Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: From within the epistemological framework of missional praxis in Participatory
Development Theology, the researcher addresses ethnocentrism, poverty and regionalism
in the historical contexts of the CCAP Blantyre Synod and Malawi. Over-against this
condition, he advocates for a change in mindset to a hermeneutic of hospitality, respect
and caring based on the construct of Interculturalisation in Development Theology. In
accordance with his contextual and identity analyses’ and in line with participatory
development challenges, he succeeds in designing a model for an intercultural missional
approach which he argues would assist the CCAP Blantyre Synod to affect its calling and
being as liberating, reconciling and transforming public entity.
The thesis also includes thorough background information about Malawi such as of the
early history, the geography and aspects of the economy. The role of the missionaries and
the colonial administration is highlighted and there is a description of all the churches
active in Malawi.
‘Interculturalisation’ has the potential to provide a forum where people of different
ethnic, regional, denominational, cultural, national, religious and ideological backgrounds
can meet and engage in a respectful intercultural dialogue because of its emphasis on
hospitality and interdependence based on the Biblical anthropological principles and
Kingdom values of acknowledging the other and the dignity of all human beings.
Through intercultural-dialogue they can come to an understanding about the meaning of
development as transformation, globally as well as locally. Interculturalisation therefore
serves to facilitate and strengthen ecumenical formation and to nurture ecumenical
consciousness. This mission model will enable people to concentrate on things that unite
them rather than on those that divide them. Our submission here is that it is only with a
united voice that other development partners can take the Church seriously.
At present, however, the CCAP Blantyre Synod struggles with these issues because of the
ongoing divisions among churches (particularly within the CCAP family) and churches
not doing mission in unity. The result is that ecumenical work and addressing issues like
poverty is difficult because there is no cooperation between denominations. The human
dignity of all parties suffers and the gospel is neutralized. Ecumenism does not necessarily focus on individual development. The Church is both social and sacred; it is
influenced by what happens outside as well as inside (cf. Heitink 1999: 9). We now live
in a globalized world. The CCAP’s social task therefore is to be a missional
transformation church – a church for all peoples regardless of class, race, ethnicity or
culture. When she does that she will not need to have another social ethic because, by her
life and witness, it will be clear that she is already that (Hauerwas 1983:104).
White and black missionaries who established Blantyre Mission worked together– when
working together, there was real progress, when not working together, there was no
tangible progress. So let us also learn to live and work together as brothers and sisters
created in the image of God and called into the kingdom of God, who should find our first
and primary identity through our baptism into the one body of Christ (Ephesians 4:4-6).
The “scandal of the disunity of the CCAP” family is very painful when we consider the
church’s social task. This disunity exists in our time in the face of the alarmingly everincreasing
proportions of unemployment, poverty, inequality. HIV/Aids, hunger,
nepotism, corruption, women and child abuse, property-grabbing and lack of moral fibre
adversely affecting the Church and society at large in Malawi. How can we justify the
situation in which we who have been called to be the forerunners of God’s peaceable
kingdom cannot, it seems, maintain unity among ourselves?
Schreiter (1985:29) argues that, “if Christianity is alive at all in a situation, it will
certainly change things about the culture. The Christian message, after all, is about
change: repentance, salvation, and an eschatological reality to be realized. Therefore, to
think that Christianity will not change the situation [in Malawi] is to rob the Christian
message of its most important part”. The researcher refers to the fact that some of the
earliest Scottish missionaries were culturally sensitive and respected all people.
Everybody was treated with dignity. Where and when this was practiced, ethnocentrism
did not take hold and the gospel reached across all boundaries. The church should follow
this example. As brothers and sisters created in the image of God, we should find our first
and primary identity through our baptism into the one body of Jesus Christ (Ephesians
4:4-6; cf. Ephesians 2:14). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorser spreek etnosentrisme and armoede in Malawe aan vanuit die
epistemologiese raamwerk van die sending benadering. Die navorser pleit vir ’n
verandering in denke en houding, en vir ’n nuwe benadering baseer op gasvryheid,
respek, besorgheid, meedeelsaamheid, verantwoordelikheid en deelname in
vennootskappe vir die behoud en bevryding van mense, in die Afrika gees van
“ubuntu“.
