ARCHITECTURE for the EMERGING MISSIONAL PARADIGM AMONG FAITH COMMUNITIES in BOTSWANA. -IN DIALOGUE with BOSCH Desmond Henry Subm
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ARCHITECTURE FOR THE EMERGING MISSIONAL PARADIGM AMONG FAITH COMMUNITIES IN BOTSWANA. -IN DIALOGUE WITH BOSCH Desmond Henry Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Magister Artium (Missiology) in the Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria Supervisor: Prof Cornelius J.P. Niemandt 2010 © University of Pretoria RESEARCH SUMMARY The indispensability of the Church [in Africa] is the primary motive for the writing of this dissertation. Throughout the centuries, we have seen the Church in various contexts, and in many forms. We have borne witness to the good, bad and the ugly throughout the history of the Church. It is my belief that any constructive growth for the future success of the Church in Africa has to come from the bold recognition that if it is to succeed and fully partake in the Missio Dei, „everything must change‟ (McLaren 2007). There is need for continuity and discontinuity; however, change is not negotiable!! The Church is called to be both confessional and Missional; the Church should always be forming (ecclesia simper formanda), and reforming (ecclesia simper reformanda)(van Gelder 2007). Therefore, there is a need to rediscover the essence of Jesus‟ intention for the Church; that is God‟s redeemed people, and their view of God‟s Kingdom with its various implications for an African Missiology. There is a need for Missional Churches in Africa, for dialogue, and for unity in action. In this dissertation, I will endeavour to present architecture for a Missional Ecclesiology in dialogue with Bosch; focusing on the emerging renaissance of African Missiology, and the current Pneumatological importance/ emphasis in many African Churches (otherwise known as African independent Churches- AIC). I have used the word architecture to mean overall framework emphasizing relationships between components, orientation and support as well as the innovative response to functional necessity. The focus/ niche of this dissertation will be faith communities in Botswana, because that is my current context of ministry, and there is an obvious research gap in this area of study as nothing has been researched and published in terms of an emerging Missional Ecclesiology amongst faith communities in Botswana. I will seek to collect, analyze and interpret current as well as historical data regarding Church (mission), population and emerging areas of concern for faith communities in Botswana, and, by implication, Southern Africa. 2 KEY WORDS Missional Missional Ecclesiology Missio Dei Faith Communities AIC MIC Post Colonial Post Modern Bechuanaland Botswana African traditional religions Paradigm shift Theology Christendom Praxis 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have been blessed to have the opportunity to pursue my academic potential, but would like to acknowledge the input of others who have contributed to my life in significant ways- without your input, I would have failed. I would like to give thanks to my Lord for allowing me the great privilege of engaging in research and preparing this dissertation. His glory has been my primary motivator. I would like to thank my wife Lara and my beautiful daughter Gabriella for the many sacrifices made along the way to enable me to pursue further academic engagement. I would like to express my gratitude to my extended family who believed that I would do it; I remain indebted to you all for your encouragement and patience along the way. I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the following: Dr. Nelus Niemandt for his input and academic expertise in the arena of Missiology. And for his constant advice and patient endurance. Pastor Norman Schaefer for his contagious passion for mission endeavours which has been a major influence in my life as pastor, mentor and „father‟. Dr Martin Pohlmann for his academic and personal mentorship of many years; you have always encouraged me to pursue academic excellence, and have believed in me when many others would not have taken the risk. Richard Baker, you have significantly influenced my passion for evangelism and my commitment to its cause. I pray that my walk with the Lord would be as close and as significant as yours. Open Baptist Church, for permitting me to engage in research of this intensity whilst being an active member of the pastoral team. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. 