PREACHING RECONCILIATION: A STUDY OF THE NARRATIVES IN GENESIS 37-50 Nicodemus Pele Daniel Dissertation presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (HOMILETIC) in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Prof. Johan Cilliers Co-Supervisor: Prof. J.M. Claassens MARCH 2017 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 sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. …………………………………. …………March 2017..……. Signature Date Copyright © 2017 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT This thesis is a practical theology endeavour that evaluates the narrative preaching of Genesis 37-50 as a means of promoting reconciliation and social cohesion in a situation of religious and ethnic conflict in a context of the employment or mobilisation of religion and ethnic identity to the exclusion, marginalisation and, according to some, dehumanisation of others. The region specifically referred to is that of the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria, where religious and ethnic differences between people are being used to advance inequality and to dominate others. The study critically examines how actions such as the traditional African concept of ethnicity, the traditional African concept of land ownership and boundaries, manipulation by the elites of ethnicity and religion, religion fanaticism, and poverty and unemployment fuel ethnic and religious division, conflict and violence. In addition, the study examines how these phenomena may be engaged with through the technique of using narratives to create points of identification, narratives as imageries to shape imagination, and narratives as sermon illustrations. As such, the research argues that the narrative of Joseph and his brothers, found in Genesis 37- 50, may be used to create a point of identification in preaching reconciliation and social cohesion, because the story depicts defamation of character, egocentrism, favouritism, dehumanisation, and pain and trauma as elements that fuel divisions, conflicts and violence. Furthermore, the study also considers the use of the narrative of Joseph and his brothers as imageries for shaping imagination in preaching reconciliation, because the story pictures changes of thought, changes in actions, forgiveness devoid of confession of evil done in the past, and building a common future as bases for coming together, staying together and walking together as ingredients of reconciliation. Therefore, the study proposes prophetic preaching, biographical preaching, pastoral preaching and economic preaching of the narrative of Joseph and his brothers as techniques for preaching reconciliation and social cohesion. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Hierdie tesis behels ’n poging in praktiese teologie om die narratiewe prediking van Genesis 37- 50 te evalueer om sodoende versoening en maatskaplike samehorigheid te bevorder in ’n situasie waar daar godsdienstige en etniese konflik is in ’n konteks van die gebruik of mobilisering van godsdienstige en etniese identiteit tot die uitsluiting, marginalisering en, volgens sommige, die verontmensliking van ander. Die streek waarna daar spesifiek verwys word, is die Middel-Belt Streek van Nigerië, waar godsdienstige en etniese verskille tussen mense gebruik word om ongelykheid te bevorder en ander te domineer. Die studie ondersoek krities hoe aksies soos die tradisionele Afrika-konsep van grondbesit en grense, die manipulering van etnisiteit en godsdiens deur die elite, godsdienstige fanatisme, en armoede en werkloosheid etniese en godsdienstige skeiding, konflik en geweld aanstook. Daarbenewens ondersoek die studie ook hoe daar met hierdie verskynsels betrokke geraak kan word deur die gebruik van verhale om punte van identifikasie te skep, die gebruik van verhale as beelde om die verbeelding te vorm en verhale as illustrasies in preke. As sulks argumenteer hierdie navorsing dat die verhaal van Josef en sy broers, soos in Genesis 37-50, gebruik kan word om ’n identifikasiepunt te skep in die preek van versoening en maatskaplike samehorigheid omdat die storie naamskending, egosentrisme, begunstiging, ontmensliking en pyn en trauma gebruik as aspekte wat skeiding, konflik en geweld aanstook. Verder oorweeg die studie ook die gebruik van die verhaal van Josef en sy broers as beelde om die verbeelding te vorm in die prediking van versoening, omdat die storie beelde verskaf van verandering in die denke, verandering in aksie, vergifnis sonder belydenis van kwaad wat in die verlede gedoen is, en die bou van ’n gedeelde toekoms as basisse vir die saamkom, saambly en saamstap as bestanddele van versoening. Die studie stel dus profetiese prediking, biografiese prediking, pastorale prediking en ekonomiese prediking van die verhaal van Josef en sy broers voor as tegnieke vir die prediking van versoening en maatskaplike samehorigheid. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za DEDICATION With gratitude, I dedicate this dissertation to God Almighty, who created me in his image, gave me salvation, and the wisdom to put this dissertation together; to my mother, Ladi Daniel, and my wife, Rahilah Nicodemus, whose effort, patience, sacrifice, prayers and tears became the seed of my success. v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I appreciate God Almighty, who made me in His image and likeness, and who unconditionally saved me and called me into pastoral ministry. I thank Him for guiding me through my studies and for giving me wisdom to put this work together. May the name of the Lord my God be praised. Amen. Special thanks go to my promoter, Prof. J.H. Cilliers, for his humane and Christ-like attitude and relentless effort to see that this work is completed. Sir, I appreciate your motivation and mentorship. In addition, thank you for making it possible for me to attend the Bi-Annual Conference of Societas Homiletica. Chapter 6 of the study was shaped by discussions, interactions and papers presentation at the conference. I am very grateful to my co-promoter, Prof. J.M. Claassens, for the critical reading of my work and insightful suggestions, especially in the respect of the Old Testament part of the study. I must confess that my gratitude to you knows no bounds because you taught me how to think critically and to write coherently. My gratitude also goes to Dr L. Hansen and Dr N. Chiroma, for guiding me through the research development and for reading some chapters of the study. To my dear wife, Mrs Rahilah Nicodemus Daniel – indeed, I appreciate your love, patience, prayers, encouragement and sacrifice. I say thank you, my love. To our children, Mercy, Jesse and Jerry, I appreciate your sacrifice during my absence. To my mom, I say thank God for keeping you alive to see the fruit of your suffering, tears and answered prayers for me. I wish dad was alive too to see the fulfilment of his prophecy toward me. To Prof. Christo Thesnaar, I say a big thank you for giving me books and inviting me for a two- days seminar on reconciliation. The discussions and interaction during the seminar, especially the interaction with Zeina Barakat from the Jane Center for Reconciliation Studies about the Palestinian and Israel reconciliation, was very instrumental to the study and my preparation for the defence. vi Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za I acknowledge with profound gratitude the contribution of my sister Hajara, older brothers Yakubu and Yusuf Daniel, uncle Didam Gankon, the Rev Isaac Bossan and Pastor Dogara Silas Turrang – your great sacrifice, prayers, encouragement and support will never be forgotten. Special thanks also go to Pts. Gideon Titus, for his effort, contribution and taking care of my family in my absence – you are a friend indeed and a friend in need. My appreciation also goes to pastors and members of ECWA I Katsit, ECWA II Katsit, ECWA Church Crossing, ECWA Church Chenchuk, ECWA Church Kurminbi, ECWA Church Galadima, and the leadership of ECWA Zonkwa DCC, for the financial support and allowing me to go for further studies. I also wish to express profound appreciation to Stellenbosch University and, in particular the Faculty of Theology, which not only groomed me for effective service but also provided me with bursaries from the faculty account, as well as from the DRC in South Africa, to enable me carry out my research successfully. Lecturers from various departments also helped to build me up academically and spiritually. I also appreciate the effort and help of Bonita, the secretary of Practical Theology, toward my studies at Stellenbosch University To my friends, Mr Bitrus Bature, Mary Ondiaka, Mr Yakubu Buba, Mrs Mercy I. Aya, Rev. Friday Kassah, Mr Zakkah Bassahuwa, Mr Mark Ayuba, Mr Dogara Micah, Pst Zacs Takore, Solomon Gandu, Kurginam Samaila, Rev John Dombong, Solomon Dikko, O.J. Dickson and Kefas Kure, I say thank you for helping me in one way or another. May God bless you all. I cannot forget to thank Marisa Honey, who edited this thesis. May God bless you for all that you have done to make this work a success. vii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za