Manche Masemola: Rebel or Revolutionary? Resistance and Subversion in the Manche Masemola Narrative

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sekgothe Mokgoatšana

Manche Masemola’s narrative is predominantly a portrayal of a strong-willed character who faces brutal attacks for her commitment to her faith. She is described as a martyr, and eventually a saint. Her struggle to project her voice and willingness to make her own decisions are largely reported from one side, that is, from the perspective of the Church recounting how she defied her parents and community to accept the Christian religion. Commentators on this narrative miss Manche’s willingness to defy the same Church that was ready to promote her as a martyr. The purpose of this article is to argue that although Manche was described as an Anglican martyr, she was a revolutionary, and resisted the same Empire that hoped to colonise and Christianise her. She resisted colonial enslavement and continued to be initiated into koma, and refused to be baptised with Western clothing. Manche should be seen as a model for resistance against colonialism and female struggles against masculine dominance clothed in Christian education and conversion. The article uses archival records and secondary analysis to describe Manche’s pursuit to die for her commitment to her Sepedi culture. I will begin by examining Manche’s ritual journey to adulthood using koma, and conclude by discussing the pertinent question of why she was finally not baptised.

Author(s):  
Adriano Sousa Lima ◽  
Jaziel Guerreiro Martins

O artigo reflete sobre o tema “Teologia e pós-modernidade: apontamentos para o discurso teológico relevante”. Tendo como objetivo discutir se a teologia pode sobreviver como discurso, como logos e quais seriam as suas chances, bem como alguns dos caminhos que ela poderia trilhar, o artigo enfrenta questões fundamentais para o debate religioso, no sentido amplo, e teológico, no sentido específico. Trata-se da busca de respostas para indagações antigas, mas sempre relevantes: a religião cristã e a teologia são pertinentes na pós-modernidade? Quais seriam os novos desafios para a teologia nesse contexto? Quais seriam os rumos da teologia na época pós-moderna? Para responder tais questionamentos, os autores analisam a literatura mais relevante e atual sobre o tema, visando contribuir no âmbito acadêmico, eclesial e social. Ao final, os autores destacam que para sobreviver num tempo pós-moderno, é fundamental que a teologia se lance à tarefa de decifrar as implicações da pós-modernidade para ela e para a igreja. A teologia precisará ainda desconstruir os paradigmas modernos da interpretação do texto bíblico, a fim de responder com mais consistência os questionamentos teológicos da pós-modernidade. Assim, os autores concluem que a pós-modernidade não é um mal a ser combatido, mas um período a ser discernido e ao mesmo tempo, enriquecedor e propositivo para a experiência religiosa e para o discurso teológico relevante.Palavras-chave: Teologia; Pós-Modernidade; Religião; Experiência. THEOLOGY AND POSTMODERNITY: NOTES FOR A RELEVANT THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSEAbstractThe article adresses the topic “Theology and post-modernity: notes for a relevant theological discourse”. It discusses if Theology may thrive as a discourse, as a logos and what are its chances, such as some ways that Theology may walk. This present research deals religious debate fundamental issues in broader and strict senses. So, it is about the search for answers to ancient, but always relevant questions: are Christian religion and Theology pertinent in post-modernity? Which are the new challenges for Theology in this context? Which are the possible paths for Theology in contemporary times? In order to answer these interrogations, the text analyses the most relevant and current literature on the topic, aiming to contribute in academic, ecclesial, and social environments. Finally, so that it may survive in post-modernity, it is paramount for Theology to engage the task of deciphering the implications of postmodernity for Theology itself and for the Church. Theology will need to deconstruct modern paradigms of biblical interpretation, so that it may consistently respond to postmodern theological issues. This way, postmodernity is not and evil to fight against, but a period that has to be discerned with wisdom and responsibility. It is an enriching propositional time concerning to religious experience and relevant theological speech.Keywords: Theology; Postmodernity; Religion; Experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-63
Author(s):  
Hardi Budiyana

Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan dan mengetahui Misi Pendidikan Kristen dalam Mewujudkan Murid Kristus, yang tentunya Murid Kristus yang memiliki karakter Kristiani dalam jemaat melalui proses pengajaran di gereja lokal. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian bersifat kualitatif dengan cara studi pustaka yakni mengkaji tentang Misi Pendidikan Kristen yang berpusat pada Kristus akan mewujudkan Murid Kristus yang memiliki wewenang untuk membangun karakter jemaat sesuai dengan ajaran iman Kristiani. Hasil penelitian ini memberikan pemahaman bahwa Misi Pendidikan Kristen berperan baik dalam Mewujudkan Murid Kristus yang memiliki pembentukan karakter kristiani dalam jemaat. Oleh karena itu, disarankan agar Para hamba Tuhan dalam hal ini Gembala Jemaat memiliki loyalitas yang tinggi dalam melaksanakan tugas dan tanggung jawab sebagai rekan kerja Allah yang bukan hanya berkotbah semata, tetapi juga menyampaikan pengajaran dengan hasil terwujud adanya murid Kristus yang memiliki karakter Kristiani nyata dalam diri Jemaat, sehingga jemaat mau melibatkan diri dalam pelayanan maupun dalam penginjilan baik dalam gereja maupun di luar gereja. Kata Kunci: Misi Pendidikan Kristen, Murid Kristus, Gereja Lokal. AbstractThis study aims to describe and know the Mission of Christian Education in Realizing Christ's Disciples, which is certainly Christ's Disciples who have Christian character in the congregation through the teaching process in the local church. This research is a qualitative study by means of literature study that examines the mission of Christian Education centered on Christ will realize Christ's Disciples who have the authority to build the character of the church in accordance with the teachings of the Christian faith. The results of this study provide an understanding that the Christian Education Mission plays a good role in realizing Christ's disciples who have the formation of Christian character in the congregation. Therefore, it is recommended that the pastors of the Church of the Church Shepherd have a high loyalty in carrying out their duties and responsibilities as partners of God who not only preach, but also deliver teaching with the results of the realization of disciples of Christ who have a real Christian character in themselves Congregation, so that the congregation wants to be involved in ministry and in evangelizing both in the church and outside the church. Keywords: Christian Education Mission, Christ Disciples, Local Church


10.34690/125 ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 6-36
Author(s):  
Роман Александрович Насонов

Статья представляет собой исследование религиозной символики и интерпретацию духовного смысла «Военного реквиема» Бриттена. Воспользовавшись Реквиемом Верди как моделью жанра, композитор отдал ключевую роль в драматургии сочинения эпизодам, созданным на основе военных стихов Оуэна; в результате произведение воспринимается подобно циклу песен в обрамлении частей заупокойной мессы. Военная реальность предстает у Бриттена амбивалентно. Совершая надругательство над древней верой и разбивая чаяния современных людей, война дает шанс возрождению религиозных чувств и символов. Опыт веры, порожденный войной, переживается остро, но при всей своей подлинности зыбок и эфемерен. Церковная традиция хранит веру прочно, однако эта вера в значительной мере утрачивает чистоту и непосредственность, которыми она обладает в момент своего возникновения. Бриттен целенаправленно выстраивает диалог между двумя пластами человеческого опыта (церковным и военным), находит те точки, в которых между ними можно установить контакт. Но это не отменяет их глубокого противоречия. Вера, рождаемая войной, представляет собой в произведении Бриттена «отредактированный» вариант традиционной христианской религии: в ее центре находится не триумфальная победа Христа над злом, а пассивная, добровольно отказавшаяся защищать себя перед лицом зла жертва - не Бог Сын, а «Исаак». Смысл этой жертвы - не в преображении мира, а в защите гуманности человека от присущего ему же стремления к агрессивному самоутверждению. The study of religious symbolism and the interpretation of the spiritual meaning of “War Requiem” by Britten have presentation in this article. Using Verdi's Requiem as a model of the genre, the composer gave a key role in the drama to the episodes based on the war poems by Wilfred Owen; as a result, the work is perceived as a song cycle framed by parts of the funeral mass. The military reality appears ambivalent. While committing a blasphemy against the ancient belief and shattering the aspirations of modern people, the war offers a chance to revive religious feelings and symbols. This experience of war-born faith is felt keenly, but for all its authenticity, it is shaky and ephemeral. The church tradition keeps faith firmly, but this faith largely loses the original purity and immediacy. Britten purposefully builds a dialogue between the two layers of human experience (church and military), finds those points where contact can be established between them. But this does not change their profound antagonism. In Britten's work, faith born of war is an “edited” version of the traditional Christian religion: in its center is not the triumphant victory of Christ over evil, but a passive sacrifice that voluntarily refused to defend itself in the face of evil-not God the Son, but “Isaac.” The meaning of this sacrifice is not in transforming the world, but in protecting the humanity of a person from his inherent desire for aggressive self-assertion.


