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The Impact of Liberation Theology on Methodism in South Africa with Regard to the Doctrine of Christian Perfection

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THE IMPACT OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY ON METHODISM IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH REGARD TO THE DOCTRINE OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION: BY JOHN BAILIE SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE SUBJECT SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: PROF. E. VAN NIEKERK JANUARY 2009 THE IMPACT OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY ON METHODISM IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH REGARD TO THE DOCTRINE OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION: (Summary ) There is potential for a schism, within the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) today, between Fundamentalist and Liberationist Methodists, who struggle to find common identity and vision. A question that needs examination is whether it is possible to develop an authentically, uniting Southern African Methodist Theology within the current Institutional structure of the MCSA. For this to become possible, some key areas of discussion are highlighted in this paper, such as the training of ministers and the MCSA as Institution. This paper attempts to enter into conversation between Fundamental and Liberation Methodism using the Doctrine of Christian Perfection, ' the Grand Depositum ' of Methodism, as a point of reference and develop an epistemological framework based on Wesley’s 'quadrilateral' of Scripture, reason, experience and tradition. This paper takes as a standpoint the need for an authentically Southern African Methodist theology, which is both uniting and transformatory, in order for the MCSA to fulfil its vision of “A Christ Healed Africa for the Healing of Nations.” Key Terms: The Methodist Church of Southern Africa, The Doctrine of Christian Perfection, John Wesley, Liberation Theology, Reformed Theology, Fundamentalist Methodism, Liberationist Methodism, Inculturation, African Theology, Wesley’s Quadrilateral. 2 I declare that The Impact of Liberation Theology on Methodism in South Africa with Regard to the Doctrine of Christian Perfection is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. 3 Table of Contents Chapter One Page Introduction 8-58 (1.1) Provisional unwrapping of the problem-setting of this paper...........17 (1.1.1) The first sub-problem setting can be formulated as that of Fundamentalist and Liberationist Methodists.....................20 (1.1.2) The second sub-problem setting can be formulated around the notion of Church regarding the negativity of schisms and the potential positive character of break aways:........................22 (1.1.3) The third sub-problem setting is formulated around the notion of faith in the sense of faith as happening above experience and faith as an expression of experience:..................................23 (1.1.4) The fourth sub-problem-setting is formulated around the notion of the Holy Spirits work of renewing sanctification as purity and perfection and uniqueness and excellence:......24 (1.2) A Working definition for the term “Theology”..................................25 (1.3) A Working definition of John Wesley’s Theology.............................27 (1.4) A Working definition of Liberation Theology...................................32 (1.5) Three Key points for this paper......................................................35 (1.5.1) Methodism in Southern Africa (MCSA)...............................35 4 (1.5.2) Liberation Theology in the MCSA......................................43 (1.5.3) The Doctrine of Christian Perfection................................52 Chapter Two Page A Brief Examination of the Development of Methodism in Southern Africa 59- 98 (2.1) The MCSA and Wesleyan Theology................................................72 (2.2) Wesleyan Methodism in an African context...................................84 Chapter Three Page An Understanding of Methodism in Southern Africa Today 99 - 124 (3.1) Fundamentalist Methodism..........................................................102 (3.2) Liberationist Methodism...............................................................105 (3.3) Symbiotic Methodism...................................................................108 (3.4) The MCSA Today..........................................................................109 Chapter Four Page Liberation Theology in Methodism in Southern Africa 125-140 (4.1) The MCSA’s Unique Witness.........................................................126 5 (4.2) African Liberation Evangelism......................................................129 Chapter Five Page Christian Perfection 141 - 179 (5.1) The Doctrine of Christian Perfection...........................................144 (5.1.1) The Silent Doctrine........................................................146 (5.1.2) A Question of Faithfulness.............................................150 (5.1.3) A Question of Experience...............................................164 Chapter Six Page The Uniqueness of the Methodist Witness 180-204 In Southern Africa (6.1) A Comprehensive Liberation.......................................................184 (6.1.1) A Theology of Praxis......................................................188 (6.1.2) A Merging of Faith & Works........................................195 (6.1.3) A Combination of Lay and Clergy................................201 (6.1.4) “Uniformed Missionaries”............................................203 Chapter Seven Page A Way Forward 205 - 264 (7.1) Liberating Hermeneutic...............................................................217 6 (7.1.1) Religion and Spirituality................................................228 (7.1.2) Learned Ministry...........................................................240 (7.1.3) Liberation Through Grace.............................................251 (7.2) A Way Forward...........................................................................259 Chapter Eight Page 265-275 Bibliography.......................................................................................265 7 Chapter One: Introduction: There is little doubt that there is a potential schism developing within Methodism in Southern Africa (MCSA), primarily between those whom can loosely be termed Fundamentalist Methodists, who advocate a return to a more ‘pure’ form of Methodism, promoting a return to Wesleyan doctrinal roots and those who may loosely be termed Liberationist Methodists, tending toward unifying Methodism with theologies which have common ground with liberation theologies.(More will be said about these streams later in the paper.) Schisms are not new, Wesley was asked the question: “Do you not entail a schism upon the Church? That is, is it not probable that your hearers after your death will be scattered into all sects and parties, or that they will form themselves into a distinct sect?” 1 - a question, which has in many senses turned out to be prophetic for Methodism worldwide. Schisms, however, are found at various levels in the life of the church universal, they have also been a part of the life of early Methodism in South Africa. 1 Cracknell :2005: 249 8 The reasons for schisms are varied and distinct definitions are difficult and complex and these difficulties are particularly relevant in terms of early Methodism in Southern Africa. Millard in her examination of the causes of schisms in the Ethiopian type churches points out that these churches started the first break aways from mission churches. Ethiopian-type churches are, as opposed to the Zionist-type churches, those Africanist churches which broke away from the mission churches of the mainline denominations to reclaim African self government. The Ethiopian Church became the foundation for the “Ethiopian movement”, which because of its later connection with the American-based African Episcopal Church was considered “anti-white” and was treated with fear and suspicion by government officials and white leaders of the churches. This view was unfair and these Independent churches then became known as “separatist churches”, a term considered derogatory by church members today. 2 A view that sees these churches as the forerunners to liberation theologies may be more accurate. Xozwa states: “ there was a time in South Africa when the "ETHIOPIAN PROBLEM" was discussed with interest and almost with anxiety, not only by missionaries, but also by politicians, scholars, and others interested in the welfare of the country. This occurred in the years after the Boer war of 1899-1902, and in the days of the Zulu rebellion of 1906. It was then feared that the Ethiopian movement was an African political underground movement aiming at ousting the white man from South Africa, or at least, that it might establish a pan-African National Church which would cause harm by hampering the 2 Millard: 1995:1 9 Evangelization of the Africans.” 3 But, at the same time, Van der Spuy cites that “the Ethiopian styled churches retained a strong desire to keep Western connections and therefore their desire was not to discard Scripture, tradition or experience rather to develop an African framework from which to formulate an African ontology.”4 Nevertheless, the definitions of these churches are also difficult as Pass asserts that the term African Instituted Churches (AIC) generally means “churches in Africa, by Africans and for Africans”. There are alternative terms, such as Africa Independent Churches, African Initiated Churches and African International Churches, all maintaining the same definition as AIC’s and they refer to churches that emerged outside of mission churches
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