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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'African Religion'
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Mndende, Nokuzola. "African religion and religion education." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13864.
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Bibliography: leaves 124-129.The concept of religion in South Africa has been distorted by religious and racial prejuidices. This problem is particularly evident in public schools South African schools have taught Christianity as the only authentic religion, in fact as the only truth. Black parents have not been given a choice of religion for their children. The white government has decided for them Based on the assumption that Christianity is the only legitimate religion, the state has suppressed African indigenous religion at every level of society, but especially in the schools. The thesis examines the indigenous beliefs and practices of the black people in South Africa which were suppressed by Western culture and Christianity. It reveals all the distortions about African Religion by the outside researchers in order to uproot the black people from their way of life so as to colonise them. As a result all the black children are taught to regard Christianity as a "Religion" and their own religion as "culture", the implication being that blacks had no religion until the white man came with Christianity. The thesis also investigates the feelings of the black people about recovering their indigenous religion by having it as a subject in schools. The results reveal that the majority of blacks never dissociated themselves with their religion. Although most are Christians in principle, deep down they practise their own religion. It has also been discovered that there are great lamentations amongst most blacks over the "loss" of some of the indigenous practices. Most have felt alienated from their heritage and identity. It is therefore the interest of the blacks in South Africa that African Religion be taught in schools.
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Ejizu, Christopher I. "HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICAN INDIGENOUS RELIGION." Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology, 1991. http://digital.library.duq.edu/u?/bet,1522.
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KEMDIRIM, Protus O. "ECO-THEOLOGY: RESPONSE OF AFRICAN RELIGION." Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology, 2001. http://digital.library.duq.edu/u?/bet,2227.
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Lopez, Eva Archangel. "Afro-caribbean religion and rituals: Dugu, Voodoo, Santeria, and Brazilian religions/cults." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2002. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2319.
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This thesis will explore and discuss the religion and rituals (ancestral cult) of Afro-Caribbean societies, people of African and indigenous heritage. This thesis will also seek to answer the question of extent to which Americans have become tolerant of other people's culture and what influence, if any, have transmitted from the Afro-Caribbean people to other North American societies. The religion and rituals of four Afro-Caribbean groups will be discussed in this study.
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Olieba, Leonard Lumumba. "A basic introduction to African traditional religion." Berlin Viademica-Verl, 2010. http://d-nb.info/100193024X/04.
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Pettinger, Alasdair. "Irresistible charms : African religion and colonial discourse." Thesis, University of Essex, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.328351.
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Shange, Nombulelo Tholithemba. "Shembe religion's integration of African traditional religion and Christianity : a sociological case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011819.
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The Shembe Church's integration of African Traditional Religion and Christianity has been met by many challenges. This merger has been rejected by both African traditionalists and Christians. The Shembe Church has been met by intolerance even though the movement in some ways creates multiculturalism between different people and cultures. This thesis documents the Shembe Church's ideas and practices; it discusses how the Shembe Church combines two ideologies that appear to be at odds with each other. In looking at Shembe ideas and practices, the thesis discusses African religion-inspired rituals like ukusina, ancestral honouring, animal sacrificing and virgin testing. The thesis also discusses the heavy Christian influence within the Shembe Church; this is done by looking at the Shembe Church's use of The Bible and Moses' Laws which play a crucial role in the Church. The challenges the Shembe Church faces are another main theme of the thesis. The thesis looks at cases of intolerance and human rights violations experienced by Shembe members. This is done in part by looking at the living conditions at eBuhleni, located at Inanda, KZN. The thesis also analyses individual Shembe member's experiences and discusses how some members of the Shembe church experience the acceptance of the Shembe religion in South African society. This thesis concludes by trying to make a distinction between intolerance and controversy. I try to highlight the idea that what many Shembe followers see as discrimination and intolerance towards them is sometimes a difference in opinion from other cultural groups. Sometimes these differences are not geared towards criticising other religious groups or perpetuating intolerance.
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Garner, Robert Charles. "Religion and economics in a South African township." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.403360.
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Reiss, Stephanie Rosel. "Religion and Resistance: African Baptist Churches in Virginia." W&M ScholarWorks, 1997. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539626089.
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Allies, Andre C. "Eliade's theory of religion and the African experience." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7800.
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Word processed copy.|Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-87)Mircea Eliade has made meaningful contributions to the academic debate in the field of religion and comparative religious studies. As much as he had scholastic opinion that would find synthesis with, support and defend his thought patterns and argument, so too he had, of almost equal proportions, those who would criticize his scholarship, accusing it of being, amongst others, biased and "revealing uncritical unverifiable generalizations". The scope of this essay is to enter that debate, with the intention to specifically focus on and unpack some of the most important concepts that underlie Eliade's thinking and deliberations, rather than focusing on the holistic theory of religion as purported by him. These concepts will be measured against the African Religious experience, to see if it finds resonance or stands in conflict with it. In the process, this study attempts to reveal some aspects of Eliade's theory of religion that could be saved to fit an African religious perspective. It also attempts to identify some aspects or conceptions of Eliade's theory that are lacking if read through an African lens. The focus in this study will specifically be on conceptions such as the hierophany, the sacred, symbolism, and myth, and how these interact and show themselves within the African context.
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Bernard, Penelope Susan. "Messages from the deep : water divinities, dreams and diviners in Southern Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007644.
