scholarly journals African Traditional Oath-Swearing: An Evaluation from a Ghanaian Pentecostal Perspective

2020 ◽  
pp. 131-138
Author(s):  
Christian Tsekpoe
Keyword(s):  
Church Leaders ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
Missionary Zeal ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Christian Beliefs

Although it has been acknowledged that the early European Christian missionaries to Africa have contributed significantly to the emergence and growth of Christianity on the continent, it is also obvious that the ethnocentric tendencies that accompanied their missionary zeal caused them to demonize many aspects of the African cultures. This demonization led to a long-standing debate among African Christians themselves on whether one can be truly African and truly Christian. Despite the fact that the situation seems to have improved greatly in contemporary times, one of the key areas of contention within African Christianity, which has persisted to date, is the chieftaincy institution. To the best of my knowledge however, not much has been researched in this field from Pentecostal perspectives. Using personal observations and participation in Christian Royal conferences as well as personal conversations with some Pentecostal church leaders and some royals in Ghana, this paper examines the functions of the traditional oath swearing for Christians who are chiefs. The paper argues that although, the oath swearing by itself is not inimical to Christian beliefs, Christians who swear oaths should be mindful of the deity invoked in the swearing process. The paper also recommends that to be able to transform unethical and unscriptural aspects of traditional practices and make disciples of all nations, Pentecostal Christians should not be ignorant of traditional practices within their communities. These include the traditional oath swearing, which is the focus of this paper. The paper is therefore an attempt to initiate an important dialogue among African Pentecostals, both scholars and practitioners, on the subject of Christianity and chieftaincy within contemporary times.

scholarly journals AGENTS IN THE PROCESS OF INCULTURATION: FRIEND OR FOE?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Okelloh Ogera
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
The Past ◽  
The People ◽  
Simple Question ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Church

Purpose: This article looks at the role played by agents: the people responsible for articulating and implementing inculturation in Africa. The article asks the simple question of are these agents useful or a hindrance in the process of inculturation? The article begins by identifying these agents then discusses the challenges they face in the process of inculturation. The article concludes by giving a way forward and that is an integrated approach in inculturation.Methodology: This study will review the available literature on the subject with a view to examining what previous research says concerning the role of the agents, that is human beings, in the process of inculturation. This was done with the main objective of examining the challenges that he agents of inculturation face, and concluding by exploring an integrated approach to inculturation, where all the agents are brought on board. Findings: This study found out that if inculturation is to truly take root in African Christianity, it must bring on board all actors, not just Church leaders, and trained theologians, but also the laity. All these actors also need to overcome some of the challenges that have hindered the prospects of inculturation which include but not limited to fear of syncretism, lack of enthusiasm by some Church leaders, answering the question of culture in a post-modern and globalized world.Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This paper will offer unique contributions to policies and practices governing the attempts to make the Church in Africa truly African by proposing a re-evaluation of the way inculturation has been carried out in the past. This has tended to be spearheaded by professional theologians and some church leaders, neglecting the biggest constituency in the entire process, and that is the consumer of inculturational processes; the laity.

The Cowboy Church as a Man’s Church

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie W. Dallam
Keyword(s):  
Gender Relations ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Gender Dynamics ◽  
Women In Ministry ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Cowboy Culture

Chapter 5 examines issues of gender dynamics in the cowboy church movement. Church leaders use simplistic notions of gender, in combination with assumptions about the cowboy culture, and conclude that cowboy church needs to be a “masculine” environment to succeed. This chapter explores how these concepts are perpetuated and what “masculine church” means in practical terms. It also considers some of the more complicated and contradictory views held by pastors on the subject of women in ministry and women’s participation in church more generally. It contrasts the prevailing beliefs held by men about gender relations in the cowboy church with those of women, suggesting that the discrepancy between the two groups’ views may be problematic in the long term.

The Dead Are Dead/Ancestors Never Die: Migrants, Rural Linkages, and Religious Change in Northeastern Madagascar

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-375
Author(s):  
Laura M. Tilghman
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Religious Change ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Protestant Churches ◽  
Rural Family ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Catholic Churches ◽  
Christian Beliefs

Abstract This manuscript explores the dynamic between religion and rural-urban linkages in northeastern Madagascar. I find that church leaders have coalesced around two competing narratives of ancestors. Catholic churches see some types of migrant linkages (e.g., burial in the rural family tomb and participation in rural ancestral rituals) as being in line with Christian beliefs, while Protestant churches see these same activities as morally questionable or potentially satanic. To some degree Protestant migrants exert agency in the face of these religious teachings, and do not view their religion as an impediment to maintaining rural connections. However, quantitative analysis of rural-urban linkage behavior over a twelve-month period shows that Protestants have weaker rural ties compared to Catholics, even for behaviors that are not the focus of religious prohibitions. I offer several explanations for this finding. Protestant migrants are less motivated to invest in all types of rural linkages due to family conflicts after conversion, uncertainty about burial in the rural family tomb, reduced opportunities to develop affective ties with kin, and economic motivations to reduce rural demands on their urban wages.