1965 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-264
Author(s):  
Maurene Fell Pierson

“Anti-intellectualism is historically traceable in American life, and the effectiveness of Christian education is not unrelated to it. Christians ought seriously to consider whether the church school, if it does not actively develop the intellect of today's informed child, can lead him to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.”


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Branckly Egbert Picanussa

Some Christian education experts have expressed their views on how the church should develop a curriculum to educate church members to achieve maturity in the Christian faith. This article purpose to develop a curriculum for Christian education in Church ministry. The method used is a literature study on the opinions of D. CampbellWyckoff and Maria Harris. The characteristics of Wyckoff and Harris's opinions and various responses in "imaginative dialogue", as well as modifications of the Christian education Foundations, Principles andPractices schemes of Robert W. Pazmino became a model to develop a Christian education curriculum in church life. The development of the Christian education curriculum begins with setting the goal of implementing Christian education for a group in the Christian community. Furthermore, curriculum development requires thecontribution of various development foundations, including biblical, theological, philosophical, educational, scientific and technological, historical, socio-cultural, ecclesiological and psychological.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarisayi Andrea Chimuka

Gullibility is understood variously as ranging from outright stupidity to indecision raised by the epistemic indeterminacy of the testimony of others. The activities of tricksters fall within this range. These activities happen in almost every sphere of our lives—in business, religion, the law, politics and so forth. Tricksters dangle “beautiful illusions” and sway people into believing that they have something to offer them. As a result, people throw caution out of the window. In the Christian religion for example, the air is drenched with claims about what God is saying to the Church during these last days! Those who claim to have direct contact with God tend to have an edge over those who do not have direct access to God. It is in such contexts that religious imposters arise. Prophets and firebrand preachers have sprung up and are promising the masses either prosperity, or healing, even in cases where ailments have confounded scientists. Many people are swayed into believing them sheepishly. It is against this backdrop that some end up being cheated. Often this tendency is labelled gullibility. If gullibility is understood as a belief in something with no substantiating facts, does this make the affected persons foolish? If someone believes that another person is endowed with special gifts from God, which can help them, is this belief unwarranted? In this article I seek to unpack the concept ‘‘religious gullibility’’, with the hope of plugging the holes.


1987 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred R. Wilson

Many ministries within and outside the church fall under the heading of Christian Education. Little research has been conducted to measure the degree of satisfaction derived from Christian ministry. Three major groups of professionals in Christian Education–-a parachurch youth organization, church youth directors, and Directors of Christian Education–-were examined to determine the extent of their ministry satisfaction based on the traditional satisfaction-dissatisfaction continuum and Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene content, dual continuum theory. It was theorized and partially supported that each of these ministries is uniquely influenced by a distinct combination of job satisfier, dissatisfier, and demographic factors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem H. Oliver ◽  
Erna Oliver

Two notions are discussed in this article, namely, the (unity of the) Trinity and God’s omnipresence. These two notions are deeply embedded in the Christian faith system and religion – they actually form both the basis and point of departure for the Christian religion. The aim of this article is to revisit the (Early Church and present) dogma of the Church about the Trinity and omnipresence of God as a result of the heresies and apologies linked to this dogma, and to rethink the notion of the concept ‘Trinity’ linked to God’s omnipresence. The historical method is used in the discussion of the (primary) sources and to reach the outcome.


2000 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Wright

THE AGENDA OF Christian education and youth ministry has been dominated in recent years by a concern to relate the Gospel across cultural boundaries. Such a relational hermeneutic needs to be supplemented with a hermeneutic of resistance in situations in which the culture of those to whom the Gospel message is addressed is incompatible with the integrity of Christian faith. Contemporary dance culture is identified as just such a context. Its post-modern and new-age credentials may be traced back via romanticism to traditions of esoteric gnosticism fundamentally opposed to the Christian understanding of reality. This is especially the case in its rejection of meta-narrative, reliance on the immediacy of experiential sensibility, and failure to achieve an adequate anthropology of being-in-relationship. However, the possibility of a Christian hermeneutic of resistance is undermined by a failure of the church to hold fast to an adequate Christian stance in these areas.


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