JournalTOCs

Missionalia : Southern African Journal of Mission Studies
Journal Prestige (SJR): 0.377

Number of Followers: 3

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 0256-9507 - ISSN (Online) 2312-878X
Published by Stellenbosch University

[12 journals]

Editorial: Special Edition: Reimagining a new social contract between
Church and State
- Authors: Eugene Baron
  Abstract: This special edition results from the first face-to-face conference of the South African Missiological Society (SAMS), held at the University of Stellenbosch, after the first identified case of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns and its different levels of protocols in South Africa. The COVID pandemic revealed South African society's dire economic, social, and political challenges that the government could not address adequately. The nature of the Church, during the hard lockdowns, also became challenging, as those used to being Church behind their church "walls" were challenged for its relevance in society during increased unemployment, entrenchments of employees, mass deaths, and increased corruption, and crime levels, especially GBV to be on the rise. In its first face-to-face conference, it became essential to discuss the nature of the Church as God's mission agents in the world again. The Church's agency is not in isolation but in collaboration with society, government, and non-governmental institutions. How should the Church then position itself in which it would, with the government, address social ills' The contributors in this special edition want to understand what are the reasons why the Church is not able to enter into a social contract with the state, and others would suggest how the Church could achieve this, while others would reflect on the role of missiology for such a vision and ideal.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
Believing in the future Missiology’s future prospects
- Authors: Nelus Niemandt
  Abstract: This research attends to David Bosch’s (1995) last publication, Believing in the future: Towards a missiology of Western culture, and uses the work as a guide to formulate prospects for missiology as a theological discipline. Following Bosch, it uses an exploration of current events as a heuristic semiotic to discern the future of the church and to develop prospects for missiology. The ‘post-world’ we currently find ourselves in is described in the following terms: Post-COVID but pre-disaster; a Volatile, Unstable, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) — a Post-stable world; Post-industrial revolutions — the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR); Post-stable climate. This is followed by the construction of missiology’s prospects, missiology for the “new normal”, suggesting several contours that may constitute the future of missiology. These include mission as theology and an expansion of the missio Dei; The ecclesiological contour; The ecological contour; The 4IR as a new founding narrative; Public theology and faithful presence — the worthy walk of the missional community; Anticipatory leadership; Missional spirituality; and The rediscovery of joy.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
A ‘decolonisation project’ that went awry A Missio-Ecclesiological
interrogation of the Anglican Diocese of Harare during Bishop Nolbert
Kunonga’s episcopacy: 2001–2007
- Authors: Paul Gundani
  Abstract: The appointment of Rt. Rev. Dr. Nolbert Kunonga to the office of Bishop of the Diocese of Harare left the diocese at the crossroads where two possibilities were beckoning. There was the possibility of decolonising a diocese that had been a racist bastion for over a century or leading the diocese along a new trajectory of transformation. The purpose of this article is to interrogate the role and contribution of Bishop Kunonga in bringing about transformation to the Anglican diocese of Harare. Our main contention is that Kunonga failed to bring transformation and decolonisation because of a lack of vision, flagrant disregard for process and procedure, and dismal failure to follow and apply ethical leadership. However, he was excommunicated from the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) because he had unilaterally withdrawn from it out of poor judgement
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
“Lewe vir die stad” – Life/Live for the city A case study of
reimagining congregational culture and its relationship with the city as a
first step towards establishing a new social contract
- Authors: Doret Niemandt
  Abstract: In this paper, the researcher aims to reflect on the role of the church and local congregations in changing the congregational culture to contribute towards a missional ecclesiology focussed on the public space with the aim to establish a social contract between congregation and context (in the City of Tshwane in this case). The paper utilises a case study of the Valleisig congregation in Tshwane to reimagine its relationship with the city as the first step towards establishing a new social contract between the congregation and the city. The paper will attend to: 1) the importance of reimagining congregational culture with a focus on being faithfully present in its context and a faithful presence in the commons; 2) a brief overview of the Valleisig congregation and the challenge to change the congregational culture from inward and attractional to outward and missional; and 3) action in hope – the dream of a congregation that contributes towards a new social contract for a new Tshwane.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
Church and community: New hope for Africa
- Authors: Pieter Verster