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This thesis is a comparative regional study of a complex of beliefs and practices regarding the water divinities in southern Africa. These snake and mermaid-like divinities, which are said to work in conjunction with one's ancestors, are believed to be responsible for the calling and training of certain diviner-healers by taking them underwater for periods of time. In addition to granting healing knowledge, these divinities are associated with fertility, water and rain, and the origins of humanity. The research combines comparative ethnography with the anthropology of extraordinary experience (AEE), and focuses particularly on the Zulu, Cape Nguni, Shona and Khoisan groups. The use of the 'radical participation' method, as recommended by AEE, was facilitated by the author being identified as having a ' calling' from these water divinities, which subsequently resulted in her initiation under the guidance of a Zulu isangoma (diviner-healer) who had reputedly been taken underwater. The research details the rituals that were performed and how dreams are used to guide the training process of izangoma. This resulted in the research process being largely dream-directed, in that the author traces how the izangoma responded to various dreams she had and how these responses opened new avenues for understanding the phenomenon of the water divinities. The comparative study thus combines literature sources, field research and dream-directed experiences, and reveals a complex of recurring themes, symbols and norms pertaining to the water divinities across the selected groups. In seeking to explain both the commonalities and differences between these groups, the author argues for a four-level explanatory model that combines both conventional anthropological theory and extraordinary experience. Responses to the author's dream-led experiences are used to throw light on the conflicting discourses of morality regarding traditional healers and the water divinities in the context of political-economic transformations relating to capitalism and the moral economy; to illuminate the blending of ideas and practices between Zulu Zionists and diviner-healer traditions; and to link up with certain issues relating to San rock art, rain-making and healing rituals, which contribute to the debates regarding trance-induced rock art in southern Africa.
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Kenan, John Sarauta. "The worship of God in African traditional religion : a Nigerian perspective." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17492.
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Bibliography: pages 89-92.To date numerous works in the African traditional religion have appeared In this devoted to the description of field many have been particular religion phenomena, while some have attempted to refute the beliefs and practices of the religion. But examining the effort of various investigators who have grappled with this task, one has the impression that they may have overlooked something. This something is bringing together the beliefs and practices of African traditional religion to form the worships in other world religions. It can be said the worship of God in Africa traditional religion is the very soul of African religion. This study attempts and examines what some scholars have written about African traditional religion, its beliefs and practices, and brought it together to form what may be called the worship of God in the religion. In constructing the purpose of this study, many writers have been used. Here the writer would like to mention some scholars by name, because much of their material have been constantly used. Such scholars as John S. Mbiti, Geoffrey Parrinder and Emmanuel, Bolaji Idowu. These writers recorded careful observation of African traditional religion, its beliefs and practices. This provides useful insights into the worship of God in the religion. In achieving the study, the problem of ancestor-worship has been discussed, although a final conclusion has not been reached, because it is an ongoing debate. The practices and believes have been discussed as the starting point of the worship in religion. The study observed particular practices which constitute the worship. These includes: sacrifice, offering, prayer and the religious leaders who performed the worship. To make what constitutes the worship complete, the spiritual aspect of it has also been discussed. At the end of the study, some suggestions and recommendations have been made so as to stimulate and motivate the African students undertaking the studies of African traditional religion. It is also a challenge to the students who are studying African theology.
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Turyatunga, Vanessa. "African Traditional Religions in Mainstream Religious Studies Discourse: The Case for Inclusion Through the Lens of Yoruba Divine Conceptualizations." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/39917.
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The history of African Traditional Religions (ATRs), both inside and outside academia, is one dominated by exclusions. These exclusions were created by the colonial framing of ATRs as primitive, irrational and inferior to other religions. This colonial legacy is in danger of being preserved by the absence of ATRs from the academic study of religion, legal definitions of religion, and global and local conversations about religion. This thesis will explore the ways that a more considered and accurate examination of the understudied religious dimensions within ATRs can potentially dismantle this legacy. It will do so by demonstrating what this considered examination might look like, through an examination of Yoruba divine conceptualizations and the insights they bring to our understanding of three concepts in Religious Studies discourse: Worship, Gender, and Syncretism. This thesis will demonstrate how these concepts have the ability to challenge and contribute to a richer understanding of various concepts and debates in Religious Studies discourse. Finally, it will consider the implications beyond academia, with a focus on the self-understanding of ATR practitioners and African communities. It frames these implications under the lens of the colonial legacy of ‘monstrosity’, which relates to their perception as primitive and irrational, and concludes that a more considered examination of ATRs within the Religious Studies framework has the potential to dismantle this legacy.
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Schumpert, Raymond Evan. "Contemporary Afrocentric religious expressions of the Pan-African orthodox Christian church as compared to John S. Mbiti's interpretation of African religion." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 1996. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/2397.
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This study examined the similarities and differences between John S. Mbiti's analysis of African religion and the theology of the Pan-African Orthodox Christian Church (P.A.O.C.C.). The study sought to establish whether the similarities represent African retentions and conscious adaptations within the P.A.O.C.C.
Five aspects were considered in the analysis of African Religion and the P.A.O.C.C. They are: revelation, god, humanity, savior/messiah and church.
The researcher found that within the theology of the P.A.O.C.C. there exist significant African retentions and learned adaptations of African religion that parallel Mbiti's analysis of African religion. The P.A.O.C.C. consider themselves a theological institution with Afrocentric practices and tradition. The conclusions suggest that the Pan-African Orthodox Christian Church is an institution of contemporary Afrocentric religious expression.
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Lundo, Samuel Sila. "Christianising the African." Berlin Viademica-Verl, 2010. http://d-nb.info/1001894049/04.
