This study is a critical assessment of the degree of political consciousness of the Zimbabwean Wesleyan Methodist indigenous ministers from 1891 to 1980. It documents the nature of the domination that the Wesleyan Methodist indigenous ministers experienced. It also documents and analyses how the indigenous ministers responded to the domination. The study relies upon primary documents from the National Archives of Zimbabwe, the Methodist Connexional Archives and other private archives. Information found in these archives includes minutes of synods, minutes of quarterly meetings, minutes of conferences, ministers' personal files and many other documents. The thesis also depends on interviews and other secondary material relevant to the study. Additionally, this thesis explores the training of the indigenous ministers. It emerges that the theological training of the indigenous ministers brought about some form of political radicalism. This was strengthened by the fact that the stipends and working conditions were not attractive. This thesis argues that the indigenous ministers had no clear position with regard to the significance of African culture. They oscillated between its rejection and acceptance. When they were politically inspired they rejected African culture to embrace it when it seemed expedient to do. It is further observed that the indigenous ministers contributed immensely to the liberation struggle. Using, Of Revelation and Revolution, Peasant Consciousness, Domination and the Arts of Resistance and Savage Systems as theoretical frameworks, this thesis concludes that the level of political consciousness of the indigenous ministers increased phenomenally in the second half of the 20th century. This was because of a number of reasons including the role played by mission churches in education, the impact of the Second World War, and adherence to certain constructions of John Wesley particularly those with liberation emphasis and many more. It also emerges that, although the political consciousness of the indigenous clergy was high, quite a number of them oscillated between two poles of patriotism and expediency. Put differently, the indigenous clergy were sometimes ambivalent in terms of what they adhered to. This was particularly so in cases to do with African culture. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

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Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is an exploratory study of Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa. It is anticipated that this thesis will shed light on the identity and role of local congregations towards strangers and foreigners. Concepts such as openness, hospitality, acceptance, trust, willingness, and true understanding are used to try and establish understanding and reconciliation between South Africans and immigrants. The research follows the violent attacks on Zimbabwean immigrants because of the conception that the increase in Zimbabwean immigrants are to the detriment of South African citizens. In the opinion of the researcher, this is only one side of the issue – there is also another side. These foreigners are people who have valid reasons for coming to South Africa. The living conditions in their own countries have become unbearable and they turned to South Africa for a better life and future. The scale of illegal immigration came as a surprise to both the immigrants and locals in South Africa. These groups together have formed a new South African society, and with it came new economic, social, and welfare problems. This new society needs to form a new understanding of each individual’s background, personality, and cultural differences. The challenges experienced by the Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa are unacceptable and insensitive. From this study, it can be concluded that the South African Government does not play its part to the full extent, but relies on the Church to deal with the immigrants and their challenges. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is ’n verkennende studie van Zimbabwese migrante in Suid-Afrika. Die doel is om lig te werp op die identiteit en die rol van plaaslike gemeentes teenoor vreemdelinge of buitelanders. Konsepte soos openheid, gasvryheid, aanvaarding, vertroue, gewilligheid en opregte verstaan word gebruik om die moontlikheid van versoening tussen burgers en immigrante te bewerk. Die ondersoek volg uit sommige burgerlikes se gewelddadige optrede teenoor Zimbabwese migrante, omdat die algemene opvatting bestaan dat hierdie onbeheerde toename van migrante tot nadeel van die Suid-Afrikaanse burger strek. Na die navorser se mening is dit maar een kant van die saak – daar is ook ’n ander kant. Hierdie vreemdelinge is immers mense wat grondige redes gehad het om te vlug na ons land, Suid-Afrika. Die lewensomstandighede in hulle eie land het ondraaglik en onuithoudbaar vir hulle geword. Suid-Afrika was vir hulle die beeld van hoop en uitkoms op beter lewensomstandighede, en ’n nuwe lewenstoekoms. Heelaas het hierdie grootskaalse onwettige immigrasie ’n verassende skok ingehou vir beide die migrant en die Suid-Afrikaanse burger. Beide groepe het die nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing gevorm, en namate hierdie onbeheerde getalle verder toeneem, lei dit tot baie ekonomiese, sosiale, en maatskaplike probleme. Hierdie nuwe samelewing wat geskep is, benodig ’n nuwe en varser verstaan van elkeen se agtergrond, persoonlikheid en kultuurverskille. Die uitdagings wat Zimbabwese immigrante in Suid-Afrika beleef, is onaanvaarbaar en onsensitief. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie studie is dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering nie tot volle potensiaal optree nie, maar steun op die kerk om immigrante en hulle uitdagings aan te spreek.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))-- University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research starts with a descriptive study of the traditional missionary model used by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa in planting what is now known as the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ). The purpose of this descriptive part is to understand why certain mistakes are constantly repeated in cross-cultural outreach work and to prevent it from happening again. The RCZ is challenged to develop intercultural missionary theory and practice. The outreach towards the Tonga communities living in the Binga district in Zimbabwe.s North-Western province is used as an extended case study in developing a new missional framework for the RCZ. The research question is thus: How is the RCZ appropriately, meaningfully and relevantly to express the missional praxis of God within the context of the Tonga people? The research argues that meaningful missional reflection has to start with knowing and understanding the Tonga people. The RCZ would then not fall in the same trap of the European missionaries who had an ethnocentric superiority attitude. This calls for a paradigm shift in the RCZ.s thinking and doing mission. The RCZ needs to participate in the Mission of God with love and humility. The research argues that there is a need for the RCZ to revisit and carry out a critical analysis concerning her thinking and strategies of mission today. The RCZ is to develop a relevant framework that will allow the Tonga people to be conscious instruments of their own transformation in their own socio-cultural context. The goal of the study is to have a shift in the RCZ towards a missiological approach that is appropriate, meaningful and relevant in order to facilitate the transformation of the community she serves and ministers to. This framework for doing Christian mission should be Biblical, communal and contextual in the RCZ and at the same time encourage reflective involvement of the faith community in the missio Dei. The research proposes an intercultural mission as appropriate in our context, not a cross-cultural one. The research concludes that the DRC.s traditional mission model profoundly influenced the identity and present mission practice of the RCZ. A better understanding of the identity of both the DRC and the RCZ will enlighten the members of the RCZ to accept the missio Dei as their vocation and challenge. Now and in future, it will help the RCZ members who are participating in intercultural mission to make more informed plans and decisions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing begin met beskrywende studie van die tradisionele sendingmodel wat deur die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) gebruik is in die totstandkoming van wat nou bekend is as die Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ). Die doel van die beskrywende deel is om te verstaan hoekom bepaalde foute gemaak is in die kruis-kulturele uitreike van die verlede en om nie daardie foute te bly herhaal nie. Die RCZ moet interkulturele missionale teorie en praktyk leer ontwikkel. Die uitreik na die Tonga gemeenskap in die Binga distrik in Zimbabwe se Noord-Westelike provinsie word gebruik as uitgebreide gevallestudie in die ontwikkeling van nuwe missionale benadering vir die RCZ. Die navorsingsvraag is: Hoe moet die RCZ, binne die konteks van die Tonga volk, die missio Dei toepaslik, betekenisvol en relevant uitdruk? Die navorsing aanvaar dat as die RCZ gepaste en betekenisvolle sending-benadering wil ontwikkel, hulle die Tonga volk moet ken en verstaan. Die RCZ moet nie die foute van die Europese sendelinge met hul etnosentriese meerderwaardige houding herhaal nie. Dit benodig paradigmaskuif in die RCZ se denke en sendingwerk want hulle was op pad om dieselfde foute te maak. Die RCZ moet met liefde en nederigheid deelneem aan die missio Dei. Haar optrede moet nie meerderwaardigheid teenoor die Tonga mense weerspieel nie. Die navorsing stel dus voor dat die RCZ se herbesin en kritiese analise doen van haar huidige denke en strategiee. Die RCZ moet relevante raamwerk ontwikkel wat die Tonga volk sal toelaat om bewustelike instrumente van hul eie transformasie in hul eie sosio-kulturele konteks te wees. Die doel van hierdie studie is skuif in die RCZ na missionale benadering wat gepas, betekenisvol en relevant is ten einde die transformasie van die gemeenskap wat gedien en bedien word, te vergemaklik. Hierdie studie is poging om 'n raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die doen van sendingwerk wat Bybels, gemeenskaplik en kontekstueel binne die RCZ is en wat denkende betrokkenheid van die geloofsgemeenskap in die missio Dei sal aanmoedig. 'n Interkulturele benadering tot sending is in die konteks gepas, en nie 'n kruis-kulturele sending benadering soos voorheen deur die NGK gevolg nie. Die navorsing konkludeer dat die NGK se tradisionele sendingmodel die RCZ se identiteit en benadering tot sendingwerk integraal beinvloed het. Daarom is die geskiedenis van die RCZ en die werk en invloed van die NGK op die RCZ eers ontleed. Die navorser wil die RCZ oortuig om haar eie identiteit missionaal te herontdek om sodoende in haar uitreik na ander kulture interkultureel te kan werk. In die proses wil die RCZ nie proseliete van die Tonga mense maak nie maar hulle bemagtig om self in die lig van die evangelie hulle kultuur te transformeer.

