scholarly journals The missionary role of mainstream Christianity: Towards a narrative paradigm for social integration of minorities in pluralistic post-apartheid South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Klaasen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Practical Theology ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Narrative Paradigm ◽  
Social Coercion

This article attempts to add to the existing approaches of practical theology and specifically to the missionary approaches of mainline churches towards immigrants. This is an attempt to enhance the mission amongst immigrants by critically engaging with the two approaches, namely: mainstream and margins and pillarization. Notwithstanding the important contributions that these two approaches make to tolerance, integration and cohesion of differences I seek to point out some serious limitations of the two approaches. These limitations include social coercion, co-option, relativism and loss of identity. Considering these limitations a third approach, the narrative approach, takes serious community, tradition and symbol for more effective mission amongst immigrants by mainline churches. Social cohesion, a more realistic reality and integrated communities are some of the consequences of this approach when doing missionary activities amongst immigrants.

scholarly journals “Incompleteness” and the Quest for Multiple Identities in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 81-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard C. Lategan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Historical Memory ◽  
Multiple Identities ◽  
The Self ◽  
Important Goal ◽  
Alternative Approach

The article explores the contours of multiple identities in contrast to singular identities in situations of social complexity and cultural diversity. Nyamnjoh's concepts of “incompleteness” and “frontier Africans” imply an alternative approach to identity formation. Although the formation of one's own, singular identity is a necessary stage in the development of each individual, it has specific limitations. This is especially true in situations of complexity and diversity and where the achievement of social cohesion is an important goal. With reference to existing theories of identity formation, an alternative framework is proposed that is more appropriate for the dynamic, open-ended nature of identity and better suited to encourage the enrichment of identity. The role of imagination, a strategy for crossing borders (with reference to Clingman's concept of a “grammar of identity”), the search for commonality, and the effect of historical memory are discussed. Enriched and multiple identities are not achieved by replacement or exchange, but by widening (existing) singular identities into a more inclusive and diverse understanding of the self.

scholarly journals Discerning the role of faith communities in responding to urban youth marginalisation

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reginald W. Nel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Urban Youth ◽  
Youth Ministry ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
Doctoral Studies ◽  
Youth Movements ◽  
Faith Based ◽  
Urban Theology

Urban youth marginalisation became a key consideration in scholarly and policy literature in the 1990s. This entailed a shift from an emphasis on youth in relation to activism in the struggle to overcome colonial racism – popularly known as ‘the struggle against apartheid’ – to an emphasis on youth as the object of social inquiry and social welfare programmes. Irrespective of how we valuate this shift, the question in this article is how urban faith communities and youth ministry research are to respond to the agency of youth as dialogue partners – with a focus on social cohesion. This article explores this shift in scholarship on urban youth movements, especially for the period since 1994. It draws from the perspectives of my recent doctoral studies (Nel 2013) in constructing a creative dialogue with youth movements. The ultimate aim of this article is to provide a grounded basis for constructing a methodology for a postcolonial urban theology. In addition, it aims to inform the ongoing Youth at the Margins (YOMA) comparative study on the contribution of faith-based organisations to social cohesion in South Africa and Nordic Europe, with the Riverlea community, in Johannesburg, as one of the case studies.

scholarly journals The narrative turn in practical theology: A discussion of Julian M�ller�s narrative approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaco S. Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
Practical Theology ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Narrative Approaches ◽  
Human And Social Sciences ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
Scientific Practical ◽  
Theological Methodology ◽  
Methodological Debate

The importance of narrative for practical theology is today widely recognised, both nationally and internationally. There is, however, disagreement amongst practical theologians regarding the scope and role of narrative in practical theological methodology. The practical theologian Julian M�ller made, and continues to make, an important contribution to the methodology of practical theology through his narrative approach. The aim of this article was to contribute to the ongoing methodological discussion about the scope and role of narrative approaches in practical theology. M�ller�s narrative approach was discussed against the backdrop of the narrative turn in the human and social sciences. It was concluded that M�ller�s narrative approach reveals some of the key tensions in practical theological methodology. His metaphorical narrative approach, as a representative of the poetic pole in the methodological debate, helps to guard practical theology from losing its transformative orientation and its vital connection with religious practice. Embracing a variety of approaches could help practical theologians to steer between the Scylla of a one-sidedly scientific practical theology and the Charybdis of the triumph of the immediacy of praxis.

The Legislature and the Challenges of Re-imagining South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koliswa M. Matebese-Notshulwana ◽  
Teboho J. Lebakeng
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Social Engineering ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
National Unity ◽  
Great Expectations ◽  
South African Society ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Institutional Frameworks

