This research deals with Christian missions and African cultures. It focuses on the traditional social associations of the Nso’ people of Cameroon. The main problem the research addresses is that missionaries who came to Nso’ mostly imposed their culture on the Nso’ and by extension Africa in the name of Christianity. What this research refers to as traditional social associations is what the missionaries prejudicially termed secret societies. The research argues that these traditional social associations are not secret societies. They are rather custodians and preservers of Nso’ culture. Their activities are largely social, and revolve around eating and drinking. The research compares the case of Nso’ with missionary endeavours in North Africa: Egypt, Axum and Nubia and in Sub-Saharan Africa. In all these areas, the following commonalities are found: insufficient interest in the indigenous languages, syncretism, the tendency of mission to always link with colonialism and to despise the African worldview. In all these areas, the result was conflict between mission and indigenous culture, and conflict within the traditional cultures. In order to appropriately engage contexts in Africa that have traditional social associations like Nso’, the researcher proposes the use of an integrated missional approach. By integrated missional approach the researcher means a perspective that takes theology, anthropology, sociology and culture seriously when carrying out the mission of God (missio Dei). The researcher presents an integrated missional approach that is constructed in the light of contextualisation. This approach is based on Niebuhr’s typology that is described in his book Christ and culture and as analysed by Kraft in his Anthropology for Christian witness. The following sociological theories: functionalism, conflict theory, phenomenology and social identity theory are used to discuss how certain realities operate in human communities. Using content analysis as his predominant methodological approach to the data collected, the researcher concludes that culture has been, is, and will continue to be the main vehicle for mission. Hence, the traditional social associations of the Nso’ people, which form the core culture of Nso’ need to be seen as an opportunity for evangelisation. The research shows that the missionary era in Nso’ in particular and Africa in general has ended and that the era in which the local church is finding its own identity is underway. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Methodist Church Britain / Science of Religion and Missiology / PhD / Unrestricted

Introduction: Rustenburg is a fast growing city in the world. This growth influences establishment of new faith based churches which is, in many respects at the expense of mission churches. The HIV/AIDS pandemic and diseases related to stresses results in movement of Christians from one church to the other. Christians are vulnerable when facing life stressors which results into changing allegiance to a particular church. This is a qualitative descriptive/ exploratory study Method: The researcher purposely selected respondents from the black Christian community of Rustenburg. These are those Christians who have moved from one church to join another .From these interviews the themes that emanate are discussed. Leaders of prominent churches were also interviewed . Findings: The qualities of church leaders have an influence on the movement of its members. The media, especially the local radio station has been widely used to attract new members. The availability of a pastor in times of need plays a vital role. Power struggles seem to disappoint some loyal Christians who may reluctantly leave the church. Financial benefits also play an important role in attracting membership. The faith based churches have grown both in numbers and in membership. Women with their healing power are active especially in the Zion churches. The help seeking behaviour of Christians also influences their affiliation to a particular church such as seeking / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This study tries to investigate the extent of inculturation in African Churches in general and in Zimbabwe in particular. Some mission churches, like the Catholic, the Anglican and the Methodist Churches were selected for the study. The main areas of investigation are baptism, the Eucharist:, marriage, burial and healing. The study discovered that there is some inculturation going on in all the churches under discussion, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist. On the other hand, it was also discovered that the African Independent Churches, such as Vapostori and the Aladura, churches are much more at home with the implementation of inculturation especially in the area of healing. We concluded that Christianity is not yet deeply rooted in African soil, in particular in Zimbabwe. This is because not much inculturation has taken place in the mission churches. Some recommendations are made to help facilitate the implementation of inculturation and to enable Christianity to take flesh in Africa so as to become an authentic African Christianity. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Introduction: Rustenburg is a fast growing city in the world. This growth influences establishment of new faith based churches which is, in many respects at the expense of mission churches. The HIV/AIDS pandemic and diseases related to stresses results in movement of Christians from one church to the other. Christians are vulnerable when facing life stressors which results into changing allegiance to a particular church. This is a qualitative descriptive/ exploratory study Method: The researcher purposely selected respondents from the black Christian community of Rustenburg. These are those Christians who have moved from one church to join another .From these interviews the themes that emanate are discussed. Leaders of prominent churches were also interviewed . Findings: The qualities of church leaders have an influence on the movement of its members. The media, especially the local radio station has been widely used to attract new members. The availability of a pastor in times of need plays a vital role. Power struggles seem to disappoint some loyal Christians who may reluctantly leave the church. Financial benefits also play an important role in attracting membership. The faith based churches have grown both in numbers and in membership. Women with their healing power are active especially in the Zion churches. The help seeking behaviour of Christians also influences their affiliation to a particular church such as seeking / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This study tries to investigate the extent of inculturation in African Churches in general and in Zimbabwe in particular. Some mission churches, like the Catholic, the Anglican and the Methodist Churches were selected for the study. The main areas of investigation are baptism, the Eucharist:, marriage, burial and healing. The study discovered that there is some inculturation going on in all the churches under discussion, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist. On the other hand, it was also discovered that the African Independent Churches, such as Vapostori and the Aladura, churches are much more at home with the implementation of inculturation especially in the area of healing. We concluded that Christianity is not yet deeply rooted in African soil, in particular in Zimbabwe. This is because not much inculturation has taken place in the mission churches. Some recommendations are made to help facilitate the implementation of inculturation and to enable Christianity to take flesh in Africa so as to become an authentic African Christianity. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The Zionist type of churches under the African Independent Churches have proven to be a force to be reckoned with against the more organized ecclesiastical movements (in particular the Mission Churches). This can be seen in their emphasis around matters related to culture and its methods of healing. As s result this led to the migration of people from the mission churches to these churches and threatened their existence in Botswana. The mission churches have been experiencing the decline in their membership to the Zionist churches because of the lack of openness to the cultural and the value systems of Batswana in Botswana. Mission churches were left with an option of doing introspection and finally acknowledging their failures to contextualise their theology and Christianity among the people they serving. Mission churches ended up opening their doors to the needs of their members. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Church History)

The Zionist type of churches under the African Independent Churches have proven to be a force to be reckoned with against the more organized ecclesiastical movements (in particular the Mission Churches). This can be seen in their emphasis around matters related to culture and its methods of healing. As s result this led to the migration of people from the mission churches to these churches and threatened their existence in Botswana. The mission churches have been experiencing the decline in their membership to the Zionist churches because of the lack of openness to the cultural and the value systems of Batswana in Botswana. Mission churches were left with an option of doing introspection and finally acknowledging their failures to contextualise their theology and Christianity among the people they serving. Mission churches ended up opening their doors to the needs of their members. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Church History)