This thesis falls under Missiology. Its main objective is to investigate the challenges of evangelizing the African Christian Family in the light of'Familiaris Consortio. J The thesis is unique by virtue of its contextualization. It targets the people who occupy Gokwe diocese, one ofthe eight dioceses in Zimbabwe. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The First Chapter looks at the location and family life in Gokwe diocese. In this chapter, special attention is given to the inhabitants of Gokwe diocese themselves, their social life, marriage, the influence of modernity on marriage and family life, the economic life of the people, their political life and some rituals which include belief in the veneration ofancestors and the kurova guva (bringing home) ceremony. It is in this same chapter that most of the challenges to evangelizing the African (Shona) Christian family in Gokwe diocese come out. Some of these include: polygamy, divorce, bridewealth, poverty, belief in ancestors and the kurova guva ceremony. The Second Chapter gives what the Church teaches on the theology of marriage and family life. It is in two main sections. The first section highlights some important points on God's plan for marriage and family life. The second and largest section emphasizes the role of the Christian family which is realized by fulfilling four main tasks, namely: forming a community of persons, serving life, participating in the development of society and sharing in the life and mission ofthe Church. The Third Chapter is an evaluation of the similarities and disparities between the theological! ecclesiological stance and the real family situation in Gokwe diocese. In a nutshell, it compares and contrasts the first and second chapters, bringing out the similarities and differences existing between the two. Community spirit, value of life, communion between the living and the dead, ethics and morality are among some notable similarities, whilst polygamy, divorce, position of women and attitude towards health and sickness are among the major disparities. The Fourth Chapter is practical in the sense that it seeks to offer some envisaged pastoral solutions and proposals to the already highlighted challenges and problems. Closest attention to the solutions is given to the available resources in the diocese of Gokw.e especially in the areas ofstages, structures and agents ofpastoral care for the family. The Fifth Chapter is a conclusion of the whole thesis. Basically it looks at what I have discovered throughout the whole thesis and offers some general conclusions according to 'Familiaris Consortio. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

The study addresses from a sociocultural-historical, in particular a missiological and medical perspective the question if Catholic hospitals in Matabeleland, affected by the dramatic down-turn of Zimbabwe’s economy since 2000, did whatever they could to continue offering quality services to their patients. It starts with a portrayal of the emergence of secular modernity in the North-Atlantic World, as regards its view of the world as solely governed by natural laws, and of people as capable of taking destiny into their own hands, unperturbed by spiritual forces. The question is explored how the Christian Occident could end up there, following its development through the Middle Ages, and its expansion by missionary activity, by preaching the Word, but also by military force. Next, the achievements of pre-1900 Western medicine are examined, to identify if/how missionaries in Africa could have benefited. The study describes how professional medicine did not become part of the early Zambesi Mission, not because of its curative shortcomings, but for spiritual reasons, insofar as the Jesuits did not follow the European trend to let worldly well-being take the place of eternal salvation. Vis-à-vis their other-than-modern view of life, suffering, and (self-)sacrifice, the promises of medicine appeared just trivial. Submissiveness to authority, both ecclesiastical and worldly, is identified as the core principle that informed the Jesuits’ educational approach towards Africans in all their efforts at conversions. The missionaries thereby colluded with colonialist thinking, in not attempting to make their pupils grow into self-confident, independent thinkers in their own right. In this educational tradition, grafted onto a pre-modern local culture, the study finds the reason why Zimbabwean medical staff, as managers of their clinics or hospitals, have shown little readiness to proactively prioritise the intrinsic needs of their institutions and push for corrective measures, prepared even to challenge their superiors when encountering aberrations in the health system, locally as well as higher up. The study asks if the Church could have opted for a different educational approach, considering the prevailing socio-economic and cultural framework conditions; finally, which options present-day Zimbabweans have to choose from, regarding their country’s future development. