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University of Cape Town The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University Town Cape of , , University 2 1 ! 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ./ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 Town '1 1 ) Cape.' ' 1 "1 of ~ , . 1 ~ 1 University i1 , 1 . 1 1 ·1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I' ABSTRACT This thesis defines conversion as a process of change management. Individuals and groups mobilise resources and formulate strategies for individual identity and group formation. Strategies are also formulated to manage the process of change for members. In. the research done among two churches, one conventionally classified· as African indigenous and the other classified as mainline, two models of conversion emerged, the model at St John's and the growth model at the Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCSA).Town In the crisis model individuals join the group because of some their lives, , illness or misfortune. The healing practices and rituals serve~ to Cape " manage and mediate the crisis for individuals.of Healing at the heart of the recruitment strategy St John's and other African Indigenous Churches (AlCs). It is through hearing about efficacy of the healing powers of the leader that people are attracted to the church. On the other hand,University the growth model as represented by the RPCSA, is about organic growth and development where new members are mostly recruited among the children of members. Children are groomed from baptism through Sunday school and confirmation classes to membership in full communion. For them conversion is a process of growth and development,· where they keep on learning all the time about their faith and who they are. i In scholarship the AICs have always been treated ethnographically while, on the other hand, the mainline churches have been treate:a historically. However, this thesis a comparative study of the AIC and a mainline church with a special emphasis on their conceptions of conversion. two churches are both African and Christian. They each draw from both these resources for self-definition. Christianity has become part of the South African landscape. None the members in the two churches consider it as an alien or foreignTown religion but they consider it as an indigenous one. two models mobilise resources and formulate strategies for self-definitionCape and what it means to be human in a hostile environment. of University ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ..... "'. "' .................... '" .... ., .... '" .. "' .. '" "' .... '" '" '" ....... '" ................ ,. i Table of contents ... ,. .. "............................... "' ...... ,. ...... "',.. ,.,.,. ....... "'... iii Acknowledgements ............ "' .... ,. .... "'.,. .. '" "' ..... ,. ..... ,.,. ..... "'.,,.., .. "'., ...... ,.. " vii CHAPTER In'troduction ..................................................... 1 1. The Purpose of the present study.......................... 1 2. Why people change.............................................. 0 • 3 African Indigenous Churches scholarshipTown ......... .. 7 3.1. Mission Histoty' ..... ., ...... .,,.,. ......... .,., .. if! .. ,. .............. ,.,..,,. ., .. ., "' .. ,.,. It" " .. ,. .. '" ...... .. 7 3.2. African Indigenous Churches....... ~ ........................ Religious economy of GugulethuCape ........................... MethodoloID'... ., "'. "'. "' ...... "' .............of ., .. "',..,. .. "' .... "' ... "'.,. ..... ,. "',. it '" "' .......... ,. 29 6. Proflle of the two churches........ 00 ....... 0 0 •• 0 .... 00 0 ••• 00... 31 6.1. St J ahn '8 ......... '" .... ., '" '" .. ,. ,. ,. ,. ..... ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ..... ,. .. ,. .... II ,. ....... ,. • '" ..... ,. ....... ,. « • • • • • • 3 1 Reformed Presbyterian Church ........ ~ .................... Summaty'...... « ........................ «.. • .. .. • • • • • .. .. • .. • .. .. • .. .. • .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. • .. .. .. • .. • .. 36 University CHAPTER Conversion: a coDfused category..................... .. 38 l. Introduction ............................................................... 38 2. Litera.ture Review .............. !11 ...................................................... III ... .. 39 l. Social-Psychological explanations.......................... 39 2.2. Social-Historical explanation s ............................... 45 2.2. An intellectualist approach ..............' ...................... 45 2.2.2. ~ 1Il11lti-c:Elll!Uil ~])Jlr1)~~ ........................................ 2.2.3. An l1i~t()ri~ ~])pl1)Elc:ll .•••......••••••••.•••••.•.•..•.• ~ ••....