In 1994, Swaziland celebrated 150 years of Christianity. Three distinct eras are identified in the history of mission-church growth, each of which is related to elitism. 1884 saw the start of missions is Swaziland, but this effort was short-lived. The mission became caught up in internecine warfare, the resident missionary and the Swazi Christian community fled to Natal where the church grew and matured in exile during a period of missionary lacuna in Swaziland itself. After thirty-six years, the missionaries were once again allowed to settle in Swaziland and the church grew rapidly, mainly as a result of the widespread institutional work undertaken. Soon an elite Christian community developed as people came to identify with a mission or church, many of whom had little Christian commitment. In 1%8, Swaziland was granted independence. A return to culture accompanied a strong wave of nationalism. Mission-church growth in this period declined as those, whose commitment to the Christian faith was shallow, returned to culture or joined one of the Independent churches which catered for varying degrees of syncretism The third era outlined in this study is one of secularisation. Family structures were eroded, materialism took hold and the church was in danger of becoming irrelevant. The older churches continue their decline, but new churches, appealing particularly to the new elite, are growing. / Christian spirituality, Church history and Missiology / Th.M.(Missiology)

In 1994, Swaziland celebrated 150 years of Christianity. Three distinct eras are identified in the history of mission-church growth, each of which is related to elitism. 1884 saw the start of missions is Swaziland, but this effort was short-lived. The mission became caught up in internecine warfare, the resident missionary and the Swazi Christian community fled to Natal where the church grew and matured in exile during a period of missionary lacuna in Swaziland itself. After thirty-six years, the missionaries were once again allowed to settle in Swaziland and the church grew rapidly, mainly as a result of the widespread institutional work undertaken. Soon an elite Christian community developed as people came to identify with a mission or church, many of whom had little Christian commitment. In 1%8, Swaziland was granted independence. A return to culture accompanied a strong wave of nationalism. Mission-church growth in this period declined as those, whose commitment to the Christian faith was shallow, returned to culture or joined one of the Independent churches which catered for varying degrees of syncretism The third era outlined in this study is one of secularisation. Family structures were eroded, materialism took hold and the church was in danger of becoming irrelevant. The older churches continue their decline, but new churches, appealing particularly to the new elite, are growing. / Christian spirituality, Church history and Missiology / Th.M.(Missiology)

Although Swazi women's contribution to national development has been phenomenal, they like any other women in patriarchal societies confront an overbearing situation in which they have been regarded and treated as minors, both in the family and most spheres of public life. This has largely been due to the social construction of gender. Traditional gender-based attitudes, deeply ingrained in the people's mind set, not infrequently, have limited women's access to and control of various aspects of public life, and impinge on their rights, most especially the rights to selfdetermination and equal participation in the decision making process. Coupled with religion which influences "the deepest level of what it means to be human" (King, 1994:4) and zealous cultural conservatism, the Swazi women, with a few notable exceptions, experience an asymmetry of power due to the pervasive nature of gender. Nonetheless, the history of Swaziland bears testimony, however muted, to a legacy ofwomen's struggles to overcome gendered conditions imposed upon them either by taking full advantage of their spiritual endowment and charisma to overcome attitudinal barriers or by organising themselves into groups to work for the social transformation of their conditions and status. This study examines the Swazi women's search for gender equality. It discusses the social and cultural context of gender in Swaziland, the various moments in the Swazi women's quest for equality and its manifestations, and the push and pull effect of religion and culture. Particular attention is given to four organisations, namely Lutsango lwakaNgwane (loosely referred to as women's regiments), the Council of Swaziland Churches, the Women's Resource Centre (Umtapo waBomake) and Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA). The study shows that Swazi women have, across a passage of time, adopted different strategies, including ritual, economic empowerment and creation of new knowledge through promotion of gender awareness and social advocacy either in a womanist approach that accepts women's embeddedness in Swazi culture or in the liberal feminist tradition that espouses women's individual rights. However, the study shows that the women's movement has yet to reach the critical mass level so as to influence public policy and come to terms with the deconstruction of the dominant gender ideology. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

Although Swazi women's contribution to national development has been phenomenal, they like any other women in patriarchal societies confront an overbearing situation in which they have been regarded and treated as minors, both in the family and most spheres of public life. This has largely been due to the social construction of gender. Traditional gender-based attitudes, deeply ingrained in the people's mind set, not infrequently, have limited women's access to and control of various aspects of public life, and impinge on their rights, most especially the rights to selfdetermination and equal participation in the decision making process. Coupled with religion which influences "the deepest level of what it means to be human" (King, 1994:4) and zealous cultural conservatism, the Swazi women, with a few notable exceptions, experience an asymmetry of power due to the pervasive nature of gender. Nonetheless, the history of Swaziland bears testimony, however muted, to a legacy ofwomen's struggles to overcome gendered conditions imposed upon them either by taking full advantage of their spiritual endowment and charisma to overcome attitudinal barriers or by organising themselves into groups to work for the social transformation of their conditions and status. This study examines the Swazi women's search for gender equality. It discusses the social and cultural context of gender in Swaziland, the various moments in the Swazi women's quest for equality and its manifestations, and the push and pull effect of religion and culture. Particular attention is given to four organisations, namely Lutsango lwakaNgwane (loosely referred to as women's regiments), the Council of Swaziland Churches, the Women's Resource Centre (Umtapo waBomake) and Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA). The study shows that Swazi women have, across a passage of time, adopted different strategies, including ritual, economic empowerment and creation of new knowledge through promotion of gender awareness and social advocacy either in a womanist approach that accepts women's embeddedness in Swazi culture or in the liberal feminist tradition that espouses women's individual rights. However, the study shows that the women's movement has yet to reach the critical mass level so as to influence public policy and come to terms with the deconstruction of the dominant gender ideology. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)