AN AFRICAN FACE OF CHRISTIANITY: A THEOLOGY OF FIVE AFRICAN INITIATED CHURCHES IN BOTSWANA KE MONYAI AN AFRICAN FACE OF CHRISTIANITY: A THEOLOGY OF FIVE AFRICAN INITIATED CHURCHES IN BOTSWANA Keikanetswe E Monyai B.Th, B.Phil., M.Th. Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D.) in Missiology, Department of Theology at the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) Promoter: Prof. S.J. van der Merwe Potchefstroom November 2007 n ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to investigate the possibility of arriving at an African face of Christianity in Africa. The point of departure for this study is a detailed study of five African Initiated Churches in Botswana. This is an empirical research of five selected African Initiated Churches that are considered to be representative of Independency in Botswana. The study encompasses the following five churches: Bethlehem City of Christ Church in Zion, Forward in Faith, Galatia Church in Zion, St. Gethsemane Church of Christ in Botswana and St. Peter's Apostolic Faith Healing Church. The method of research was both quantitative and qualitative. A broad survey of the five churches was done through a close observation of and participation in these churches over the years, followed by in-depth interviews of both the leadership and the ordinary membership, including men, women and the youth. A concerted effort was made to align the five churches to the broader family of Independency on the African continent. In the process, an in-depth analysis of the interviews themselves was done, as well as of the sermons, constitutions, a selected sampling of hymns, rituals and all accompanying ecclesiastical activities. An equal cross-section of the membership of the five churches was interviewed; the research itself stretching over six years, from 1982 to 1988. Chapter 1 provides the layout of the core of the research and states the problem, the rationale behind the selection of the five churches and how the research is going to be conducted. No Independency exists in a vacuum. Therefore, Chapter 2 gives the historical, socio-economic, political, cultural and missiological background of Botswana, into which the five churches were born. Chapter 3 gives an expose of how the five churches worship and all the variations that differentiate them from each other. Chapter 4, which can be described as the backbone of the thesis, gives the findings of the research on the five churches with regard to their ideas of God and everything connected therewith. This chapter covers a literature study on Independency to show that the African Initiated Churches in Botswana are not an isolated phenomenon. The following in are discussed in depth: Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit as the life force of the churches, God the Father as the Creator and Sustainer of life and the Trinity. Against the background of the wider literature, a detailed discussion follows of the faith of the five churches on Christology, the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the role of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 5 proceeds by addressing other major doctrines and moral issues of the five churches. These include marriage, prophecy, the concept of holiness, the Word of God, the care of children, botho/ubuntu, ancestors and the notions of sin, witchcraft and forgiveness. In the search for an African face of Christianity, Chapter 6 gleans from the intensive study certain aspects of the universal church and how these aspects can be marshalled to give better meaning and understanding of the Gospel to the African believer. IV OPSOMMING Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om die moontlikheid te ondersoek om by 'n Afrika-gesig van die Christendom uit te kom. Die uitgangspunt van die studie is 'n gedetailleerde studie van vyf Afrika-geTnisieerde Kerke in Botswana. Dit is 'n empiriese ondersoek van vyf geselekteerde Afrika-ge'i'nisieerde Kerke wat as verteenwoordigend van Onafhanklikheid in Botswana beskou kan word. Die studie omvat die volgende vyf kerke: Bethlehem City of Christ Church in Zion, Forward in Faith, Galatia Church in Zion, St. Gethsemane Church of Christ in Botswana en St. Peter's Apostolic Faith Healing Church. Die ondersoekmetode was beide kwantitatief en kwalitatief. 