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The integration and evangelisation of the minority groups in Zimbabwe in general, and in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in particular poses a challenge. The situation has become more acute after independence. Evidently, the socio-political atmosphere in Zimbabwe has not ameliorated the condition. Certainly, challenges stem from issues concerning racial prejudice, finances, cultural differences, as well as worship styles. While the efforts of the current multicultural ministries are appreciated, the results of the survey indicate that a lot still needs to be done. First, the organizational structure of the ministry needs to be reviewed. Such a review is relevant in order to check and regulate the balance and distribution of power, control and authority. Second, the need for the recruitment of leaders from within the minority groups themselves especially from the white population was clearly articulated. Third, it may be necessary to approach the whole issue from a social standpoint, so as to formulate theological strategies. Apparently, the social distance is more pronounced than the theological one. In addition, integration and evangelisation specifically among the Coloured population is further compounded by the split, which occurred in the early 1990s. Most of the Sabbath-Keeping Adventists from this group anticipate challenges if they would opt to merge with the national Conference. Some of the major barriers to such a step revolve around issues of properties, finances, and positions as well as the general upkeep of the workers. Unless, these apprehensions are clarified and the fears are allayed, integration seems enigmatic. Ecclesiological unity and theological unity in diversity seem to be eclipsed by racial solidarity and socio-economic and political expediency. Similarly, the reconciliation among the black majority itself, also needs a close and deliberate attention from both the church and society in Zimbabwe. For that reason, tribalism, racism, ethnicity, nepotism and any other discrimination should not be tolerated, first and foremost by the church and second, by all peace loving Zimbabweans (Gal 3:28). The reconstruction of the cultural landscape in Zimbabwe demands an affirmation of the common destiny for all Zimbabweans. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The integration and evangelisation of the minority groups in Zimbabwe in general, and in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in particular poses a challenge. The situation has become more acute after independence. Evidently, the socio-political atmosphere in Zimbabwe has not ameliorated the condition. Certainly, challenges stem from issues concerning racial prejudice, finances, cultural differences, as well as worship styles. While the efforts of the current multicultural ministries are appreciated, the results of the survey indicate that a lot still needs to be done. First, the organizational structure of the ministry needs to be reviewed. Such a review is relevant in order to check and regulate the balance and distribution of power, control and authority. Second, the need for the recruitment of leaders from within the minority groups themselves especially from the white population was clearly articulated. Third, it may be necessary to approach the whole issue from a social standpoint, so as to formulate theological strategies. Apparently, the social distance is more pronounced than the theological one. In addition, integration and evangelisation specifically among the Coloured population is further compounded by the split, which occurred in the early 1990s. Most of the Sabbath-Keeping Adventists from this group anticipate challenges if they would opt to merge with the national Conference. Some of the major barriers to such a step revolve around issues of properties, finances, and positions as well as the general upkeep of the workers. Unless, these apprehensions are clarified and the fears are allayed, integration seems enigmatic. Ecclesiological unity and theological unity in diversity seem to be eclipsed by racial solidarity and socio-economic and political expediency. Similarly, the reconciliation among the black majority itself, also needs a close and deliberate attention from both the church and society in Zimbabwe. For that reason, tribalism, racism, ethnicity, nepotism and any other discrimination should not be tolerated, first and foremost by the church and second, by all peace loving Zimbabweans (Gal 3:28). The reconstruction of the cultural landscape in Zimbabwe demands an affirmation of the common destiny for all Zimbabweans. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)