KovsieJournals - University of the Free State (UFS)
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Feminist spiritualities, gender equality and sustainable development: The possibilities of a countermovement
Get PDFFeminist historiography indicates that spirituality has historically been one of the instruments whereby women could “speak”. This “voice” implied recognition and authority, to a certain degree, in a patriarchal-oriented reality. In this regard, feminist spirituality became a vehicle for women to authorise their own religious and spiritual contributions and insights. Feminist spirituality became a countermovement – countering perceptions and ingrained convictions that a woman could not be a mediator between God and humanity. Feminist spirituality contributed to the creation of spaces for women to study and participate in the creation of religious-spiritual texts. Women’s contexts are diverse and intersectional, and so is feminist spirituality, to the extent that it is more appropriate to speak of feminist spiritualities in the plural. This article explores the possibilities of feminist spirituality as countermovement that contributes to the realisation of gender equality, in the way that gender equality finds expression in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. It is situatedwithin a growing field of work that explores how faith communities’ religion and spirituality contribute to their being agents of sustainable development, and within the contextual urgency of the sustainable development agenda
Stand-up preaching: Homiletical insights from contemporary comedians
Get PDFStand-Up Preaching, as per the subject line, promises homiletic insights from contemporary comedians. I must admit that Myers engages with contemporary comedians and the theory of comedy, as far as I can discern, in the most thorough manner possible in a single book. The list of comedians he contemplates is exceptionally comprehensive, and it seems that every well-known comedian who has set foot on American soil has at least been mentioned. I found myself, throughout the book, researching the comedians he introduced for further context on these personalities and backgrounds. In that respect, this is a brilliantly researched work by Myers
Toward a reinterpretation of sacramental theology in the context of pandemics: The case of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
Get PDFThe advent of Covid-19 and the subsequent closing of religious institutions through lockdowns created a pandemonium that saw churches not being able to meet physically for worship. Covid-19 lockdowns diluted the traditional meaning of sacramental theology for mainline churches. The effects of the pandemic were bad that, churches in Zimbabwe were closed towards lent season in 2020. Mainline churches that used to shun the technologisation of religion were forced to embrace technology in order to be relevant. Unfortunately, sacraments that demanded face to face administration remained a theological dilemma. Using the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe as a case study, the aim of this paper was to challenge the church’s traditional sacramental theology and propose a theological treatise that has relevance in the context of pandemics like Covid-19. The paper proposed a reinterpretation of sacramental theology that makes the rite sacredness to the lives of the parishioners even during pandemics
Shall we dance? Choreographing hospitality as key to interpersonal transformation
Get PDFThe icon of the Holy Trinity by Andrei Rublev (1425) is a celebration of hospitality. This article contemplates the icon through Henri Nouwen’s eyes, using his methodology, and shows how the spiritual practice of hospitality is key to interpersonal transformation. The article considers Nouwen’s proposition that hospitality involved creating a space of true freedom in which the stranger can become a friend. It discusses Beatrice Bruteau’s view that such a free space required a communion paradigm in interpersonal relations, before investigating Nouwen’s unique metaphor for interpersonal transformation, a movement from hostility to hospitality. Finally, the article formulates principles for the spiritual practice of hospitality for ordinary people in everyday life, by considering the contributions of contemporary spiritual writers, Barbara Brown Taylor and Christine Pohl. Brown Taylor believes that the practice of hospitality began with paying attention, and Pohl warns against the challenges associated with its practice
Does community development work? Stories and practice for reconstructed community development in South Africa by Peter Westoby and Lucius Botes
No full textTo depart from a structured, colonial approach in community development to a creative imaginary vision, subjected to processes, procedures, and technologies, requires both an epistemological and practical change in praxis. The authors acknowledge that there is no pre-determined single framework or modus to promote as the perfect trajectory towards a renewed vision. Cues are rather taken from civil society, community projects and initiatives in understanding community development in a decolonised context, “they worked with people from ‘inside out’, based on the particularity of place and context”
THE EXPERIENCES OF CURRENTLY AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC: IMPLICATIONS FOR LIFE-GIVING COMMUNITIES