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Sakuba, Xolani Sherlock-Lee. "The relationsthip between sin and evil in African Christian theology." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2004. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=init_9071_1177918844.
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Classic Christian theology regards evil as the product of sin, the emphasis in traditional African religion and culture is on human sin as the result of evil forces. This thesis investigated the way in which African Christian theologians understand the relationship between sin and evil. The question, which was addressed was, does sin lead to evil or evil lead to sin.
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Pewa, Sibusiso Emmanuel. "Song, dance, and worship in the Zionist Christian Churches: an ethnomusicological study of African music and religion." Thesis, University of Zululand, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/1304.
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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music in the Department of Music at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 1997.The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between music and worship in contemporary African society. Since there are various forms of activities that constitute the African society, the study will focus on the Zionists' Church music and worship from an ethnomusicological point of view.
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Ndlovu, Caesar Maxwell Jeffrey. "Religion, tradition and custom in a Zulu male vocal idiom." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002315.
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The study is about a Zulu male vocal tradition called isicathamiya performed by 'migrants' in all night competitions called ingomabusuku. This is a performance style popularized by the award winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Isicathamiya, both in its symbolic structure and in the social and culturalpractice of its proponents has much in common with the ritual practices of Zionists. And Zionists are worshippers who integrate traditional beliefs and Christianity. This study will reveal that isicathamiya performance and Zionists are linked in three major areas:in the sqcial bases and practice of its proponents, in the structural properties of their performances and tn the meanings attached to these practices. Firstly, Zionists, who are also called a Separatist or African Independent church, and isicathamiya performers have minimal education and are employed in low income jobs in the cities. Most groups are formed with 'homeboy networks'. Furthermore, performers, unlike their brothers in the city, cling tenaciously to usiko [custom and tradition]. Although they are Christians, they still worship Umvelinqangi [The One Who Came First], by giving oblations and other forms of offerings. Amadlozi [the ancestors] are still believed to be their mediators with God. Also commonplace in this category is the practice of ukuchatha, [cleansing the stomach with some prepared medicine]; and ukuphalaza [taking out bile by spewing, which is also done as a way of warding off evil spirits]. These are rural practices that have meaning in their present domiciles. The second area of similarity consists in the structure of the nocturnal gatherings that form the core of the ritual and performance practices among isicathamiya singers and Zionists. Thus, a core of the ritual of Zionists is umlindelo [night vigil] which takes place every weekend from about 8 at night until the following day. Likewise, isicathamiya performers have competitions every Saturday evening from 8 at night until about 11 am the following day. Although Zionists night vigils are liturgical and isicathamiya competitions secular, the structures of both isicathamiya choreography and Zionists body movements appear the same. These movements are both rooted in a variety of traditional styles called ingoma. Thirdly, the meanings attached to these symbolic correspondences must be looked for in the selective appropriation of practices and beliefs taken to be traditional. Using present day commentaries in song and movement, ingoma and other rural styles performed in competitions and Zionists night vigils reflect a reconstruction of the past. Isicathamiya performers and Zionists see themselves as custodians of Zulu tradition, keeping Zulu ethnicity alive in the urban environment. This is why in this study we are going to see rural styles like ingoma, isifekezeli [war drills], ukusina [solo dancing] that were performed on the fields, now performed, sort of feigned and 'held in' as they are p~rformed in dance halls with wooden stages.
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Cawood, Anthony Robin. "Religion, solidarity and identity: a comparative study of four South African schools with a religious affiliation." Thesis, University of Cape Town, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/28430.
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This thesis explores how schools with a religious affiliation recruit religion in school culture and the formal curriculum (both curriculum content and pedagogic method) and how this relates to the pedagogic identities they project. An overarching concern of the thesis is to understand how the character of the affiliated religion relates to the privileging of particular forms of solidarity and identity. This explorative, multiple case study is located in four independent schools in South Africa, each with an official affiliation to a particular religious community. The sample comprises a co-educational charismatic Protestant school, a liberal Catholic school, a traditional-Orthodox Jewish school and a conservative Muslim school. The study foregrounds Bernstein’s (1990, 2000) suggestion that a sociologically important characteristic of religions is the way they constitute the relation between the 'inner’ self and the 'outer’ social world. The thesis looks to Bernstein’s (1975, 2000) theory that the ideology inherent in pedagogic discourse constitutes particular instantiations of power and control (related to Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing respectively) that structure a school’s curriculum and pedagogic methods. The analysis of school culture utilises Bernstein’s (1975) theory of ritual and identity is explored in relation to Bernstein’s (2000) taxonomy of pedagogic identities. Furthermore, Durkheim’s (1915, 1960) concept of mechanical and organic solidarity and his theory of the sacred and the profane provide the primary conceptualizations of social order. The qualitative analysis of interview data (obtained from students, teachers, principals and religious leaders), policy documentation and direct observation shows significant differences between the schools relating to the recruitment of the affiliated religion in curriculum, pedagogy and ritual. The analysis suggests that the schools affiliated to religions in which the inner and the outer are dislocated (the Protestant and Catholic school), recruit the affiliated religion in a way that predominantly privileges a moral order in which the student is weakly related to a collective and individualised values and relations are emphasised (organic solidarity). Conversely, the schools in the sample affiliated to religions in which the inner is not dislocated from the outer (the Jewish and Muslim school), recruit the affiliated religion in a way that privileges strong identification of the student to a collective (mechanical solidarity). However, the analysis suggests that the form of solidarity related to the recruitment of the affiliated religion at the schools is not always the only form of solidarity privileged. More specifically, the analysis shows that components of the instructional order 'unordered’ by the affiliated religion may result in a layering of different forms of solidarity within the same school. The analysis implies that the schools project different pedagogic identity modes enabled by particular instantiations of power and control related to the privileged form/s of social solidarity. The major finding of the thesis is that the character of the affiliated religion, in terms of its constitution of the inner and the outer, relates to the form of social solidarity privileged by the school’s recruitment of religion, which, in turn, enables the projection of particular pedagogic identities. This thesis makes a contribution to a growing body of literature that vi challenges the idea that 'religious schools’ are homogenous. It provides a theoretical methodology for exploring differences and similarities between 'religious schools’ across different religions and suggests a sociologically important source of variance in 'religious schools’ in general.
