems posed by ethnocentrism. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.