The demise of colonial-apartheid created a heightened sense of euphoria that was accompanied by great expectations in South Africa. Inevitably, the broad spectrum of South Africans expected the new dispensation to birth a fertile social, political and economic ground for national unity and reconciliation and social cohesion through a just and equitable democratic society. In thisregard, various institutional frameworks were transformed to be in sync with the new requirements placed on a democratising society. Historically, racial social engineering had profoundly fractured the South African society and made it difficult for society to cohere. Among these transformed institutional frameworks was the legislature, which is one of three arms of government that works in conjunction with the executive and judicial branches. At the core of the legislative branch is legislation (creating or amending new laws), oversight (control over the executive and custodian of natural resources) and deliberation (representative between the people and government). In this article, we contend that given the centrality of the legislature in driving the direction of the country, this institution has betrayed the hopes, aspirations and sensibilities of South Africans by being ineffective and irresponsible in its functions. Methodologically, the paper uses desktop research, and draws from primary and secondary documentary evidence. Structurally, it covers the following: the role of the legislature during colonialapartheid; the new dispensation and the new role of the legislature; and the challenges faced by the legislature under new determinant conditions. The article reaches the conclusion that the failure of South Africa to transform into a just and cohesive non-racial, non-sexist society is, to a great extent, a function of the dismal performance of the legislature. Therefore, pursuant on the re-imagination of South Africa from its colonial-apartheid past, the legislature will have to perform its roles and functions effectively and take its responsibilities seriously in order to ensure social cohesion through inclusive development.

scholarly journals The pedagogical role of multicultural leadership in post-apartheid South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon E. Dames ◽  
Glenda A. Dames
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Practical Theology ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Multicultural Society ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
Multicultural Leadership ◽  
New Democracy ◽  
The Relationship

Practical theology in the 21st century is faced with increasing diversity that requires a new pedagogy to address multicultural challenges. Multiculturalism serves as a subversive agency for monocultural and ‘silent minority’ landscapes. It might also contribute to the development of an identity pedagogue for the three public spaces of theology, specifically in South Africa, where this new democracy seeks a new culture of humanity and has to deal with the dichotomy of a multicultural society and a resistant monocultural ‘laager’ mentality of minority races. Despite the promising start to its democracy, South Africa has many social challenges and practical theology has a role to play by reflecting on how we understand and embody the relationship between faith, culture and public life. To this end, this article seeks to reflect critically on spirituality, leadership and social transformation praxis in search of meaning-forming multicultural praxes.

scholarly journals A perspective on notions of spirituality, democracy, social cohesion and public theology

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rothney S. Tshaka
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Liberation Theology ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Public Theology ◽  
Black Liberation ◽  
Black Liberation Theology

This article explores the notions of spirituality, democracy, social cohesion and public theology briefly. Whilst these notions seem unrelated to each other, the article finds that they are indeed very much related especially in a conversation pertaining to the role of theology in democratic South Africa today. It argues that these notions are particularly important if one seeks the unity of a dislocated people. The word dislocation here refers to more than merely those who were dispossessed of their wealth and land, but speaks especially also to a spiritual dislocation which happened as a result of that material dislocation. Black liberation theology which has always been public must be seen to incorporate issues of the spiritual in its reflections. All this, it is argued, has pertinent repercussions for social cohesion in South Africa today.

scholarly journals Seeking feasible reconciliation: A transdisciplinary contextual approach to reconciliation

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoffel H. Thesnaar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Practical Theology ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Institutional Church ◽  
Daunting Challenge

In South Africa scholars in the broad field of practical theology are currently faced with a daunting challenge: to rethink the reconciling role of the institutional church in the light of continued challenges facing reconciliation within post-apartheid and post-Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) South Africa. This contribution investigates whether the transdisciplinary, region-centred scientific research approach with a focus on the Hölderlin perspective on reconciliation could assist scholars in practical theology to address reconciliation in a post-apartheid and post-TRC society. The article proposes a contextual and constructive approach to reconciliation in order to assist South African scholars in the field of practical theology and the institutional church to address the challenges of reconciliation in a post-apartheid and post-TRC society. The contribution confirms that this approach does indeed assist the field of practical theology to contribute to reconciliation without the risk of speaking a language that nobody beyond theology can understand.

scholarly journals Towards restoration of human identity: Practical Theology exploring possibilities of re-imagining the discourse of reconciliation and social cohesion in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Semape J. Manyaka
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Practical Theology ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Equal Treatment ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
Human Identity ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Presence Of God

‘Social cohesion’ is a concept that many researchers agree is not easily defined. However, all definitions do agree that it is about a combination of processes. In this article I have adopted the Jenson definition (1998:4), as ‘a process of developing a community of shared values, shared challenges and equal opportunities within South Africa, based on trust, hope, and reciprocity among all South Africans’.Through this process the restoration of human identity will emerge out of the fragmentation caused by the apartheid government before the new democratic order of 1994. It is the aim of the new government to engage in this process (Cloete & Kotze 2009:43), with the result that many of those with broken human identities are beginning to participate in the developing new order.I have also chosen to explore transversal discourses in this article. These discourses favour an interdisciplinary approach. They allow different disciplines to have conversations without assimilation, and, while rooted in their own belief systems, they are still capable of sharing with others. In South Africa, we come from different backgrounds, but our backgrounds should have no power to keep us apart or locked in our own prisons.The article follows the tenets of postfoundationalist practical theology, and is based in the interdisciplinary paradigm. It promotes reflection on the ‘presence of God’ without using force, or judging those who do not share my faith. In this approach all voices receive equal treatment: participants are free to say what they believe and to express themselves openly; it also means theologians can participate freely in the debate on social cohesion. This is a never-ending journey; each one of us must play our role and never give up.

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