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Stonier, Janet Elizabeth Thornhill. "Oral into written : an experiment in creating a text for African religion." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16127.
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Bibliography: pages 105-113.This study is a description, from the vantage point of a participant observer, of the development of a new, and probably unique, method of writing, teaching and learning about an oral tradition - a method which is grounded in ways of knowing, thinking and learning inherent in that tradition. It arose in the course of a co-operative venture - between two lecturers in African Religion and myself - to write a text for South African schools on African Religion (sometimes called African Traditional Religion). Wanting to be true to our subject within the obvious constraints, we endeavoured to write within an oral mode. The product, African Religion and Culture, Alive!, is a transcript of taped oral interchanges between the three authors within a simulated, dramatised format. The simulation provided the context for using the teaching and learning strategies employed in an oral tradition, but within a Western institution. We hoped in this way to mirror and mediate a situation in which many South African students find themselves: at the interface between a home underpinned by an oral tradition, and a school underpinned by a written tradition. In the book, knowledge is presented through myth, biographical and autobiographical stories, discussion, question, and comment. The choice of this mode of knowledge-presentation has been greatly influenced by the work of Karen McCarthy Brown. A further important requirement for us was to produce a text that would be acceptable to all the particular varieties of African religious practice. This need was met in a way that became the most important aspect of the method - the device of setting, as a core part of the work for students, a primary research component. Students are required to seek out traditional elders within their community and learn from them, as authorities on African religion and culture, the details of particular practice. This is a way of decentering the locus of control of knowledge and education, as well as of restoring respect for African Religion and preserving information in danger of being lost. The primary research component highlights fundamental issues relating to the 'ownership' of religion, knowledge, power, reality which are explored in the study. Also considered are the implications of writing about an oral mode while trying to preserve as much of the character of that mode - writing by means of speaking. Text as a metaphor provides a frame for examining the process and the product - in terms of text as document, as score, as performance, as intertextual event, and as monument and site of struggle. Suggestions are made for further research, both on the particular method of text-production under consideration, and also on the approach to teaching and learning about African Religion. Also considered is the relevance of this particular learning and teaching approach to the values inherent in the proposed new curriculum for education in South Africa.
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Rowland, Michael L. "Adult learning through religious music in an African American church /." The Ohio State University, 1998. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487951907959578.
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Sogiba, Zolile Sydney. "Steve Bantu Biko: Politician, 'Historian' and 'Proponent' of African Traditional Religion." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14748.
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Bibliography: leaves 129-135.The topic is "Steve Bantu Biko: Politician, 'Historian' and 'Proponent' of African Traditional Religion". It is known by everybody that Steve Bantu Biko was a politician. This has been revealed by his teachings, what his contemporaries have written and by his commitment to the course of the struggle. He displayed a commitment to the struggle for freedom of the oppressed blacks in South Africa. His ideology was 'Black Consciousness' which was a threat to the regime and an affirmation and a creation of true humanity for the oppressed. What became clear is the fact that there is a difference between a politician and a freedom fighter. To describe him as a freedom fighter is more appropriate than a politician. He was denied free political activity by the apartheid regime which clamped down on all opponents labelling them as 'un-Christian', 'heretic', 'rebels', 'agitators' and 'terrorists'. The 'Black Consciousness' ideology was viewed by the state as subversive. The question arises, how could a person who encouraged black community programmes and black unity be regarded as a terrorist? Fear from the whites of a black majority government is the cause for such an attitude. He was indeed a man of peace, an activist and not a terrorist. It has been noticeable that politics, history and religion are inseparable. This is a response to those who wonder what politics has to do with religion.
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Bailey, Constance R. ""Give me that old time religion" reclaiming slave religion in the future /." Diss., Columbia, Mo. : University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10355/5078.
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Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007.The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on May 11, 2009) Includes bibliographical references.
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Price, Kathryn Yvonne. "Preparing new members for a life of Christian discipleship in a moderate-sized African American Holiness-Pentecostal church." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 2000. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/AAIDP14684.
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The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a discipleship training program at New Horizons Church of God in Christ. The model sought to develop this program with a view towards incorporating elements of the tradition of the Church of God in Christ along with Bible study and intercessory prayer. The project was composed of eight weekly sessions.
The purpose of this project was to determine whether this style of training, in conjunction with traditional forms of spiritual formation already in place, would promote more committed church members. This project was developed out of the writer's personal concern for retaining new and oriented members.
At the heart of this dissertation is the theory that spiritual transformation takes place as a result of intentional and, consistent Bible study and prayer in a small group setting in addition to the Holiness-Pentecostal discipleship uniquely appropriated through its traditions, worship style and community.
The result of this study exposed an added dimension necessary to the process of transformation already present in the Pentecostal Church; that is the small group, in-depth study of the Word of God that promotes a hunger for scripture and therefore a hunger for God.