•• 55 2.2.4. A sociological approach ........................................ .. Conversion as a transaction.................................. 59 Indigenous conceptions....................................... ,.. 3.1. African. terms ... til .... til til ... til .. til til. til ...... til .. '" "" .. "" II til til "" .. til" .. '" • "' .... til .. " til ...... II .......... til ... ... 65 3.2. African performance.............................................. 74 3.3. Coercion and Conversion ...................................... 4. Theoretical considerations..................................... 83 5. Conclusion............... til ..... til ......................... III til til .. III til •• til., .......... til" til 86 CHAPTER 3: The Crisis Model for Managing Change•••••••• "".. 91 1. Introduction............... ...................................Town ...... ... 91 Ritual ................. til ..... til ...... til" .... til .......................... til ..... " .. til .. ., .. ., .... " til .............. II' til .. til til........ 92 2.1. Rituals of incorporation: Baptism.......................... 92 2.2. Rituals of celebra.tion ... til ..........................Cape til til ........ til.,,. .. til ................. " .. ~ .. til .. 100 2.2.1. Da.ily seIV'ices ... '" til., ...... til .....of til til .... til ............................ til til ........ til til ........ til til .......... \II l'tIl" til 100 2.2.2. Amathwasa. til ....... til ..................... til .. til .. ., ....... ~ til "" til til til .. til ...... til ........ til ...... til .. til til .. '" '" "' ••• 104 2.2.3. l"11ligidi (Festivals) ... "' ................................................ "' ....'. 107 Tradition .......... ,. ........................... ill ........... « •••••••••••• ill • ill ill. 109 3.1. Ecclessiolog}'................................................ ,. ................ 109 3.2. Recru.i tment .................................... ill ........ ill 4' ••• ill ill .......... 112 3.2.1. StagesUniversity of accepting a calL .................................... 121 3.3. Reinforcement................... l1li ................................ t ••• ill • 123 3.3.1. Healing techniques........................... ,. ................, .. o. 125 3.3.1.1 Bath.'.................................... ' ............. ,. ..... ,. ... ,. .... ,. ...... 3.3.1.2 Vomiting.................... ". ........................ ,. .................. 129 3.3.1.3 ~lleIIl~ ••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••• 130 3.3.1.4 Stemn,ing.................... O$ ........ iII!''''' ............................. " ....... 131 3.3.1.5 l.1"'k::lltslUza (Sprinkling) ......•.. ".. "........ ".... ,. .......... "... "..... 131 3.4. Kinship Terminol~g}'.......•... "................ ".............. 9'. "" 133 Material Support... o •• ~ ••••••••••••••••••••• $ •••••••••••••••• o ••••• 135 Conclusion ... "".' ....... ".. ~ ..... ".. "" .. "..... ;o ....................... " .. " ~ •• 136 iv CHAPTER 4: The Growth Model for Managing Change.......... 140 1. Introduction .............. 0 ... 0 ••• 00 .................... :.............. 140 2. Ritual ........................................... 0... .................... 148 1. Rituals incorporation.................... 00. •• • •• • • • • •• • •• • • •• 148 2.1.1. Baptism ....... "...... "" .......... "' .......... ~ ............................................................ ., ........ " .. "' ...... .. 149 2.1.2. Confinnation .. ".............. !II ........................................................................................ !II .. 151 2.2. Rituals of Celebration......... o ...... 0 ..................... o. 0 .. 155 2.2.1. Sunday SeTV'ice ..................................................... "' .............................. <II,. .............. .. 1 2.2.2. Good Friday and Easter........................................ 159 2.2.3. A House-opening ritual......................................... 162 3. Tradition." ...... .............................. "............................... ".................................... "' .......... .. 166 3.1. Ecclessiolog}T .. ,.. ........................ ".................. <II .... "' ............Town '" 01 .............. " '" II ...... .. 166 3.2. Recruitmen t ... l1li ................................ "' .............. " ........ <II ................................................ " 171 3.2.1. Uhlaselo (crusade) ....................................... 0 ....... .. 172 3.2.2. Uku,gqogqa (altar call) ....................Cape 00 .................... .. 173 3.3. Reinforcemen t . .............. '" <1< ...................... "" ....... "' ............................................................. ill .. ,. .. 174 of 3.3.1. Women's Manyano..........
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