Women and Male Power: a Study of the Missional Policy of the African Independent Church in Northern Zambia
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Women and Male Power: A Study of the Missional Policy of the African Independent Church in Northern Zambia by BRIDGET NONDE MASAITI Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the subject of PRACTICAL THEOLOGY AND MISSIOLOGY at the FACULTY OF THEOLOGY IN THE COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH PROMOTOR Dr Henry Mbaya March 2018 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za DECLARATION By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the authorship owner 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. November 2017 SIGNATURE:……………… Copyright © 2018 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT This is a missiological study about the lived experiences of Bemba women in the Mutima Church in Northern Zambia. It seeks to interrogate how these women respond to the male-formulated policy in the church. The methodology of this study was guided by the feminist narrative methods of inquiry. It adopted a qualitative approach to answer the research question: “How does the male-formulated missional policy affect ordained women’s lives and influence their functions in the Mutima Church?” To make meaning of the life experiences of the women, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation and document review. The population of the study was female priests, male priests and former members of the church, comprising twenty female priests, five male priests and two former members of the church. In this study, data were analysed thematically. The study found that the Mutima Church teachings are ingrained in the minds of members. This makes them not to question the teachings of the chief priest who is the founder of the church. For example, in the process of performing their ministerial duties, some ordained female priests, who vow not to get married, conceive and give birth to children known as children of the spirit. The belief is that the children of the spirit are gifts from God, since their biological father [who is the church founder] also receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is a religious ideology that is ingrained in the minds of Mutima Church members. The study has also shown that the founder of the church uses both Bemba culture and Biblical scriptures to formulate the church policy. The findings also show that both holy patriarch and African [Bemba] patriarch are at work in the church founder’s teachings and formulation of the policy. These teachings and formulation of the Mutima Church policy are embedded in patriarchal ideologies, which include Biblical, cultural, policy and hegemony. In addition to the arguments by some feminist theologians in the study, I have shown that these patriarchal ideologies are power structures that interlock with each other. In the Biblical traditions, the church founder has portrayed himself as a patriarch, while in the royal Bemba tradition, he projected himself as royalty. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Dit is 'n missiologiese studie van die ervarings van Bemba-vroue in die Mutima-kerk in Noord- Zambië. Dit beoog om die vraag te beantwoord hoe hierdie vroue reageer op die man- geformuleerde beleid in die kerk. Die metodologie van hierdie studie is gelei deur die feministiese narratiewe metodes van ondersoek. Dit het 'n kwalitatiewe benadering aangeneem om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: "Hoe beïnvloed die manlike geformuleerde sendingbeleid die lewens van die geordende vroue en beïnvloed hulle funksies in die Mutima- kerk?" Om sin te maak van die lewenservarings van vroue, word data ingesamel deur diepte onderhoude, deelnemende waarneming en dokumentêre hersiening. Die bevolking van die studie was vroulike priesters, manlike priesters en voormalige kerklede, bestaande uit twintig vroulike priesters, vyf manlike priesters en twee voormalige kerklede. In hierdie studie is data deeglik ontleed. Die studie het bevind dat die leringe van die Mutima-kerk in die gedagtes van lede gebring is. Dit bevraagteken nie die leerstellings van die owerpriester wat die stigter van die kerk is nie. Byvoorbeeld, in die proses om hul ministeriële pligte uit te voer, is sommige voorgeskrewe vroulike priesters wat nie glo om te trou nie, geboorte gee aan kinders wat bekend staan as kinders van die heilige gees. Hulle glo dat die kinders van die gees geskenke van God is, aangesien hulle biologiese vader [wie die stigter van die kerk is] ook die gawe van die Heilige Gees ontvang. Dit is 'n religieuse ideologie wat in die gedagtes van lede van die Mutima-kerk gebring is. Die studie het ook getoon dat die stigter van die kerk beide Bemba-kultuur en Bybelse skrifte gebruik het om die kerkbeleid te formuleer. Daarbenewens wys die bevindinge dat beide die heilige patriarg en die Afrika-[Bemba] patriarg in beheer is van die kerk se stigters se leerstellings en formulering van kerkbeleid. Hierdie leerstellings en formulerings van die Mutima-kerkbeleid is ingebed in patriargale ideologieë, insluitende Bybelse, kulturele, beleid en hegemonie. Benewens die argumente van sommige feministiese teoloë in die studie het ek getoon dat hierdie patriargale ideologieë ineenstortbare strukture is. In die Bybelse tradisies het die kerk stigter homself as 'n patriarg uitgebeeld, terwyl hy in die koninklike Bemba-tradisie homself as koninkryk geprojekteer het. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writing of this dissertation would not have reached its completion without the help of a number of people. I sincerely acknowledge that various stages of this dissertation are indebted to the following: God Almighty, for granting me the necessary protection, wisdom, strength, guidance, good health and knowledge throughout my studies. I am thankful to my dear husband, Dominic Mulenga Mukuka, and my daughters Chali, Kasonde and Kasuba for encouraging me and giving me a lot of insights. I could not have done this without you. My appreciation goes to my entire family members in Zambia; Chisangas, Serenjes, Masaitis, Shawas, Musonis, and Chiwayas, for their support and care rendered to me during my research. I am also thankful to Mr and Mrs Demerwes, Pastor Pembamoyo and Pastor Ishaya for their support during my stay in Stellenbosch. I appreciate the input and insights of my brother in-law, Dr. George Sombe Mukuka. Without him, I could not have managed to study so far. His encouragement of my studies started way back in Zambia before I commenced my first year at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Together with the various degrees from other faculties and universities which I have acquired he has made me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you so much. My gratitude and thankfulness go to my study leader and promoter, Dr. Henry Mbaya. Thank you so much for your patience, your ability, your diligence and expert supervision. Your patience and ethical principles meant a lot to me and helped me to persevere in this academic journey. Thanks a lot for your time and my gratitude to the Mbaya family, who showed much concern each time they met me. I extend my gratitude and thankfulness to Dr. Len Hansen, for his input and assistance in making it possible for me to acquire ethical clearance for this research. Many thanks too, to Prof. Johanne Cilliers, Prof. Anita Cloete, Prof. Nadine Bowers du Toit and Dr. Shantelle Weber for granting me their time to listen to my presentation during the Colloquium. Their input and insights really shaped my work. Thanks a lot! My sincere gratitude goes to the entire Stellenbosch University staff for the privilege of studying here. I wish to acknowledge and give thanks to the Faculty of Theology, for the financial assistance I received from the HOPE Bursary towards my studies. My gratitude and thanks, too, to the scholarships awarded through the Postgraduate & International Office towards the completion of my research. I also acknowledge with thanks, the usefulness of facilities and services availed by the University of v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Stellenbosch, particularly for postgraduate students. I treasure the support and concern from NETACT. Their provision for accommodation at Weidenhof House and the care and support rendered to students by Prof. Jurgens Hendriks and the staff cannot go without mention. I am deeply thankful to my colleagues for their support during my stay at Weidenhof House. My appreciation to the Mutima Church members in Zambia for granting me another space to conduct my research with some of their members. To the members of the Mutima Church, such as Busano Chanda, Umubile Bwenedelo Kangwa, Chisaniko Chisanga and others, where I conducted my fieldwork, you deserve heartfelt appreciation. Thank you for the wonderful time we shared together. I felt at home during my fieldwork because of your care, support and love, and your commitment to the interviews. Thank you for trusting me with your personal experiences. I use the proverb I learnt from you, umweshi tautolelwa nama, meaning it is difficult for a hunter to catch an animal at night with the light coming from the moon. The argument is that the moon’s light is not as bright as the sun. My appreciation also goes to the Executive Director and staff of Cross Impact Outreach Zambia, who accepted to offer counselling to some church members. I have not forgotten my friends and colleagues in Pietermaritzburg, many of them holders of academic doctoral degrees. I would have loved to mention them by name - all those who helped me but – due to lack of space, let me thank you collectively. I value and treasure your support and encouragement.