Pastoral Ethics Within a Kenyan Context
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PASTORAL ETHICS WITHIN A KENYAN CONTEXT BY REV. ZEDEKIAH MATATA ORERA A THESIS SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PRACTICAL THEOLOGY FACULTY OF THEOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE SOUTH AFRICA, BLOEMFONTEIN SUPERVISOR: PROF. DR. JANSE JOHAN VAN RENSBURG DATE: 31 – 10 - 2005 CONTENTS 1 Introduction 1 2 The researcher 2 3 The term ethics 3 4 The term pastor in relation to ethics 5 5 The country Kenya and the researcher’s viewpoint 8 CHAPTER 1 1 Research Methodology 10 1.1 Statement of the problem 10 1.2 Explanation of the hypotheses 12 1.3 Aims and objectives 12 1.4 Relevant theological literature 13 1.5 Meta-theoretical literature 13 1.6 Journals and symposium papers 14 1.7 Personal interviews and observations 14 1.8 Definition of terms 16 1.9 Scheduling 18 1.10 Conclusion 20 CHAPTER 2 2.1 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE KENYAN AND WESTERN PASTORAL ETHICS 21 2.1.1 Pastoral ethics in a Western context 21 2.1.1.1 Integrity 23 2.1.1.2 Love 24 i 2.1.1.3 Sense of cooperation 26 2.1.2 Pastoral ethics in a Kenyan context 27 2.1.2.1 A Pastoral clergy who is a thinker 29 2.1.2.2 A Pastoral clergy who is an evaluator 31 2.1.2.3 A pastoral clergy who is a cultural promoter 33 2.1.3 SIMILARITIES BETWEEN WESTERN AND KENYAN PASTORAL ETHICS 34 2.1.3.1 Solving issues through pastoral ministerial ethics 35 2.1.3.2 Friends as an ethical tool for pastoral ministers 37 2.1.3.3 The Bible as the source of relationship for pastoral ethics 38 2.1.4 THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WESTERN AND KENYAN PASTORAL ETHICS 41 2.1.5 PASTORAL ETHICS AND COUNSELING 47 2.1.5.1 Pastoral ethics in critical counseling situation 52 2.1.5.2 Genuineness in pastoral ethical counseling 55 CHAPTER 3 3.1 PASTORAL ETHICS IN CRISES COUNSELING 58 3.1.1 Counseling in a variety of contexts 58 3.1.1.1 Counseling within the context of cultural taboos 59 3.1.1.1.1 Put into practice the word of God 60 3.1.1.1.2 Practice uncompromising life 62 3.1.1.2 Counseling within the context of “Beijing” 64 3.1.1.3 Counseling within the context of Evolution 67 ii 3.1.2 COUNSELING IN EMERGENCIES 69 3.1.2.1 Accident as an emergency cases 69 3.1.2.2 retrenchment as an emergency cases 71 3.1.2.3 Tribal clashes as emergency cases 72 3.1.3 COUNSELING IN DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIPS 75 3.1.3.1 Relationship with lay people 75 3.1.3.2 Relationship with Hospital Doctors/Nurses 77 3.1.3.3 Relationship with House maids 79 3.1.4 COUNSELING HIV/AIDS VICTIMS 81 3.1.5 PASTORAL ETHICS IN REFERRALS 84 3.1.5.1 Youths and pastoral ethics 89 3.1.5.1.1 Rape and pastoral ethics 92 3.1.5.1.2 Homosexuality and pastoral ethics 95 3.1.5.2 Adult s and Pastoral ethics 96 3.1.6 PASTORAL ETHICS AND THEOLOGICAL TRAINEES 98 3.1.6.1 Ethical training of trainees 101 3.1.6.1.1 The use of the ethical procedure 102 3.1.6.1.2 Ethical relationships between Bible lectures and theological trainees 103 3.1.6.1.3 Ethical eligibility of trainees 106 3.1.6.2 Ethical issues for training lecturers 108 3.1.7 PASTORAL’S ETHICAL COUNSELING AND REFUGEES 110 iii CHAPTER 4 4.1 PRINCIPLES FOR PASTORAL ETHICISTS IN A KENYAN CONTEXT 115 4.1.1 Personal ethics 115 4.1.1.1 Bodily Health 116 4.1.1.2 Personal Attire 120 4.1.1.3 Mental Knowledge 121 4.1.1.4 Spiritual Discipline 124 4.1.1.4.1 Personal prayer life 126 4.1.1.4.2 Personal honesty 128 4.1.1.5 Personal affection 135 4.1.1.6 Personal attitude 137 4.1.1.7 Personal acumen 138 4.1.2 PASTOR’S ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS 139 4.1.2.1 Servanthood profile 139 4.1.2.2 Pastor’s ethical administration with office workers 141 4.1.2.3 Pastor’s ethics in relation to parishioners 144 4.1.3 PASTOR’S ETHICS IN PREACHING 146 4.1.3.1 Pastor’s ethics on pulpit preaching 149 4.1.3.2 Pastor’s ethics on Altar call 153 4.1.3.3 Pastoral ethics in cell groups 155 4.1.3.4 Pastoral ethics in ‘Personal work’ 159 4.1.4 PASTOR’S ETHICS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS 162 4.1.4.1 Ethics of a pastor in a husband/wife relationship 164 4.1.4.2 Ethics