The Concept of Ũtugi Within the Hiv and Aids Pandemic: a Pastoral Assessment of the Ecclesial Praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya
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THE CONCEPT OF ŨTUGI WITHIN THE HIV AND AIDS PANDEMIC: A PASTORAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ECCLESIAL PRAXIS OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF KENYA. JOSIAH KINYUA MURAGE DISSERTATION PRESENTED IN FULFILMENT OF A DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA. PROMOTER: PROFESSOR DANIEL. J. LOUW DECEMBER 2011 University of Stellenbosch: http://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Signature………………………. Josiah Kinyua Murage Stellenbosch University December 2011 Copyright © 2011 University of Stellenbosch All rights reserved i University of Stellenbosch: http://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT This thesis deals with the concept of Ũtugi in relation to the HIV and AIDS pandemic and its contribution to the ecclesial praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya. The thesis scrutinizes the HIV and AIDS context in Kenya, examines the origins, the nature, the characteristics and the definition of Ũtugi and its role in socio-economic, political, cultural, moral and religious life of the Agĩkũyũ community in Central Kenya and assesses the ecclesial praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya. This concern is prompted by the need for the Anglican Church of Kenya to marshal Ũtugi (traditional resources) to complement Christian hospitality (church resources), to enhance human dignity of PLWHA and to fight the HIV and AIDS pandemic. By employing a hermeneutical tool as a praxis approach to pastoral care and counselling to interpret theological and assess the Agĩkũyũ cultural concepts and using a non-empirical research method (a qualitative research) based on conceptual analysis, the study explores critically the role of Ũtugi within the context of HIV and AIDS and its appropriateness as a tool for pastoral care and counselling in the Anglican Church of Kenya. The study poses the following research questions: In which way can the Agĩkũyũ concept of Ũtugi be used to create a healing space? How can Ũtugi be used to reframe the prevailing ecclesiological paradigms applied by the Anglican Church of Kenya? How can Ũtugi as a cultural concept help the Anglican Church of Kenya to become relevant and contextual in her endeavour to respond to the challenges posed by the HIV and AIDS pandemic in the twenty-first century? The thesis unveils that the principles of Ũtugi can complement Christian hospitality to network and help the church to carry the burden of PLWHA, thus, enhancing their human dignity, sharing their joy and comfort, and journeying with them in their pain, sorrow and healing. It was also found that Ũtugi as a contextual model which is culturally rooted, is relevant to the Agĩkũyũ people and that it can help in transforming the existing ecclesial praxis of the Anglican Church of Kenya. Drawing from Daniël Louw‟s existential model for spiritual healing, the study assesses the appropriateness of Ũtugi as a model for pastoral care and counselling to PLWHA. It is revealed that Ũtugi is not only a paradigm that can augment their physical, social, psychological, economic, moral and spiritual aspects but that it has the capacity to deal with the existential threat of anxiety, guilt and shame, disillusionment and anger, despair and doubt, helplessness and vulnerability. Thus it can enable them to shift from their existential threats to a position of love, care, support, compassion, accommodativeness, liberation and hope. ii University of Stellenbosch: http://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Hierdie navorsing gaan oor die kultuur-bepaalde konsep Ũtugi met betrekking tot die MIV en VIGS - pandemie en oor die bydrae van hierdie konsep tot die kerklike gebruike en ekklesiologiese-self-verstaan van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia. In die navorsing word indringend gekyk na die MIV en VIGS konteks in Kenia, en die oorsprong, aard, eienskappe en definisie van Ũtugi en sy rol in die sosio-ekonomiese, politieke, kulturele, morele en godsdienstige lewe van die Agĩkũyũ-gemeenskap in Sentraal-Kenia gekyk. Die navorsing evalueer voorts die gemeentelilie bediening van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia. Hierdie ondersoek is noodsaaklik gemaak deur die behoefte van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia om Ũtugi (tradisionele hulpbronne) te gebruik in aanvulling tot die Christelike verstaan van gasvryheid (kerklike hulpbronne) om die menswaardigheid van mense wat met MIV en VIGS saamleef, te verhoog en die MIV- en VIGS pandemie te beveg. Die navorsing sluit metodologies aan by die hermeneutiek. Die volg ‟n praktykbenadering tot pastorale versorging en berading. Dit wil teologiese konsepte en die Agĩkũyũ se kulturele konsepte interpreteer, en deur middel van kwalitaticwe, kritiese analises vir die pastorale bediening aan mense