Toward Understanding Gift-Giving in Relationships

1990 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-60
Author(s):  
David P. Mann
Keyword(s):  
Church Leaders ◽  
The Other ◽  
Economic Anthropology ◽  
Gift Giving ◽  
Close Collaboration ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Primary Means ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Biblical Teaching ◽  
The Church

As the subject of stewardship is taught in a church where Western missionaries work in close collaboration with African church leaders, intercultural friction is inevitable. One culture stresses interconnectedness and sharing; the other emphasizes independence and self-sufficiency. But both see wealth as a primary means of expressing those values. This article reviews aspects of economic anthropology which relate to gift-giving, analyzes parts of the Dowayo culture, and draws missiological conclusions. Understanding the economic assumptions of a culture can inform biblical teaching on Christian stewardship and aid its integration into the life of the church.

scholarly journals The continuity of indigenous rituals in African ecclesiology: A Kenyan experience from a historical perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julius Gathogo
Keyword(s):  
Historical Perspective ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Philosophical Perspective ◽  
African Religion ◽  
African Theology ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
Religious Rituals ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
African Ecclesiology ◽  
The Subject

The article sets out to unveil the problem: Is there any effective continuity of indigenous rituals in African ecclesiology? In other words, has the faith of the church in African Christianity given room to some African rituals that are visible in the contemporary theo-doctrinal discourses? The article is theoretically informed by Samuel Kibicho’s (1932–2011) supposition on ‘radical continuity’ in African religion into and through the Christian message. For him thus, this ‘radical continuity’ should be the starting point for African theology and African Christianity for that matter. In his view, African ecclesiology requires a ‘radical reinterpretation’ of the Christian concept of revelation, salvation, evangelization, Christ and religious rituals. While Kibicho approached African indigenous rituals from a theo-philosophical perspective, this article approaches the subject from an oral historical perspective. In its methodology, the article relies heavily on oral sources, interviews, and participant observation.

scholarly journals CULTURAL PRACTICES AND BELIEFS ON NEWBORN CARE AMONG MOTHERS IN A SELECTED HOSPITAL OF MANGALORE TALUK

2014 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 021-026
Author(s):  
Sujatha R. ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Method ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Newborn Care ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Human Infant ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
Cow Dung ◽  
Descriptive Research ◽  
The Subject

Abstract: Background: A human infant from the time of birth upto 28th day of life is called a newborn. Nearly 27 million babies are born in India each year. Every year 4 million babies die in the first month of life in the world and quarter of these takes place in India. A package of essential newborn practices exist in India which has proven impact on reducing mortality. However child birth and neonatal period are culturally important times during which there is strong adhere to traditional practices. Materials and Methods: A descriptive research design was adopted for this study. Purposive sampling method was used to select 157 samples from a selected hospital. Demographic Performa and structured dichotomous questionnaire was used to collect the data from the subject. Results: The data collected from 157 samples were analyzed using descriptive statistics. (149) 95% of the mothers have followed oil massage for the baby before bath. (83) 53% of the mothers have provided home remedies for the baby. (87) 55% of the mothers were applying ashes, soot, powder, or dry cow dung, (115) 73% mothers exposed their babies to the sunlight when the baby's skin turns yellowish. (129) 82% of the mothers are applied 'Kajal' on baby's face to prevent bad eye. (92) 59% of the mothers are practicing a belief that “empty cradle should not be moved”. Interpretation and conclusion: Findings of the study revealed that there is a strong relationship between the demographic variables (type of family and religion) and cultural practices and beliefs on newborn care among mothers. Periodical health education regarding do's and don'ts of newborn care should be conducted in postnatal ward, which will definitely minimize the unhealthy traditional practices.

