Thesis (doctoral)--Uppsala University, 1986. / Thesis summary inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. 207-211).

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Contemporary global Christian demography, it has been observed, indicates a significant gravitational shift towards a two-thirds global concentration. Characteristic of that majority is the proliferation of indigenous, independent churches. In the majority of the world, especially in Africa, one significant characteristic of such independent churches is the phenomenon of healing. That phenomenon, particularly in the Zionist churches, constitutes a prominent feature in the indigenous spectrum of the African Christian demography. Therefore, by examining a selection of case studies of the Zionist healing phenomenon at grassroots levels, this research sought to generate a grounded theory of mission praxis. This research focused on the Holy Spirit and spirits in healing within selected Zionists populations in the southern African context. The research engaged the classical Grounded Theory Approach in investigating the healing phenomenon in the Khayelitsha and Masiphumelele Zionist churches in the Western Province, as well as in one Zionist church in Limpopo Province. Cumulative field data harvested from narratives of the Zionists themselves sought to capture an emic understanding of what happens before, around, in, during and after specific healings. Pilot research work facilitated the production of an appropriate ground-based bilingual questionnaire that was instrumental in the interviews and observations of individuals and church activities related to healing. A population of ninety adult Zionists were interviewed. Data collection and data management proceeded iteratively and simultaneously. The research process – from data harvesting to open and selective coding, the abstraction of dataimbedded concepts, theoretical sampling and the creation of the main categories – revolved around the question, ‘What is happening when healing occurs among the Zionists?’ Later, a thorough literature review of scholarly works, ranging from Adogame (2012) and Anderson, Omenyo and Oosthuizen to Sundkler and Xulu, enhanced the emerging ‘story’ of healing. The review, which also took account of the Biblical motif of sozo (σῴζω), led to an identification, refinement, sorting and selection of the main emerging categories, that is, the principles or concepts, which are manifest in Zionist healing ministries. Thus emerged the theory that describes what happens in that healing process. A grassroots emic understanding of the healing phenomenon emerged that was simple: the healing experience involves a spiritual search, a quest. Supplicants to be healed come expecting to be healed. Over eighteen million Zionists in southern Africa seek spiritual solutions to real-life problems, central to which is the need for healing. The Christian context of the healing experience is associated with the activity of the Holy Spirit and spirits. A successful healing draws more people in and leads to church expansion, which is the primary mission of the Church. On three conceptual levels this research refreshes the professional discourse regarding the Church and its mission in southern Africa, namely the nature of healing; the spiritual agents of healing; and finally, healing as a critical key in understanding the Church’s contemporary mission and missional praxis. This research sought to clarify, amplify and apply that understanding for the benefit of the local and global Church. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar word waargeneem dat die verspreiding van die Christendom tans ʼn beduidende ruimtelike verskuiwing ondergaan: waar Christenskap voorheen hoofsaaklik in die Weste beoefen is, is dit deesdae oorwegend in die ontwikkelende wêreld gekonsentreer. Kenmerkend van hierdie Christelike gemeenskappe is die verspreiding van inheemse, onafhanklike kerke. In die meeste gebiede waar die Christendom tans gekonsentreer is, veral in Afrika, is ʼn belangrike fenomeen wat in sodanige kerke voorkom dié van genesing. Hierdie fenomeen, veral in die konteks van Sionistekerke, is ʼn prominente kenmerk van die groei en verspreiding van sodanige kerke. Daarom het hierdie navorsing dit ten doel gestel om ʼn goed onderlegde teorie oor die sendingpraktyk te ontwikkel deur op voetsoolvlak ʼn verskeidenheid gevallestudies oor die fenomeen van genesing in Sionistekerke te ondersoek. Die navorsing het gefokus op die Heilige Gees en ander geeste wat ʼn rol speel in genesing by geselekteerde Sionistegroepe in Suider-Afrika. In die navorsing is daar van die klassieke Gegronde Teoretiese Benadering gebruik gemaak om genesing in Sionistekerke in die Wes-Kaap en Limpopo-provinsie te ondersoek. Deur middel van ʼn iteratiewe proses van kumulatiewe data-insameling en -bestuur het die navorsing dit ten doel gestel om ʼn emiese Sionistebegrip te verkry van wat rondom en tydens sekere genesingsessies gebeur. ʼn Primêre loodsondersoek het die produksie van ʼn volledig onderlegde, tweetalige vraelys gefasiliteer wat benut is as ʼn instrument in die daaropvolgende onderhoude met en waarneming van Sionistiese kerklede. Onderhoude is met negentig volwasse Sioniste in Khayelitsha, Masiphumelele en Limpopo gevoer. Die hele navorsingsproses – van data-insameling tot kodering en die abstrahering van konsepte wat in die data ingebed was – het op die volgende vraag berus: ‘Wat gebeur wanneer genesing onder Sioniste plaasvind?’ Tydens hierdie proses het die beginsel van ʼn soektog herhaaldelik na vore gekom. Vier sodanige tipes soektogte is geïdentifiseer: die soeke na mag, na kommunikasie, na gemeenskap en na spirituele terapie. ʼn Deeglike literatuurstudie van vakkundige werke deur onder andere Adogame (2012), Anderson, Omenyo, Oosthuizen, Sundkler en Xulu het die ontluikende “storie” of teorie van genesing versterk. In hierdie literatuurstudie is onder andere die Bybelse motief sozo (σῴζω) ondersoek, wat daartoe gelei het dat die hoofsoektog wat in Sionistiese genesingswerk manifesteer, geïdentifiseer en geselekteer kon word. Op voetsoolvlak was die emiese begrip van die genesingsfenomeen wat na vore gekom het eenvoudig: Die genesingservaring behels ʼn spirituele soektog. Kandidate vir genesing kom met die verwagting om genees te word. Meer as agtien miljoen Sioniste in Suider-Afrika is op soek na spirituele oplossings vir alledaagse probleme. Wat beduidend is in hierdie soeke is hul behoefte aan genesing en veral holistiese genesing. Die Christelike konteks van die genesingservaring word geassosieer met die handeling van die Heilige Gees en ander geeste. Genesing wat ontvang word, betrek mense by die kerk, wat daartoe lei dat die kerk sy roeping kan vervul deur te groei en uit te brei. Hierdie navorsing dra op drie konseptuele vlakke by tot ʼn hernude professionele diskoers oor die kerk en sendingwerk in Suider-Afrika, naamlik die kerk en genesing, die spirituele agente van genesing en genesing as ʼn beduidende sleutel daartoe om die kontemporere sendingspraktyk te verstaan. Die navorsing het dit ten doel gestel om hierdie begrip te versterk en toe te pas ten bate van die plaaslike en globale kerk.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in the Department of Music at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 1997. / The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between music and worship in contemporary African society. Since there are various forms of activities that constitute the African society, the study will focus on the Zionists' Church music and worship from an ethnomusicological point of view.