4 INDEX RESEARCH SUMMARY Page 2 KEY WORDS Page 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Page 4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Page 8 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY Page 9 PREAMBLE Page 10 INTRODUCTION Page 11 CHAPTER 1 1. ARCHITECTURE FOR A MISSIONAL ECCLESIOLOGY Page 13 1.1 A Renaissance of African Missiology Page 119 1.2 The Need for a Missional Ecclesiology Page 20 1.2.1 The Importance of the African Contribution Page 23 1.2.2 Growth of African Christianity Page 26 1.3 Understanding the African worldview Page 26 1.3.1 An African worldview? Page 27 5 CHAPTER 2 2. AN EMERGING PARADIGM AMONG FAITH COMMUNITIES IN BOTSWANA Page 32 2.1 Batswana worldview Page 32 2.1.1 Religion in Botswana Page 32 2.1.2 Relationships explored Page 33 2.1.3 African Spirituality Page 35 2.2 Historical Background of 'Batswana' Page 37 2.2.1 Forming an opinion of the Bechuana‟s Page 37 2.2.2 Gestation of a Nation Page 41 2.3 An Era of African Independency with Ecclesiological implications Page 44 2.3.1 Pre independency: 1950‟s Page 44 2.3.2 Independency: 1960‟s Page 46 2.3.3 Post independency Page 49 CHAPTER 3 3.1 The Christian Influence on Botswana in Historical Perspective Page 52 3.2 Analysis of the impact of Christianity among the Batswana Page 53 3.2.1 A brief recount of the transmission of the Christian faith among the Batswana Page 53 6 3.3 Missions in Africa: A Generational exposé Page 55 3.3.1 The Revitalization of African Traditional Religious practices Page 55 3.3.2 20th Century Mission Endeavours in Southern Africa Page 58 3.3.3 21st Century Mission Endeavours in Southern Africa Page 66 3.3.4 Nature of change in Missions in Botswana Page 73 3.3.5 Tenets of Emerging Architecture for Mission Page 81 3.4 Architecture for an Emerging Movement with its various Implications for Botswana and Southern Africa Page 86 3.4.1 Threats to the African Situation Page 93 CONCLUSION Page 104 IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH Page 105 Works consulted Page 106 7 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Present „architecture‟ for a Missional ecclesiology in dialogue with Bosch and current ministry context Collect, analyze and interpret current and historical data regarding mission, population and emerging areas of concern within the Republic of Botswana, with implications for Southern Africa. Extrapolate various „pillars‟ of this emerging architecture in Botswana, demonstrating that there is a need to reinvestigate the concept of a Missional Ecclesiology. 8 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY The purpose of this dissertation is to present a framework for a Missional Ecclesiology in dialogue with a world-renowned Missiologist, the late David Bosch, as well as several key „African‟ interlocutors like John Mbiti; Byang Kato and Tokunbo Adeyemo and Kwame Bediako; Ogbu Kalu; Allan Anderson(non- African) and other significant contributors for further insight into the African situation. The main thrust of this study will be that of analyzing existing data with a view to inform the above mentioned framework for further understanding and implementation within the Southern African region as a participant observer. My research has not focused on massive amounts of what can traditionally be termed primary research, but the scope has rather been utilizing existing research in this process. I am a participant observer in the process of uncovering and understanding within the context of this study (see the introduction for further insight). I have chosen this approach for several reasons: primarily because there is sufficient research and informed dialogue with regards to what can be termed African Christianity; even „New Christianity‟, that there is no need to engage in much „groundwork‟ for our purposes. This dissertation is an exercise in foundation laying; a prolegomena if you like. 9 PREAMBLE There are various reasons why the focus of my thesis is on Africa, specifically Botswana: Firstly, I am an African. I am a white, male South African, working among the Batswana (citizens of the Republic of Botswana), who has a passion for seeing Christianity „rooted‟ in Africa and seeing it grow and develop as it seeks to continue Christ‟s work on earth between the ages. However, having stated this, we can no longer assume that there is an „African Christianity‟; rather, there is a plurality in „African Christianities‟. Therefore, there is a need to engage one‟s specific political, religious, socio- economic and geographical context. Secondly, over the last century, the centre of gravity in the Christian world has shifted inexorably southward, to Africa and Latin America. Today, the largest Christian communities on the planet are to be found in those regions (Jenkins 2007). Sanneh (2008) asserts that Christianity is the most active frontier in the world. Therefore, Jenkins asserts, we should be careful in making blanket statements regarding beliefs and views from a western perspective, understanding that the largest proportion of believers lies southwards, and our views are representative of an ever-shrinking remnant of Western Christians. Sanneh (2008), a Yale University historian, calls it a „new day‟ in Christian history when he righty states that African Christianity is not just an exotic, curious phenomenon in an obscure part of the world, but that African Christianity might be the shape of things to come. Lastly; I have to begin by acknowledging Bosch‟s tremendous contribution to my own missiological understanding largely through „Transforming Mission‟. However, as indebted as I am to Bosch for his tremendous contribution to Missiology, an analysis of sources used by Bosch in his „Magnum opus‟ „Transforming Mission‟, disclosed that his dialogue was primarily with scholars in Europe and North America.