The ultimate aim of this study was to find a way to develop commitment to one's faith in the context of the Church of God in Christ. This project was developed in response to a perceived lack of commitment and understanding of the nature and definition of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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Rakotsoane, Francis Lobiane Clement. "Religion of the ancient Basotho with special reference to "water snake"." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17493.
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Bibliography: pages 93-108.It still remains the case that there has been very little attention given to African Traditional Religion in Southern Africa by both Western and African authors. It is not an easy area to research for it no longer exists in its undisturbed coherent form, but only as preserved in fragmented bits of culture. This thesis attempts some reconstruction of Basotho religion just prior to their settlement in Lesotho and the arrival of the Christian traditions. It makes use of whatever sources are available both written and oral including interviews in the field. It also employs Cumpsty's theory of religion to raise some questions about what might be expected given what is known of the pre-history of the people. Through a critical analysis of various Basotho cultural elements, oral prayers, sayings, beliefs, songs, rites of passage and other customs, a picture of early Basotho religion begins to emerge focused around the Supreme Being, Water Snake, and his different manifestations. It seems that we are looking at a group who had never been settled until they came to Lesotho, although they may have remained in particular places for considerable periods of time. On the other hand they were probable not, as some other groups were, consciously migrating, looking for a place of their own. It may well be this situation which is reflected in the constant prioritizing of the high god (Water Snake) in their dealings with the ancestors, and even their direct dealings with Water Snake, while at the same time other aspects of transcendence do not become emphasized.
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Omanson, Lisa Gail. "African-American and Arab American Muslim communities in the Detroit Ummah." Thesis, University of Iowa, 2013. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2597.
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This paper provides overview of the two larger Muslim communities in Detroit (African-American and Arab American), their differing views on theology, racism, and women's rights issues, as well as the places where they are united. It also focuses on the recent media and scholarly attention on the Arab American Muslim community in Detroit and how it marginalizes the African-American Muslim community. It looks at the reasons for diversity and then evaluates if it is feasible that Detroit Muslims will eventually develop a united ummah or if they will continue to construct distinctive but separate American Muslim identities and communities in the twenty-first century.
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Ayorinde, Christine Renata. "Afro-Cuban religiosity, revolution and national identity (cubanidad/cubania)." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.368423.
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Smothers, Rodney Thomas. "Strategies for change: decision making in an urban African-American congregation." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 1993. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/AAIDP14656.
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This dissertation examines interpretation of congregational traditions, present missional needs, and the role of the senior minister in presenting a vision for the future. This case study involves congregational self-appraisal, interpretation of data, goal setting, program and ministry development, lay leadership empowerment, and the importance of educational ministries in bringing about transformation.
The findings of this study revealed that strategies for change take place through a combination of factors. Chief among these are trust, effective communication, agreed upon strategies for change, an understanding of conflict management, and the role of the senior minister in creating an atmosphere for change.
The purpose of this study is to examine strategies for change in the life of an urban African-American, mainline denomination congregation. This study was prompted by the discovery of the lack of available information regarding the African-American church's struggle to respond to present and future missional needs.
Chapter I outlines the purpose of the study and states the need for additional research particularly as it relates to the impact of tradition on decision making, the planning process for creating an environment for change, and the role of senior minister in presenting a vision for change. Chapter II discusses the current available literature on church growth, the Black Church, and the relationship of the African-American Church to the United Methodist Church.
Chapter III examines the ministry issues that bring about the need for change. Congregational self-analysis is utilized to identify available options for change and the process of decision making is illustrated through a series of strategies for change. Chapter IV is a description of the process of implementation through several existing component elements and structures.
The fifth and final chapter records the findings of the study. Among the key findings---the pastor as an agent for change must assume multiple roles: visionary, interpreter, enabler, spiritual guide, preacher, teacher, and umpire. The Council on Ministries must understand its role in the planning, organizing, coordinating, staffing and evaluation process. Finally, the policy-making body of the local church must be willing to implement the recommendations for change and transformation.
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Simiyu, Michael Wakhangu. "The concept of repentance in African traditional religion compared with Christianity /." Berlin : Viademica-Verl, 2007. http://deposit.d-nb.de/cgi-bin/dokserv?id=2950229&prov=M&dok_var=1&dok_ext=htm.
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Williams, Tiffany M. "Race, Religion, and Environmental Concern Among Black and White Americans." The Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595544208933244.
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Lewis-Williams, Jeniece T. Park Jerry Z. "Race, religion, and homosexuality : Black Protestants and homosexual acceptance /." Waco, Tex. : Baylor University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2104/4843.
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Perry, Kristie Yvonne. "AFRICAN AMERICAN DENOMINATIONAL MOBILITY: THE IMPACT OF STATUS, FAMILIAL FACTORS, AND GENDER." OpenSIUC, 2020. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/1823.
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AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OFKristie Perry for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology, presented on April 08, 2020, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.TITLE: AFRICAN AMERICAN DENOMINATIONAL MOBILITY: THE IMPACT OF STATUS, FAMILIAL FACTORS, AND GENDER MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Darren E. SherkatReligion has been an important institution for African Americans, and for much of history was the only institution they controlled, making it a central part of African American life. African American families have relied on the church as an important source of social, economic, and familial support. Lincoln and Mamiya (1990) maintained that the black church reflected concerns of a generation less interested in assimilation which was later defined as the “black sacred cosmos”. In contrast, Frazier (1964) believed the post-Civil War Black Church furthered the process of acculturation within the larger structure and promoted social mobility. Frazier predicted status differences would eventually lead to variations in religious preferences with upper classes gravitating toward more worldly religious goods. Little is known about how gender differences and ethnicity influence religious mobility identification and participation. This dissertation examined trends, patterns, and predictors of denominational mobility, by demographic, gender, cohort, and geography. This study also juxtaposed Lincoln and Mamiya’s Black Sacred Cosmos with Frazier and Glenn’s status basis of denominationalism. Using the 1972-2018 General Social Survey (GSS) dataset, the research assed patterns of mobility across birth cohorts and gender-based influences on denominational mobility. Findings suggest that for African American women the Black Sacred Cosmo may remain.