Introduction: This project takes as its subject a particular example of ecstatic Christianity of the African Zionist type, practised by a group of urban African persons in Grahamstown, South Africa. The study is concerned specifically with the meanings of music (singing and drumming) and movement (dancing and clapping) in the context of a Church service whose overall intention is the employment of spiritual powers in the healing of sick persons.

Thesis (M.A. (History studies)) --University of Limpopo, 1980 / Refer to document

Previous studies have demonstrated that Zulu Zionists remained peace-loving and politically quiescent in times of racial segregation and political injustice. Since then the political situation in South Africa has shifted dramatically and, despite the dismantling of apartheid structures and the unbanning of major Black political organisations, political violence and instability have becomethe order of the day. The main concern of this dissertation was therefore to explore the response of Zulu Zionists in Kwa Mashu to such a volatile political climate and to ascertain whether they can uphold their reputed apolitical attitude. It emerged from fieldwork, conducted in Kwa Mashu, Durban, over a period of 22 months, that their social boundaries, group cohesiveness and religious identity are threatened by the negative side-effects of an increased politicisation. Like their fellow township dwellers, Kwa Mashu Zionists are expected to take sides and are exposed to political propaganda and intimidation. Young Zionists, in particular, are prone to violate the apolitical stance of their church, for they are not only marginalized within their congregations but they are also the main object of political pressure and recruitment. However, it was found that the majority of Zionists successfully resisted being drawn completely into political participation and insisted on the retention of their religious values. Those who choose political partisanship defend their religious convictions and hold out against taking part in violent political competition. To counteract the intrusion of politically related damage and to prevent their youth from religious alienation, Zionists no longer exclusively emphasise the negative implications of politics but acknowledge the inevitability of being conscious about it. Zionists thereby reach an acceptable definition of politics which does not endanger group-cohesiveness and does little harm to their social boundaries. The conclusion reached in this study is that Kwa Mashu Zionists confront the encroachment of politics by transforming it into a harmless form of political consciousness. In this form Zionists can assimilate politics and employ it as an instrument for achieving their goals in the upliftment of the economic poor and the socially disadvantaged. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1993.