Jesus Christ, Homosexuality and Masculinity in African Christianity: Reading Luke 10:1-12

Exchange ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masiiwa Ragies Gunda
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Textual Analysis ◽  
Literary Analysis ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
Christian Communities ◽  
Masculinity And Femininity ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Subject

Abstract Since 1995, homosexuality has been part and parcel of public discourses in Zimbabwe. The Bible is a dominant resource, so that the Sodom narrative (Gen. 19) has become synonymous with homosexual condemnation. Interestingly, Jesus has been absent in the debate; justified by the claim that Jesus had not spoken on the subject. However, contrary to this claim, a socio-literary analysis of Luke 10: 1-12 demonstrates that Jesus may have fundamentally differed with this popular interpretation of Genesis 19. A textual analysis of Luke 10: 1-12 shows Jesus undermining dominant masculinities by de-masculinizing his followers in ways that belittle the gulf between masculinity and femininity. This article argues that to use the categories of masculinity and femininity to condemn same-sex relationships is no longer sustainable. Rather, this text can be a basis for the construction of ‘redemptive masculinities’ in Christian communities, which may provide a new platform for understanding and accepting homosexuality.

scholarly journals Examining the Authority of Church Leaders in African Christianity

2020 ◽  
pp. 364-373
Author(s):  
Christian F. W. Gbekor
Keyword(s):  
Western Culture ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Corporate Leadership ◽  
African Christianity ◽  
Cultural Concepts ◽  
The People ◽  
The Church

It has been said that the missionaries came to Africa with the mindset that Africans were without culture or at best, they had an evil culture that must be completely eradicated. They rejected anything African so as to introduce the Western culture which they considered enlightened. However, whatever teaching that the then missionaries and church leaders later introduced, would have to be processed through African cultural lenses. By that, the people applied their own cultural concepts to the teachings they received. This paper examines how cultural concepts of the authority of leadership help the African Christian to situate and interpret the teachings and practices of the universal church from their own perspectives. Authority is defined and examined from the perspectives of legitimacy and functionality. The question of who has the final authority in the church is also discussed to strengthen the corporate leadership practised and offer some solutions to challenges of in-fighting within the leadership of congregations. Keywords: authority, legitimacy, functionality, consent

scholarly journals Bioethics, culture and infanticide in Brazilian indigenous communities: the Zuruahá case

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 853-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saulo Ferreira Feitosa ◽  
Volnei Garrafa ◽  
Gabriele Cornelli ◽  
Carla Tardivo ◽  
Samuel José de Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Cultural Pluralism ◽  
Public Hearing ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
The Subject ◽  
National Congress

This article analyzes the practice of infanticide in indigenous communities in Brazil. Taking as a reference point a specific case involving two children of the Zuruahá people, it takes a broader look at the issue and discusses how infanticide is understood among other indigenous peoples. A debate focusing specifically on this topic that took place during a public hearing held in the Brazilian National Congress in December 2005 has also been taken into consideration in this discussion. In view of the positions adopted as a result of the hearing, this paper seeks to identify the ethical problems and moral dilemmas relating to the subject, by putting them into context and analyzing them in the light of respect for cultural pluralism. Seeking to contribute to the debate, the authors analyze the possibilities for intervention in the traditional practices of infanticide, while rejecting those positions that are not anchored in an attitude of profound respect for other people's cultures or that do not create conditions for dialogue between individuals or groups with different moralities.

Manguni and Christian Nationalism (in) Minahasa

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-58
Author(s):  
Denni H.R. Pinontoan
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Religious Tradition ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Christian Leaders ◽  
Christian Nationalism ◽  
Colonial Church

This article describes the process and meaning of the reconstruction of Manguni, as the sacred bird in the old Minahasa religion which became a symbol of Gereja Masehi Injili in Minahasa (GMIM) in the context of colonialism. In particular, that thing to be discussed is the reconstruction of meaning, from Manguni as a mythological belief to Manguni as an ecclesiastical symbolic motive that carries a message of nationalism. Since the early of 20th century, the historical context and discourse of the Minahasa Christian intellectuals have been the subject of research to trace the development of Christian nationalism (in) Minahasa. In the context of GMIM, the interesting things are constituted as the dialogues and debates in colonial church forums, namely the Indische Kerk delivered by Christian leaders. This articles shows that, as a reaction to colonialism whic has changed many things predominantly in Christan Minahasa society, nationalism has grown and developed uniquely through discourse of community elites and church leaders. The expression of nationalism is through political and ecclesiastical path, which both of them use the legacy of religious tradition as tool of negotiation, namely the symbol of the institution with the motive of Manguni bird.

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