Get PDFThis article assesses the adequacy of the church’s responses to women currently and formerly in conflict with the law in the Philippines and offers feminist theological reflections on the need for gender- and culturally sensitive pastoral services for them in a time of pandemic. Drawing upon case studies and interviews, this paper examines the lived experiences and social worlds of women who currently occupy or formerly held the status of persons deprived of liberty. The researcher discusses the common themes and nuances in the issues and challenges they confront from behind bars and in free society, and their struggles for survival throughout the pandemic. This paper also examines their service needs and, in the case of those released from the penitentiary, the salient factors that contribute to the risk of recidivism. The researcher discusses the implications of the issues and service needs of justiceinvolved women for building life-giving communities
The coloniser or the missionary? Identity crisis as a conflict in Biblical reception among the Agikuyu of Central Kenya
Get PDFThe Bible was a new phenomenon among African cultures that treasure the oral traditions governing their moral and spiritual life. Many African communities were reluctant to welcome the biblical discourse because it not only disagreed with traditonal African religious practices, but it was also imposed on them by foreigners laden with negative political motives. This article examines the difficulty of distinguishing between the coloniser and the missionary as an initial conflict in biblical reception among the Agikuyu of Central Kenya. The article analyses how the missionaries inculcated the biblical message and how the Agikuyu gradually shifted from their initial belief that "there is no difference between a White coloniser and a White missionary" to a friendly relationship with missionaries and acceptance of Christianity. To explore these dynamics, the article employs witness accounts from African scholars, intertextual analysis of texts regarding Agikuyu because of the initial challenge of distinguishing British colonialists from missionaries. The results will contribute to understanding the dynamics of conflict in the reception of the biblical discourse and the reception of people by others in the world nowadays
The depiction of Orania in the media (2013-2022): A quantitative analysis using Natural Language Processing (NLP)
Get PDFThe current article investigates the depiction of the town of Orania in the media. Being an exclusive Afrikaner town, this town is highly controversial and is often seen as a remnant of apartheid, leading residents of this town to form the perception that the media treats them unfairly. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, namely a lexicon-based sentiment analysis classification and a machine-learning political bias classification, it is shown that the vast majority of news reports and opinion pieces on this town exhibit minimal political bias, and publications on this town are evenly distributed between left and right political bias. In addition, while the majority of news reports and opinion pieces published on this town are neutral, more publications are positive than negative. However, differences in the depiction of this town based on the language of publications are also discussed, with English publications more negative and Afrikaans publications more positive, and the majority of publications on this town are in Afrikaans. Overall, the study finds that while some individual publications present Orania in a very negative light, in general, the media reports on this town in a balanced way
Evaluating urban land-use demarcation and implementation for various urban functions using GIS and survey-based data: The case of Abuja City, Nigeria
Get PDFUrban planning implementation is a crucial process of urban planning to improve, attain, and maintain urban sustainability globally. However, the implementation process for land use demarcated for various urban functions is being confronted by various challenges in the Global South. This study aims to integrate questionnaire surveys of urban and regional planning experts and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), in order to investigate the level of urban planning implementation of land use demarcated for various urban functions to support strategic actions for urban sustainability. Using Abuja, Nigeria, as a case study, an urban plan, urban impervious surface map, and questionnaire data were collected, and an integrated method analysis, including qualitative and quantitative (descriptive, Euclidean Distance Modelling, and Linear Regression Modelling) was deployed. Key findings show that the vast majority of experts in urban and regional planning perceive the implementation of all land use for various urban functions to be between moderate and very high levels, except that of industrial land use perceived to be between moderate and low levels. GIS findings show that, while land uses demarcated for transportation, commercial, educational, and institutional functions are positively and significantly associated with the urban impervious surface, industrial land use and urban green spaces are negatively associated. Findings show that abuse of official privileges by distorting master plans, political interference, compromise by public servants, and inadequate funding are key challenges for urban planning implementation on land use demarcated for various urban functions. The findings in this study are crucial for strategic decision makers in urban planning to improve the implementation process for various urban land-use functions and urban sustainability in the Global South, in general, and in sub-Saharan Africa, in particular