Power Dynamics Within the Anglican Mothers Union in the Diocese of Johannesburg
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COPYRIGHT AND CITATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS THESIS/ DISSERTATION o Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. o NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. o ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. How to cite this thesis Surname, Initial(s). (2012). Title of the thesis or dissertation (Doctoral Thesis / Master’s Dissertation). Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/102000/0002 (Accessed: 22 August 2017). Power Dynamics within the Anglican Mothers Union in the Diocese of Johannesburg by Gabrielle Helene Tucker 201338461 Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters Dissertation In Biblical Studies The Department of Religion Of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg Supervised by Dr Maria Frahm-Arp Date of Submission - 21st January 2018 3 Acknowledgements: It has indeed been a privilege to have had the opportunity to investigate and write about the Power Dynamics which influence and calibrate hierarchies within the Anglican Church, between the Clergy and laity within the Mothers Union in the Diocese of Johannesburg. Going in with my own pre-conceived ideas of the organisation it was indeed a humbling experience spending many hours in interviews and church services in the company of the women who make up the Mother‘s Union. Without the guidance, patience and encouragement from my supervisor, Prof Maria Frahm-Arp, none of this would have been possible. I wish to thank all the participants in this study for their honesty and trust which they placed in me, as they shared their stories about the Mothers Union. I am so grateful to all those who are Mothers Union members who assisted and encouraged me throughout this study. I wish to thank my confidant and life partner, Nicholas Tucker my husband, for his patience and input and encouragement in assisting me in this mammoth endeavour. My daughter, Anita-Andrea‘, my son, Warren Motau and their families, who understood when certain family engagements had to be forfeited due to the many hours required away from them researching and compiling data in order to complete my thesis. I also wish to thank the Parish of Saint Joseph‘s, Toekomsrus, which gave me time off to conduct the interviews, even at times when the parish needed my services urgently. I wish to thank Professor Hennie Villiers for his input and for encouraging me to delve further into the ―Bosadi Approach‖, a methodology which helped me understand Motherhood from an African perspective and as an African mother. I further wish to thank and acknowledge Dr Sarah Marusek who edited this research paper. 4 Dedication: I wish to dedicate this thesis to two women who, throughout their lives, battled to overcome patriarchal strictures within their church, society and homes. To my deceased mother, Margaret Josephine Jacobs nee (Adams) who brought the joy and appreciation of Anglican music into our home in Doornfontein and Bosmont, with her tireless zeal whilst being an organist at Saint Mary‘s-the- Less in Jeppe and later at Saint John‘s Anglican Church in Riverlea. To my grandmother Margaret Petronella Adams (nee Phieffer) who during my childhood, taught us the cry and the joy of lamenting with song, our mother of the faith and direct ancestor to the indigenous Xhoi-San the first Natives who were converted to Christianity by the Moravian Mission Station at Genadendal Mission Station. 5 Table of Contents Acknowledgements: ........................................................................................... 3 Dedication: ......................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ............................................................................................. 8 Let It Be ................................................................................................. 14 Aim of this Study ................................................................................... 19 The Broad Research Questions ............................................................ 19 Structure of the Study ........................................................................... 20 Chapter 1.......................................................................................................... 22 Methodology ..................................................................................................... 22 Research ............................................................................................... 23 Sampling ............................................................................................... 25 Research Design................................................................................... 26 Ethical Considerations .......................................................................... 28 Data Analysis ........................................................................................ 28 Limitations ............................................................................................. 29 Strengths ............................................................................................... 30 Reliability of the Data ............................................................................ 30 Brief Profile of the Subjects Interviewed ................................................ 31 Historical, Cultural and Social Context .................................................. 34 Chapter 2.......................................................................................................... 35 The Mothers Union: a Historical Overview of the MU ....................................... 35 The Beginnings of the Mothers Union ................................................... 37 The Beginning of the MU in South Africa .............................................. 38 Contemporary Understandings of the MU and its History ..................... 43 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 47 Chapter 3.......................................................................................................... 48 6 Investigating Theologies of Motherhood and Womanhood .............................. 48 Mothering and Motherhood ................................................................... 48 The MU as a Group that Addresses Social Issues ................................ 57 Women’s Understandings of Womanhood and Motherhood ................. 61 Theology of Motherhood in the Anglican Church .................................. 65 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 73 Chapter 4.......................................................................................................... 75 The Role of Women‘s Groups .......................................................................... 75 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 85 Chapter 5.......................................................................................................... 87 Piety and Power ............................................................................................... 87 The MU and the Worldwide Council Structures and How it is Governed90 Organisational Structure of Mothers Union ........................................... 93 Class Tensions ..................................................................................... 94 Power, Uniformity and Personal Piety ................................................... 97 The Relationship between Lay Women, Female Priest and Power .... 116 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 128 Chapter 6........................................................................................................ 133 Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................ 133 Recommendations .............................................................................. 137 References .......................................................................................... 139 Appendix ........................................................................................................ 144 Questionnaire ................................................................................................. 146 Standard Letter ............................................................................................... 148 7 Abbreviations: ACSA: Anglican Church of Southern Africa APB: Anglican Prayer Book AGM: Annual General Meeting ANC: African National Congress AVASA: Amateur Volleyball Association of South Africa AZAPO: Azanian People Organisation BC: Black Consciousness BCP: Black Community Programs BCM: Black Consciousness Movement BVM: Blessed Virgin Mary C of E: Church of England CPSA: Church of the Province of South Africa CR: The Community of Resurrection DC: Diocesan Council FoM: Fellowship of Marriage MSH: Mary Sumner House MU: Mother Union PC: Provincial Council PCC: Pentecostal Charismatic Christianity PEC: Pentecostal Evangelical Charismatic Christianity PMC: Provincial Missionary Conference PSC: Provincial Standing Committee