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Payne, Paulette Lavomme. "Hallelujah and Amen: the African-American reliious aesthetic and black women in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 2009. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/89.
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This study explores how racial and religious identities are impacted and subsequently reconciled among Black women who join the historically White Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia. This study was based upon the premise that the African-American religious aesthetic and the Black Church shape racial and religious identities. Therefore, identity reconciliation among Black LDS women who previously attended the Black church is jeopardized. A mixed-methods research approach was used to measure Black women’s ability to reconcile their racial and religious identities. The data gathered enabled the researcher to broadly determine the degree to which reconciliation is achieved among Black LI)S women. The researcher found that the diminutive presence of the African-American religious aesthetic in the LDS Church did not considerably influence identity reconciliation among Black LDS women . This finding is significant as it will help to inform future studies about identity reconciliation among Black people who join historically White religious institutions as well as the viability of the Black Church as a resource for spiritual and racial identity cultivation among Black people.
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Amanfo, Arinze D. "Making History: The Sephardi Jewish Orphans of Sao-Tome and the African -American Appropriation of their Story." FIU Digital Commons, 2019. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3960.
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This study seeks to explore the little known story of the Sephardi Jewish Orphans of São Tomé. Not much is known about the children who were taken from Portugal to the western coasts of Africa. The story of these 600 Sephardic Jewish children is unique and enigmatic. However, it has been subjected to an unusual interpretation. Notably, many African-Americans have appropriated this portion of Sephardi Jewish history. For some, they have traced their Jewish ancestry to this historical event, and clearly self-identify as Jews based on this narrative. Why do they do this? The theory of Afrocentricity and collective memory is applied to this case study of African-Americans; to consider how they are able to adopt this story as their own. Finally, it is said that nature abhors a vacuum; the lacuna inherent with this story is akin to the historical fate of many African Americans. This study attempts to explore how these two communities, from the past and the present, have come together in the making of history, imagined or real.
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Bunch, Clarence. "Servant Leadership and African American Pastors." Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1363005384.
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Holmgren, E. Henry. "Signs and wonders in Africa a biblical perspective in interaction with western missions, African independent churches and African traditional religion, with particular reference to Zambia /." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1989. http://www.tren.com.
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Griffin, Karen E. "Empowering African-American youth, 9--12, through moral character education." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 1998. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/AAIDP14669.
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This project that was designed to enhance the development of moral character of African-American children, ages nine to twelve (9-12). For purposes of this dissertation, moral development and character development are used interchangeably. A curriculum was developed for children and one for parents to assist them to help young people reach their potential in regard to moral character development. The underlying principles of the study were moral character, spiritual formation, and faith development. The major premise of the project was that if children feel good about themselves and feel a connection to God, then people will behave better, love themselves and God, and they will make better decisions to negotiate life.
This pilot study was conducted at two urban churches. There was a total of 35 children participating in the study, and there were 38 parent participants. The training took place over a sixteen-week period. The results of the study indicate that there was a significant increase in self-esteem among the children. Additionally, findings from the behavioral scale demonstrated a significant positive change in behavior among children. There was also a significant improvement of the parents' level of contentment with their children.
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Wiley, Christine Y. "Don?t Just Give Me That Old Time Religion| The Intersection of Religion and Mental Well-being Amongst African-American Women." Thesis, Howard University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10191034.
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This qualitative study explored African-American women Generation Xers' (ages 35-50) experience with religion and its connection to mental well-being. The purpose of this study was to develop a thorough understanding of the experience of African-American women with religion, and how religion may contribute to mental well-being. Using a phenomenological research design approach, the researcher examined the stories, occurrences, and help-seeking behaviors of African-American women in their day-to-day lives. The sample consisted of 20 women who identified as African-American and were interested in the topics of mental well-being and religion. The analysis of comprehensive semi-structured interviews allowed the researcher to generate new insight into the connection between religion and mental well-being. New information will inform social work practice in the development of interventions designed to increase mental well-being of African-American women. The study’s theoretical framework emerged from both womanist theology and empowerment theory with the goal of improving the lives of African-American women. The experience of religion and the women’s view of this phenomenon had a bearing on the mental well-being of the women in this study.
Chapter One contains a brief introduction into the topics of religion, African-American women and mental health, the purpose for the study, the rationale for using qualitative research methods, particularly phenomenology, the theoretical framework, a statement of the problem, and the research questions. Chapter Two includes a broad review of the literature. In Chapter Three, the researcher delineates the research methods used in the study, including participant recruitment, data collection, data analysis, approaches taken to increase the validity and reliability of the study, possible ethical issues, and the role and background of the researcher. Chapter Four contains the analysis of each interview, with an emphasis on the emerging patterns and themes. Chapter Five comprises a discussion of the results of the analysis. Chapter Six includes the discussion and implications for public policy, social work practice, future research, strengths, and limitations of the study. Lastly, the appendix includes copies of the internal review board approval from Howard University, consent forms, the well-being scale, the demographic questionnaire, and the flyer with the announcement of the study.
