The Call for African Missional Consciousness through Renewed Mission Praxis in URCSA

Maponya

2020

Verbum et Ecclesia

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The social context of church members spawns different ecclesial imaginations of the nature of the church. Those different ecclesial imaginations often function within one particular church. It interacts with each other – in isolation, competition or hostility – to ultimately shape the life of that church. This article discusses the result of a historical study in which the authors dissected the primary ecclesial imaginations of members of churches in South Africa. The authors, therefore, discuss three of the ecclesial imaginations that emanated from the research, which can be observed within the sampled congregations. The authors argue that because the congregants of the churches have such ‘ecclesiological imaginations’, the prophetic voice of the church in South Africa has become silent. Therefore, the authors suggest that the members of the churches in South Africa should re-imagine the nature of the church in terms of the missio Dei if it wants to recover the prophetic voice of the church. The authors conclude that the missional church discourse provides specific conceptual tools to assist congregations to recover the prophetic voice of the church in South Africa.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article demonstrates the relationship between societal context and its influence and impact on the emergence of ecclesial imaginations. There is an interaction between the discipline of social science, humanities, theology and missiological discourses in terms of the challenge that the authors address in this article.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

The recovery of the prophetic voice of the church: The adoption of a ‘missional church’ imagination

Maponya

2020

Verbum et Ecclesia

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“…Though none of the conference speakers directly addressed the issue of race or racism through its articulations, this was indeed alluded to or implicitly part of the reflection on 'internal unity', as could be seen above. For instance, Baron (2019) argued that the challenge to develop a 'missional consciousness' was the result of our racial history, in which the church, as the amalgamation of two former 'mission churches', still struggle to escape from. Even though the church, by adoption of the Belhar Confession, had rejected oppression, racial domination and apartheid, it should lament the continued oppression in all its forms in the URCSA through the stifling agencies of different members in the church.…”

Section: Racism and Anti-racism In Two Denominations In The Reformed Traditionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Biko (1978) andFanon (1963;1967) articulate this as the psychological effects on the oppressed in a post-colonial context like South Africa. Baron (2019) argues that this is not different in church contexts, that although pigmentocracy becomes the the essential point on the agenda in most churches seeking to unburden themselves from racial supremacy, internalised racism is not being dealt with, and therefore his proposal for a 'missional consciousness' (Baron 2020).…”

Section: Racism and Anti-racism In Two Denominations In The Reformed Traditionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Liturgy as an anti-racist praxis for Reformed Churches in South Africa

In die Skriflig / In Luce Verbi

Letšosa

2021

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The sin of racism severely and deeply affects the victims. The response in many instances is to remain silent to survive. The result is traumatic and even becomes symptomatic unless addressed. This article discussed the role that liturgy could play as an anti-racist praxis. However, firstly is discussed the underlying struggle of two Reformed Churches to become not only in polity but in praxis, non-racial through the liturgy as an anti-racism praxis. Liturgy is defined in the article not only as referring to the liturgical elements of a worship service, but also within its broader sense as the covenant people’s actions when they meet, listen to, worship and glorify the triune God within all contexts. This is also true when they mutually meet each other for edification. The authors focused partly on some liturgical elements in the worship service; however, the broader context – referring to the liturgy of life – received serious attention.Contribution: The article holds that liturgy within the church service context, but mainly with what happens outside in life, would play a crucial role in helping Christians become anti-racist. The article follows a discourse analysis on the journey of two reformed denominations, on how they could, through the liturgy of life, establish an anti-racist praxis.

“…The agency of the church youth has most often been limited and expressed in terms of congregational involvement (cf. Baron 2019). In terms of the old missionary paradigm, one of the key objectives was that the youth should -as a particular focus of the Protestant churchesgrow spiritually and not become too politically conscious or fulfilling the missio Dei also in the communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, although this point has been made to make churches aware of the immense contributions that church youth can make to society, it would not mean much if the church does not commit itself to cultivate what Baron (2019) refers to as a 'missional consciousness' 2 particularly among Black church youth in South Africa. Therefore, the author argues in this article that the notion of 'missional consciousness' is directly related to the notion of Black consciousness as it stresses the importance of church youth in the 'black' communities to become conscious of themselves as valuable participants of God's mission on the earth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Protecting our environment: The need for South African youth with a mission and black consciousness

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies

2021

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Christianity has contributed to environmental degradation. In terms of their role, the church youth are ipso facto part of such a contribution. However, an eco-theological diagnostic analysis cannot interpret the role of youth, especially black youth, through the same lenses. From a Black theological perspective, black youth’s role should be interpreted and discussed in terms of what Fanon and Biko describe as ‘self-hatred’ and the need for black consciousness. It is such self-hatred that gives rise to environmental degradation that is not articulated within various eco-theologians’ strategies towards care for the environment in a neo-colonial context in South Africa. The article argues that such a deficiency in eco-theological literature needs some attention to address the future black youth’s contribution to a friendlier environment. The author therefore suggests a ‘missional consciousness’ for one of the strategies for black youth in the quest for the black youth’s participation in environmental care.Contribution: This article contributes to the broader discourses on ecotheology. It affirms the contributions on human beings’ role towards the environment, but further highlights the inequality among human beings in neo-colonial context and how ecotheology should approach the ecological crisis with consideration to such a context. Therefore, the contribution brings into dialogue the post-colonial discourse, specifically the discourse of black consciousness, in relation to a missional consciousness in resolving the ecological crisis through the participation of church youth. Ecotheology has not specifically considered the notions of ‘missional consciousness’ and ‘black consciousness’ in its discourse on protection of the environment. The author relates this discussion specifically to church youth.