'n bree ondersoek van die vyf kerke is gedoen deur middel van dieptewaameming van en deelname aan die kerke oor die jare. Dit is gevolg deur diepte-onderhoude met sowel die leierskap as die gewone lidmaatskap, ingesluit mans, vroue en die jeug. Terselfdertyd is 'n poging aangewend om die vyf kerke in ooreenstemming te bring met die breer familie van Onafhanklikheid op die Afrika-kontinent. In die proses is 'n in-diepte-ontleding van die onderhoude self gedoen, sowel as van die preke, konstitusies, 'n keuse van liedere, rituele en meegaande kerklike aktiwiteite. Daar is met 'n kruisdeursnit van die lidmaatskap van die kerke onderhoude gevoer; die navorsing self het oor ses jaar gestrek, van 1982 tot 1986. Hoofstuk 1 gee die uitleg van die kern van die navorsing en stel die probleem, die gedagtegang agter die keuse vir die vyf kerke en hoe die navorsing gedoen gaan word. Geen Onafhanklikheid bestaan binne 'n vakuum nie. Daarom bied Hoofstuk 2 die historiese, sosio-ekonomiese, politieke, kulturele en missiologiese agtergrond van Botswana, waarin die kerke tot stand gekom het. Hoofstuk 3 gee 'n uiteensetting van hoe die kerke aanbid en al die variasies wat hulle van mekaar onderskei. Hoofstuk 4, wat as die ruggraat van die proefskrif beskryf kan word, gee die bevindinge oor die vyf kerke ten opsigte van hul Godsbegrip en alles wat daarmee saamgaan. Hierdie hoofstuk dek 'n literatuurstudie oor Onafhanklikheid om aan te dui dat die Afrika-ge'i'nisieerde Kerke in Botswana nie v 'n ge'fsoleerde verskynsel is nie. Die volgende word in diepte beskryf: Jesus Christus as Verlosser en Saligmaker, die Heilige Gees as lewenskrag vir die kerke, God die Vader as Skepper en Onderhouer van lewe en die Drie-eenheid. Teen die agtergrond van die wyer literatuur volg 'n gedetailleerde bespreking van die geloof van die vyf kerke ten opsigte van Christologie, die heerskappy van Jesus Christus en die rol van die Heilige Gees. Hoofstuk 5 gaan voort om ander belangrike dogmas en morele vraagstukke van die vyf kerke te bespreek. Dit sluit in die huwelik, profesie, die idee van heiligheid, die Woord van God, die versorging van kinders, botho/ubuntu, voorvaders en die begrippe van sonde, heksery en vergifnis. In die soeke na 'n Afrika-gesig van die Christendom onttrek Hoofstuk 6 uit die intensiewe studie sekere aspekte van die universele kerk en hoe die aspekte ingespan kan word om groter betekenis aan en 'n beter begrip van die Evangelie aan die Afrika- gelowige te gee. VI Acknowledgements My special thanks to the University of Botswana, for setting the wheels in motion, urging and allowing me to do plenty of research while employed as lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies in the 1980's; UNISA and the University of Fort Hare. I remember Professors T.D.Verryn and Dawie J. Bosch of UNISA, my Supervisor and Assistant, respectively, while I researched The African Catholic Church, who have since passed on; my thanks to Professors M.L. Daneel, Thorn and Denkema. My thanks to my student researchers, Messrs Commando, Kubuitsile, Semathane, Modimothebe, Dr.Musa We Nkosi Dube, and my fellow senior student at NWU, Keoneg Magocha, who were all students in our Department of TRS. I thank the Ecumenical Institute in Collegeville, St.John's University, Minnesota, USA, and Mundelein College, Chicago, for housing us in their excellent learning facilities during my sabbatical in 1986. Special thanks to Mrs. Esme Blazer who helped me a lot over the years. I thank Professor "Fika" van Rensburg for initiating the bursary and Ms Elsa Brand, the Reader, for the layout. I thank Lizelle and the staff at Nashua. Thanks to Father Lebamang Sebidi, former rector of St.Peter's Seminary, for urging me to finish the PHD, Drs Gwarinda and Mahlangu, Messrs Oystein of Norway, Patrick Sirayi, Sizwe Sikhwebu, Professors Sirayi and John Pobee, the late Archbishop Makhulu, and all who helped me in any way. I thank all the staff of the universities alluded to and the librarians, including Rhodes and the public library of Potchefstroom/Tlokwe; they all made it possible. I thank Mesdames Spoelstra, Gerda (NWU) and Yoli Soul (UFH). Last but not least, I thank Professor S. J. Van der Merwe, for the past two years that I worked under his tutelage; it was a revelation, a learning curve and an enriching experience. I had to analyse deeper, do more fieldwork and read more books on the subject. We discussed; his lines were always open. My heartfelt thanks to my whole family, especially my wife, Mrs. Priscilla Baatseba Setsana Monyai, for her loyal support and encouragement. Finally, I dedicate this PHD to my late "working class" parents, Tsimane Simon Monyai and Mankau Herminah Monyai, who made it all possible. Vll TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 AN AFRICAN FACE OF CHRISTIANITY: A THEOLOGY OF FIVE AFRICAN INITIATED CHURCHES IN BOTSWANA 1.1 BACKGROUND PROBLEM STATEMENT 1 1.1.1 Rationale 3 1.2 OVERVIEW AND IMPORTANCE OF AlCs 5 1.2.1 Growth of AlCs 8 1.2.2 Attraction of AlCs 8 1.3 CHARACTERISTICS 9 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT 10 1.4.1 Aim and objectives 11 1.5 TERMS USED IN THE THESIS: A CLARRIFICATION 12 1.6 METHODS 12 1.7 CENTRAL THEORETICAL ARGUMENT 13 1.8 DIVISION OF CHAPTERS 13 1.8.1 Correlation table 15 CHAPTER 2 EARLY MISSIONARY WORK IN BOTSWANA 2.1 THE WIDER CONTEXT 16 2.1.1