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Hills, Franklin Jr. "The Middle-Class Religious Ideology and the Underclass Struggle: A Growing Divide in Black Religion." Scholar Commons, 2006. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3833.
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The trajectory of religious phenomena has been to give a reflective, yet
formative understanding of the ethos endemic to a culture. Pursuant to this
thought, the ethos of African American religion can rightfully be described as a
religious sociological construct, mired in a myriad of changes. These changes
have had a profound effect on how African Americans relate to their God, their
world, and themselves. The chief aim of this enterprise is to chronicle the
transformation of Black Religion in the United States, noting the social and
economic factors that served synergistically to formulate its current mission. I
conclude that the advancements made during the Civil Rights Era have served
as an impetus, within the past thirty years, that has resulted in a shift in the
mission of Black Religion. I contend that this shift is away from the traditional
communal appeal to a more individualistic appeal that substantiates middle-class
African American religious ideology. I further contend that the rise of the African
American middle-class religious ideology has contributed to the perpetual state of
the African American underclass as illustrated in Black Religion. In undertaking
this effort, I have drawn from an assortment of books and articles in addition to
church literature, audio sermons, and personal interviews.
In establishing a premise for this argument, this thesis will explore the
religious modus vivendi of early slaves. The Black Church was born out of the
need to combat the atrocities and vicissitudes that were directly and indirectly a
result of slavery. Slavery, therefore, provides a meaningful basis in which to
begin to understand the embryonic stage of the church. After examining the
formative years of Black Religion, I will then construct a cogent argument as to
how the Civil Rights Movement employed Black Religion as a tool to empower
the Black community, thus appealing to the community. I will then proceed to
compare how Black Religion was employed during the Civil Rights Era to how it
is employed presently. This comparison will provide the premise for my
argument.
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Holness, Denzil D. "Renewal of worship through the discovery and recovery of the African-American liturgical tradition." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 1991. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/1048.
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The need at Central Christian Church was for the renewal of its worship life in terms of the discovery and recovery of its African-American liturgical heritage from which it had become alienated. Consequently, the goal of this project was to effect such a renewal through the process of acquiring a critical knowledge and understanding of African-American worship, our denominational worship tradition as well as a biblical and theological understanding of worship which functioned as a normative and critical guide in the process of renewal.
The Petrine understanding of the church as expounded specifi cally in the pericope, 1 Peter 2:4-10, and generally in the entire epistle, was the basis for our biblical and theological understanding of worship.
Methodologically, this project on renewal involved the use of workshop sessions designed to facilitate the acquisition of a biblical and theological understanding of worship and our worship traditions as well as to facilitate attitudinal and behavioral changes in the participants and to increase the meaningfulness of the worship experiences to them.
It also involved the planning of two types of worship services --one culturally affirming, the other non-culturally affirming. Results from the workshop experiences confirmed the hypotheses that the workshop sessions would facilitate the acquisition of a biblical and theological understanding of worship, as well as a critical knowledge and understanding of African-American worship, and worship in our denominational tradition; and that they would effect some behavioral and attitudinal changes in the participants as well as increasing the meaningfulness of the worship experiences to them. However, the results of the worship experiences did not provide support for the hypothesis that the culturally affirming worship service would have been experienced as being more meaningful, satisfying and appealing to non-members. While the recommended changes were in the direction of the recovery and affirmation of the African-American liturgical heritage, the results suggested the emergence of a bi-cultural type of worship at Central. The bi-cultural path, then, seems to be the path to a meaningful, satis fying, and appealing worship experience at Central. Although this project has provided added confirmation of the need for an ethnic group to recover and affirm its liturgical heritage, its chief contribution to attempts to renew worship in the African-American liturgical tradition seems to be its demand for a critical re-examination of the stereotypical assumptions about African-American and Euro-American liturgical traditions and worship styles.
Certain improvements are suggested in terms of data gathering relative to the workshop experiences as well as question construction relative to the evaluation of the worship service.
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Holnes, Denzel D. "Renewal of worship through the discovery and recovery of the African-American Ligturgical Tradition." DigitalCommons@Robert W. Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 1991. http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/dissertations/846.
Full textAbstract:
The need at Central Christian Church was for the renewal of its worship life in terms of the discovery and recovery of its African-American liturgical heritage from which it had become alienated. Consequently, the goal of this project was to affect such a renewal through the process of acquiring a critical knowledge and understanding of African-American worship, our denominational worship tradition as well as a biblical and theological understanding of worship which functioned as a normative and critical guide in the process of renewal. The Petrine understanding of the church as expounded specifically in the pericope, 1 Peter 2:4 10, and generally in the entire epistle, was the basis for our biblical and theological understanding of worship. Methodologically, this project on renewal involved the use of workshop sessions designed to facilitate the acquisition of a biblical and theological understanding of worship and our worship traditions as well as to facilitate attitudinal and behavioral changes in the participants and to increase the meaningfulness of the worship experiences to them. It also involved the planning of two types of worship services--one culturally affirming, the other non-culturally affirming. Results from the workshop experiences confirmed the hypotheses that the workshop sessions would facilitate the acquisition of a biblical and theological understanding of worship, as well as a critical knowledge and understanding of African-American worship, and worship in our denominational tradition; and that they would affect some behavioral and attitudinal changes in the participants as well as increasing the meaningfulness of the worship experiences to them. However, the results of the worship experiences did not provide support for the hypothesis that the culturally affirming worship service would have been experienced as being more meaningful, satisfying and appealing to non-members. While the recommended changes were in the direction of the recovery and affirmation of the African-American liturgical heritage, the results suggested the emergence of a bi-cultural type of worship at Central. The bi-cultural path, then, seems to be the path to a meaningful, satisfying, and appealing worship experience at Central. Although this project has provided added confirmation of the need for an ethnic group to recover and affirm its liturgical heritage, its chief contribution to attempts to renew worship in the African-American liturgical tradition seems to be its demand for a critical re-examination of the stereotypical assumptions about African-American and Euro-American liturgical traditions and worship styles. Certain improvements are suggested in terms of data gathering relative to the workshop experiences as well as question construction relative to the evaluation of the worship service.