of a pastor in a father/children relation 166 iv 4.1.4.3 Ethics of a pastor in an extended family relationship 168 4.1.5 THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN A KENYAN PASTORAL ETHICS 169 4.1.5.1 Definition of Culture 169 4.1.5.1.1 Culture is not tradition in a Kenyan context 171 4.1.5.2 Positive side of culture within pastoral ethics 172 4.1.5.3 Negative side of culture within pastoral ethics 175 4.1.5.4 Cultural shock as hindrance to non-Kenyans 180 4.1.6 PASTOR’S ETHICS AND POLITICS 182 4.1.6.1 Pastor’s ethics and government politics 182 4.1.6.2 Pastor’s ethics and church politics 187 CHAPTER 5 5.1 PASTORAL ETHICS IN RELATION TO THEOLOGICAL ISSUES AFFECTING A KENYAN CHURCH 189 5.1.1 The issue of Women ordination in relation to pastoral ethics 190 5.1.1.1 Convictions: Selected cases 190 5.1.1.2 Women ordination in relation to pastoral ethics 195 5.1.1.2.1 Paul’s epistles on women ordination (leadership or authority) 195 5.1.1.2.2 Women ordination and Kenyan pastoral ethics 199 5.1.2 POST-MODERN ISSUES IN RELATION TO KENYAN PASTORAL ETHICS 207 5.1.2.1 Definition 207 5.1.2.2 Arguments of post-modernism and pastoral ethics 208 v 5.1.3 DIVORCE AND ISSUES IN RELATION TO PASTORAL ETHICS 214 5.1.3.1 Definition of Divorce 215 5.1.3.1.1 Divorce as seen from non-Kenyan context 216 5.1.3.1.2 Divorce and pastoral ethics in Kenyan Context 218 5.1.4 REMARRIAGE ISSUES IN RELATION TO PASTORAL ETHICS 220 5.1.4.1 Remarriage after death of spouse 221 5.1.4.2 Remarriage after divorce 223 5.1.5 POLYGAMY ISSUES IN RELATION TO PASTORAL ETHICS 229 5.1.5.1 Polygamy as seen from the Bible 232 5.1.5.2 Pastoral ethics in relation to polygamy in Kenya 236 5.1.6 ABORTION ISSUES IN RELATION TO PASTORAL ETHICS 237 5.1.6.1 Definition and highlights 239 5.1.6.2 Different ‘beliefs’ on abortion – (selected few) 241 5.1.6.3 Feelings about abortion 244 5.1.6.4 Pastor’s ethical critic on views about abortion 245 5.1.6.5 The role of pastoral ethics on issues of abortion 251 CONCLUSION 255 BIBLIOGRAPHY 267 vi PASTORAL ETHICS WITHIN A KENYAN CONTEXT 1. INTRODUCTION The study of pastoral ethics is greatly needed nowadays since we are living in what has been called by Barclay (1978:143), “the affluent society.” It is a society, which Barry (1999:267) in his book Christian Ethics and Secular Society says, “The great majority of Christians are after the sanctification of wealth.” It is a world that Fuller and Rice (1999:63-149) attributes to “Affluence and wealth” as controlling factors. Because of the kind of society we are living in, not many of late have subscribed to the idea of ‘right’ ethics. In this sense ‘right’ pastoral or Christian ethics as such is meant (see later in this research that the words Pastoral and Christian go hand in hand, with some slight distinctions given to each). In fact Noyce (1988:11) points out, “…much of the general work on pastoral ethics is now out of print and almost quaint in style and content.” However, from McGrath’s understanding, “Christian writers have begun to write with much greater confidence on the theme of ‘Christian morality’, in the knowledge that there is a distinctively Christian outlook on many matters” (1990:87). There is little doubt that there is a great need for a study of pastoral ethics to be undertaken. Since many people experience a fundamental shift in thinking when they face a life-threatening crisis, such as the passing of a husband or wife, parent or grandparent, manager or leader, they tend to seek help from ‘Spiritual fathers’, who are of course, pastors (Lee, 2001:4). Speaking from a Kenyan context, most people prefer to obtain their counselling assistance, or 1 any kind of help, from pastors. There are many reasons for this, but the two leading reasons are the free service and the fact that pastors are in tune with the triune God who can provide more perfect help through these “men and women of God”, through prayer. Therefore, in presenting a study of pastoral ethics, a preliminary definition of the word ‘ethics’ is required. Why the study is focused particularly on the area of the pastoral and not on others, such as psychology and the like, is also explained.