Die tesis sluit ook agtergronds inligting omtrent Malawi soos die vroee geskiedenis,
geografie en aspekte van die ekonomie in. Daar word gefokus op die rol van die
sendlinge en daar is n beskrygwing van al die kerke wat in Malawi aktief is.
Interkulturele samewerking het die potensiaal om ’n forum te skep waar mense van
verskillende streke en etniese, kerklike, kulturele, nasionale, godsdienstige en
ideologiese agtergronde mekaar kan ontmoet en deel neem aan dialoog. Dit kan
gebeur as gevolg van die klem op gasvryheid en onderafhanklikheid wat baseer is op
Bybelse antropologiese beginsels en Koninkryk waardes waar die belangrikheid van
ander mense asook die waardigheid van alle menslike wesens erken word.
Dialoog tussen lede van verskillende kulturele groepe kan lei tot ’n begrip van die
betekenis van ontwikkeling as transformasie, globaal sowel as plaaslik.
Interekulturele gesprek fasiliteer en versterk dus ekumeniese formasie en
ekumeniese bewustheid. Hierdie model sal mense help om te fokus op dit wat hulle
verenig in plaas van op dit wat hulle skei. Dit is net as die Kerk met een stem praat,
dat die ander ontwikkelingsvennote die Kerk ernstig sal opneem.
Tans egter sukkel die CCAP Blantyre Sinode met hierdie kwessies van langdurige
divisies tussen kerke (veral in die CCAP familie) en dat die kerke NIE saam sending
werk doen nie. (CCAP staan vir Die Kerk van Sentraal Afrika Prebiteriaans) Die
gevolg is die ekumeniese werk en die aanspreek van kwessies soos armoede
bemoeilik word omdat daar nie samewerking is tussen die denominasies nie. Die menslike waardigheid van al die partye ly skade en die evangelie word geneutraliseer.
Die “skandaal“ van die onenigheid in die CCAP familie is pynlik, veral as ons die
Kerk se sosiale taak in ag neem. Hierdie onenigheid bestaan in „“n tyd van die
groeiende armoede, ongelykheid, werkloosheid, MIV/VIGS, gebrek aan morele
waardes, die gryp van eiendom, nepotisme en korrupsie wat alreeds die Kerk en die
gemeenskap negatief affekteer. Hoe kan ons hierdie situasie regverdig as ons wat
geroepe is om die verteenwoordigers te wees van God se vreedsame koninkryk, nie
eers onderling kan verening nie?
Schreiter (1985:29) stel dit so: “ as die Christendom enigsins lewendig is in hierdie
stuasie, sal dit sekerlik ’n verskil in die kultuur kan aanbring.. Die Christelike
boodskap is per slot van sake ’n boodskap van verandering: bekering, redding en
eskatologiese realiteit. Om dus te dink dat die Christelike boodskap nie ’n verskil kan
maak aan die situasie [in Malawi] nie, is om ’n belangrike deel van die boodskap mis
te kyk.
Die navorser verwys na die feit dat sommige van die vroeë Skotse sendelinge
kultureel sensitief was en aan alle mense respek bewys het. Almal is met
waardigheiod behandel. Waar dit die geval was, het etnosentrisme nie wortel geskiet
nie en het die evangelie alle grense oorgesteek. Die Kerk moet hierdie voorbeeld
volg. Ons as broeders en susters wat geskep is na die Beeld van God moet ons eerste
en primêre identiteit vind in die doop en in ons deel aan die een liggaam van Christus
(Efesiers 4: 4-6).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6771 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Abale-Phiri, Hastings Matemba |
| Contributors | August, K. Th., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 310 p. : ill., maps. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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