Religion and Theology

Queer studies and religion in Southern Africa: The production of queer Christian subjects

Robertson, Megan (Wiley-Blackwell, 2020)

The question of how to write about queer Africa has been a significant debate in scholarship over the last decade. One of the key emerging areas, in the development of ‘queer Africa scholarship’ has been through the framing ...

Socially just pedagogies and social justice: The intersection of teaching ethics at higher education level and social justice

Klaasen, John S (OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2020)

This article is part of a longer term project between the Department of Religion and Theology at the University of the Western Cape and Umea University in Sweden. At both the institutions the teaching of ethics as a module ...

Women, priests and patriarchal ecclesial spaces in the Anglican church of Southern Africa: On ‘interruption’ asa transformative rhetorical strategy

Pillay, Miranda. N (OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2020)

In spite of the presence of women in previously male-dominated ecclesial spaces, patriarchal normativity continues to be re-inscribed through the reproduction of knowledge, which sustains skewed gender power relations ...

‘When great Tao vanished, we got “goodness and morality”’

Lawrie, Douglas G (OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2020)

The Department of Religion and Theology introduced ethics as a major in the Faculty of Arts at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) about 20 years ago. After a shaky start, it became wildly popular. Currently, we try, ...

Re-examining a theology of reconciliation: What we learn from the Kairos document and its pedagogical implications

Solomons, Demaine J (OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2020)

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa is widely regarded as an organisation that was established to facilitate the transition from social conflict to a new dispensation. Frequently considered as the ...

What diagnosis? Which remedy? Critical reflections on the diagnostic overview of South Africa’s national planning commission

Conradie, Ernst (Stellenbosch University, 2018)

This contribution offers some critical reflections on the Diagnostic Overview produced by the South African National Planning Commission. The argument is structured in the form of catena and commentary with main sections ...

Ecumenical ecclesiology in the African context: towards a view of the church as Ubuntu

Sakupapa, Teddy C. (Stellenbosch University, 2018)

This purpose of this essay is to provide an overview of approaches to ecclesiology in the African context with specific reference to various institutional expressions of the ecumenical movement. While wider ecumenical ...

TV is the devil, the devil is on TV: Wild religion and wild media in South Africa

Scharnick-Udemans, Lee-Shae S. (Association for the Study of Religion in Southern Africa, 2018)

In keeping with trends in the academy and the rapidly increasing presence, power, and persuasion of digital and electronic media on the African continent and in the global economy, the study of religion and the media in ...

Siyakholwa – We Believe: A case study on the mediatisation of religion education and religious pluralism

Scharnick-Udemans, Lee (Ural Federal University, 2018)

Siyakholwa is the first children’s multi-faith programme series to be screened on South African television. The programme foregrounds teaching about “religion, religions, and religious diversity” (Chidester, 2008, p. ...

Youth marginalisation as a faith-based concern in contemporary South African society: Introducing a research contribution

Swart, Ignatius (AOSIS, 2018)

The aim of this article is to introduce a special collection of articles focused on the topic ‘Youth marginalisation as a faith-based concern in contemporary South African society’. In meeting this aim the discussion ...

Christian anthropology and the National Development Plan: The role of personhood

Klaasen, John S. (AOSIS, 2017)

This article is an attempt to analyse and assess the use of personal responsibility in the National Development Plan (NDP). Some signposts that Christian anthropology can make to the enhancement of the plan will then be ...

Praying for rain? Reformed perspectives from the Southern African context

Conradie, Ernst (Wiley, 2017)

This contribution addresses the question raised in this volume whether praying for rain is an appropriate response to the impact of climate change from a Southern African perspective. It commences with a missionary story ...

On social evil and natural evil: in conversation with Christopher Southgate

Conradie, Ernst (Wiley, 2018)

In this contribution, the author engages in a conversation with Christopher Southgate on the relationship between social evil and what is called natural “evil.” Theologically, this centers around an understanding of creation ...

What hope is there – for Klaus?

Conradie, Ernst (AOSIS, 2018)

This contribution engages with Klaus Nürnberger’s eschatology as expressed in his Invitation to Systematic Theology. It suggests that his notion of Christian hope has to be understood in terms of the triad of core concepts ...

The Christian faith and evolution: An evolving, unresolved debate

Conradie, Ernst (AOSIS, 2018)

This article sketches how the debate on Christian faith and evolution has evolved. Seven challenges are identified and described in the debate, namely, regarding a recognition of deep (geological) time (challenging the ...

Youth ministry at the margins and/or centre as space of the other: Reflections on the resolutions of the Anglican dioceses in the Western Cape 2017

Klaasen, John S. (AOSIS, 2018)

Youth within the context of faith-based organisations carry with them certain power relations and misconstrued connotations. These power relations and connotations can contribute to alienation and marginalisation. The ...