  Abstract: To be concerned about the present situation in Africa and South Africa, in particular, is an understatement. What can the church do to help establish an ethical, value-based social contract' First, one must understand what the essence of the church is. Secondly, one must understand that the church as the body of Christ must be broken in the world in order to establish new relations with all people. Thirdly, calling people to new life in Christ is necessary, and the church should be the servant church. Fourthly, prophetically, the church shows the way to new life and explicitly rejects all corruption so that the community can alleviate poverty and want.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
Reimagining a new social contract in the public space Evangelical Church
and Society
- Authors: Donald Ross Anderson
  Abstract: In this essay, I argue that the white Evangelical Church in South Africa has failed in its witness. I suggest that the white Evangelical Church in South Africa needs to repent (μετανοέω) of theological error (“an emaciated gospel”) and the consequent sinful withdrawal from socio-political issues. We need to repent of our naïve hermeneutics, under realised eschatology, unbiblical view of the missio Dei, and our laager mentality. Without this repentance, I argue, the Evangelical Church in South Africa will forfeit its role in reimagining a new social contract in the public space. Repentance, especially regarding the evangelical ‘apolitical’2 stance in South Africa, is a prerequisite if we wish for our voice to be heard at the South African Christian table and if we hope to contribute to a new South African society that is in line with God’s inaugurated kingdom and thus characterised by love and justice. Furthermore, my conviction is that without such repentance, we shall continue to promote and practice an “emaciated gospel”. In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer,3 “Cheap Grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace.”
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
The search for Ikhaya:Can we build a Home together'
- Authors: Johannes Kritzinger
  Abstract: The search for a new social contract in South Africa is explored in this paper by examining the terms ikhaya and oikos, and the notion of covenanting together to build a home across the fault lines that divide society. It uses a seven-point praxis matrix to reflect on the way in which a group of theologians could covenant together to overcome the fault line of racism to build a ‘deracial’ home. The paper explores the role that each of the seven dimensions of praxis (agency, spirituality, interpreting the tradition, discernment for action, contextual understanding, and ecclesial scrutiny) should play in such a journey.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
Re-imagining a new social contract to address exclusion and
marginalisation in Africa Insights from the “Golden Rule and Ubuntu”
as value frameworks
- Authors: Lukwikilu Credo Mangayi
  Abstract: The question should be asked whether the glaring failures of countries in the African continent to realise constitutions’ social contracts of those countries is related to a lack of moral intelligence and competence in Africa and the presence of devasting moral viruses. The failures of these countries to realise their social contracts manifest themselves, among other things, through entrenched multi-dimensional exclusion and marginalisation of the masses as far as wealth and exercise of power are concerned. To curb or address exclusion and marginalisation, the author in this article explored how missiology could contribute towards mobilising the Church and its ministries and members to nurture and embrace value frameworks which would help to build moral competence and identity, as well as to identify and end moral viruses. In this contribution, the author delved into two value frameworks namely, “The Golden Rule and Ubuntu” that embrace both religion and culture and their implications for the Church in mission with God in the public sphere to demonstrate value-based responses to address exclusion and marginalisation. Insights shared in this contribution would contribute towards reimagining a new social contract in the African public space from a Missiological perspective.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020
Corruption an impediment to economic reconstruction and recovery: A glocal
missional approach
- Authors: Daniel Nicolaas Andrew
  Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africans were shocked by reports about the high levels of corruption in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) by trusted government officials. These reports are evidence of the break in trust of the social contract between government and citizens, a serious indictment to their dignity, safety and security. Corruption is a glocal problem that impedes service delivery and perpetuates poverty, inequality, injustice and unfairness. It is not just prevalent in the local context of Africa, but also in the global context and demands a glocal response. Research indicates that religion prohibits corruption, but does not serve as a barrier to prevent it. The question posed by critical African scholars is why religious morality does not stop corruption and what can be done to fight this scourge. The call for a glocal missional approach to address societal challenges can be helpful to address the glocal problem of corruption. The study is conducted in the form of a comparative literature analysis and through the lens of postcolonial and decolonial discourse, it is established that corruption is not limited to ‘developing’ countries, but that it is fuelled by greed and lust, which contribute to the ‘thingification’ of citizens. A glocal missional approach demands an interdisciplinary focus that values the social contract between government and citizens; promotes a humanrights-based approach that respect the basic human rights of citizens; and develops agents of social transformation that combat endemic corruption and prevent the ‘thingification’ of citizens.
  PubDate: Mon, 19 Dec 2022 22:01:53 +020