wat positief met MIV getoets is, help sorg. In die lig van konseptuele analise, word daar in hierdie hierdie studie krities gekyk na die rol van Ũtugi binne die konteks van MIV en VIGS en na die gepastheid daarvan as instrument vir pastorale versorging en berading in die Anglikaanse Kerk van Kenia. In hierdie studie word die fundamentele vraag gestel: Hoe kan die Agĩkũyũ-konsep Ũtugi gebruik word om ruimte vir heling te skep en die heersende ekklesiologiese paradigmas in die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia omskep word sodat dit relevant en kontekstueel kan wees in die strewe om te reageer op die uitdagings van die MIV en VIGS pandemie in die 21ste eeu? Die navorsing toon aan dat die beginsels van Ũtugi Christelike gasvryheid kan aanvul om netwerke te vorm en die kerk te help om die las van mense wat met MIV en VIGS saamleef, te help dra. Só kan hulle menswaardigheid verhoog word, in hulle vreugde en gerief gedeel word, en saam met hulle deur hulle pyn, hartseer en soeke na heling pastoraal gereis word. Daar is ook bevind dat Ũtugi as ‟n kontekstuele model wat kultureel gegrond is, relevant is vir die Agĩkũyũ-mense. Dit kan inderdaad bydra en kan help om die bestaande kerklike gebruike van die Anglikaanse Kerk in Kenia te verander. Deur gebruik te maak van Daniël Louw se eksistensiële model vir christelik-spirituele geestelike heling, word die gepastheid van Ũtugi as ‟n model vir pastorale versorging en berading aan mense wat positief met MIV en VIGS saamleef, evalueer. Daar is bevind dat Ũtugi nie net ‟n paradigma is wat hulle liggaamlike, sosiale, sielkundige, ekonomiese, morele en spirituele lewe kan versterk nie, maar dat dit ook die vermoë het om die eksistensiële bedreiging van angstigheid, skuld en skaamte, ontnugtering en woede, wanhoop en twyfel, hulpeloosheid en kwesbaarheid, pastoraal te hanteer. Dit kan ‟n verskuiwing vanaf eksistensiële bedreigings na ‟n posisie van liefde, sorg, medelye ondersteuning, tegemoetkomendheid, vryheid en hoop meebring. iii University of Stellenbosch: http://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGMENT Many individuals have encouraged and assisted me during the past few years as I continue working on this project. I would like to express my sincere thanks to my wife Revd Emily Wanja wa Njoka and our beloved children Jabez Mũrage wa Kĩnyũa and Perpetual Lilian Mĩcere wa Kĩnyũa for their perseverance and faithfulness during my long years of study. Although at times they seems not to understand why I should spend many years in South Africa studying, nevertheless, they always prayed for me and supported me in many ways, for that I am eternally grateful. In fact, throughout my entire studies I have always hoped that my son and daughter will one day understand why they only saw me for brief periods. Of course, I love you and I did all for you and the church of Christ. Gratitude is due to Prof. Daniël Louw for his inspiring teaching in dogmatic, pastoral anthropology, pastoral care, medical ethics, marriage, family and counselling skills. Prof. Louw encouraged me to continue writing and assisted me in clarifying my thoughts. His interest both in my personal life as well as in my studies has never lessened; his inquisitive questions and comments were always a motivation and inspirational. I am delighted for the trust that he had shown in me. Thanks for being my promoter, hence giving the study the weight it now enjoys. Sincere thanks goes to Rt. Rev. Daniel M. Ngoru (Bishop of the ACK Kirinyaga Diocese) for releasing me to pursue my postgraduates‟ studies in South Africa. Tribute also goes to my fellow students Revd LeeAnn, Pastor Judy Prince and Revd Jack - without whom I could have found the journey being too long. Finally, I owe immeasurable thanks to St. Luke‟s College for supporting my studies. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Prof. Michael Bond the director of St. Luke‟s College, to Uniting Reformed Church of South Africa, and to the Overarching Strategic Plan (OSP) for supporting me with bursaries. Acknowledgement also goes to DET ministry, Marite‟s family and Revd Dr J.M. Gathogo for their prayers and support. Sincere thanks to Revd Dr Simon and his wife Revd LeeAnn for their immersed love and hospitality during my stay in Stellenbosch. Again, I say thanks to my friends, family and Christians of ACK Kiangoma Church who, in one way or another have been instrumental to my education and church ministry: your names are written in my heart. iv University of Stellenbosch: http://scholar.sun.ac.za DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the late Revd Nathaniel Kamunye, who was my pastor and mentor in the early years of my theological studies. It is also dedicated to my parents Lilian Mĩcere wa Magũrũ and Nathaniel Mũrage wa Njũbi who introduced me to Christianity when I was young and also supported my primary, secondary and university education. Finally, it is dedicated to all those who lost their lives because of the HI virus and those who are still genuinely struggling to fight it.