The dissertation focuses on preaching in the context of selected African indigenous churches. The aim of the study was to explore sermon texts as a genre of oral communication. The gathering of data was guided by the hypothesis that the sermons that are preached in the African indigenous churches are composed orally and communicated orally. Three church groups were identified for the purposes of this study. Although the intention, at the planning stage of the study, was to study a mixture of Ethiopian, Zionist and Messianic-type churches, practical considerations and also because of socio-political factors, the study was limited to church groups of the Zionist and Messianic types. The research was carried out through the method of participant observation of services of worship, extended interviews with church leaders, preachers and congregants and also through the use of audio cassette recordings during nine months of field work in Edendale in Pietermaritzburg, Port Durnford near Mtunzimi and Ndabayakhe near Empangeni. A central finding of the study is that in the African indigenous churches a sermon is prepared and has a form (structure). The structure of the sermon is that of an oral text. The oral texture of the sermon is influenced by the following contexts: an oral tradition; the Bible which is a written source with a repertoire of texts' church tradition which is orally transmitted; and the life setting and experience of the congregants. It was also found that the sermon text is presented as a 'performance' involving both the preacher and a live, active, close audience. The study concludes that the communication of the sermon is influenced by the structural form of the sermon text, the ability of the preacher to use literary products and visual resources, and also by the participation of the audience. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1992.

A large number of Black patients seen by the mental health team in South Africa consult indigenous healers. An awareness of the diagnosis and treatment given to patients by traditional healers, would therefore enhance both the rapport with and treatment of those patients who seek help from the mental health professionals and para-professionals.

The study is about a Zulu male vocal tradition called isicathamiya performed by 'migrants' in all night competitions called ingomabusuku. This is a performance style popularized by the award winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Isicathamiya, both in its symbolic structure and in the social and culturalpractice of its proponents has much in common with the ritual practices of Zionists. And Zionists are worshippers who integrate traditional beliefs and Christianity. This study will reveal that isicathamiya performance and Zionists are linked in three major areas:in the sqcial bases and practice of its proponents, in the structural properties of their performances and tn the meanings attached to these practices. Firstly, Zionists, who are also called a Separatist or African Independent church, and isicathamiya performers have minimal education and are employed in low income jobs in the cities. Most groups are formed with 'homeboy networks'. Furthermore, performers, unlike their brothers in the city, cling tenaciously to usiko [custom and tradition]. Although they are Christians, they still worship Umvelinqangi [The One Who Came First], by giving oblations and other forms of offerings. Amadlozi [the ancestors] are still believed to be their mediators with God. Also commonplace in this category is the practice of ukuchatha, [cleansing the stomach with some prepared medicine]; and ukuphalaza [taking out bile by spewing, which is also done as a way of warding off evil spirits]. These are rural practices that have meaning in their present domiciles. The second area of similarity consists in the structure of the nocturnal gatherings that form the core of the ritual and performance practices among isicathamiya singers and Zionists. Thus, a core of the ritual of Zionists is umlindelo [night vigil] which takes place every weekend from about 8 at night until the following day. Likewise, isicathamiya performers have competitions every Saturday evening from 8 at night until about 11 am the following day. Although Zionists night vigils are liturgical and isicathamiya competitions secular, the structures of both isicathamiya choreography and Zionists body movements appear the same. These movements are both rooted in a variety of traditional styles called ingoma. Thirdly, the meanings attached to these symbolic correspondences must be looked for in the selective appropriation of practices and beliefs taken to be traditional. Using present day commentaries in song and movement, ingoma and other rural styles performed in competitions and Zionists night vigils reflect a reconstruction of the past. Isicathamiya performers and Zionists see themselves as custodians of Zulu tradition, keeping Zulu ethnicity alive in the urban environment. This is why in this study we are going to see rural styles like ingoma, isifekezeli [war drills], ukusina [solo dancing] that were performed on the fields, now performed, sort of feigned and 'held in' as they are p~rformed in dance halls with wooden stages.

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)