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Jespers, Philippe. "Essai sur la religion minyanka." Doctoral thesis, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/2013/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/212955.
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Ondego, Joseph Odongo. "African Luo ethnic traditional religion and Bible translation mission, education and theology." Berlin Viademica-Verl, 2006. http://deposit.d-nb.de/cgi-bin/dokserv?id=2841177&prov=M&dok_var=1&dok_ext=htm.
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Williams, Carla Demetrius. "Family, Faith/Religion, and African Americans' Decisions to Seek Lung Cancer Treatment." ScholarWorks, 2014. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/173.
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, especially among African Americans, who have the lowest survival rate from this disease among all racial/ethnic groups. The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate how family support and religion/faith influence patients' decisions about seeking treatment for lung cancer. This study was guided by the medical decision-making model and used a phenomenological approach. Data were collected from male and female lung cancer patients (n = 15) who were being treated in a thoracic and cardiovascular surgery clinic in Greensboro, North Carolina using semi-structured interviews. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 75 years and spoke English, and were questioned how they made their decisions about seeking lung cancer treatment. The main themes were patients' lack of knowledge about the disease, treatment, and the length of time to live; patients' financial anxieties; the role of faith, prayer, and religion related to treatment decision-making; confidence in the physician for medical advice; and the role of emotional and financial support from family, including the church family. The study findings provide valuable information that can be used by medical and public health professionals in helping patients make medical decisions for lung cancer treatment. Further, these findings have considerable social change merits because they provide needed information about how African American patients evaluate seeking treatment for lung cancer, which can be used to develop decision-making aids and to help better facilitate communication between health care providers and patients.
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Munyai, Alidzulwi Simon. "The tenacity of African Traditional Religion in Venda Christianity : a missional investigation." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/61193.
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The approach of the missionaries towards the Vhavenda was more scholarly than
practical, and had little to do with everyday realities. It appears to have been focused
on Western ethnocentricity rather than on the propagation of the Gospel. As a result,
it could not fulfil the purpose for which it was intended.
In Africa, as everywhere else in the world, the interpretation of the Gospel message
takes place in a particular and unique context. This means that, in the practice of
theology, one should take into account not only the spirit and the Gospel message,
but also the culture of the people to whom the message is being communicated.
This research deals in depth with the failure of the missionaries to recognise factors
that either hampered or could have facilitated the acceptance of the Gospel
message in Venda culture.
Furthermore, it aims to probe into strongholds of ancestral veneration that have
helped to sustain the beliefs of the Vhavenda. Ancestors, because of their authority
and power, are said to intervene in the affairs of their descendants, and to provide
meaning, values and protection.In short, they respond to the spiritual needs of their
descendants. Ancestors appear to occupy the centre stage in lieu ofChrist.
During this research, it became clear that a large number of Vhavenda profess to be
Christians, and yet cling tenaciously to their traditional beliefs. This is evident in crisis
situations that are occurring, in terms of both individuals and families. This implies
that in the heart of an African Christian, there arises a juxtaposition, due to the fact
that African traditional religion is inseparable from daily life for these people.
Traditional beliefs, customs and practices of the Vhavenda are examined. Some of
these features pertain to attributes of God and ancestral veneration, and the African
concept of salvation. Evidence from a variety of scholars indicates that Africans
never worship ancestors, in the strict sense of the word. The cultural practices that
Africans perform aim at demonstrating their faith in God. They are symbolic in
nature. It is interesting to note that both Western missionaries and the African people
attribute the same nature to the Supreme Being, who in the case of the Vhavenda, is
known as Nwali. It may be concluded, therefore, that there is a similar conception of
the existence of a 'superpower' across the spectrum of both cultures,albeit
approached from different angles. Nwali represents the final and highest power.
Although the introduction of the Christian God received a negative response from the
Vhavenda, as a result of conflicting names and the meanings attached to those
names, there is at least a common understanding of such names today.
The prevailing idea behind the formation of the African Independent Churches was
not intended as a move to ostracise anyone. The white missionaries brought the
Gospel to the indigenous people, but some of the mainstream churches could not
satisfy the spiritual needs of the indigenous people. The African Independent
Churches do not regard these mainstream churches as standard or ideal, and do not
find their own norms in early Christianity. The African Independent Churches restore
a sense of purpose; they often say things such as'feel at home, we are in our church,
we govern ourselves'.
The church should study traditional African beliefs. Traditional African culture is not
all bad; neither is everything good. As in all cultures, there are positive factors that
have held the culture together, and there are negative factors that degrade human
dignity. It should be made clear that Christianity should be received in alignment with
one's geographical context and environment, and in accordance with one's cultural
situation.
The African concept of salvation is another feature that has been investigated in this
paper. Salvation is approached holistically, that is, the healths of the human body as
well as the spirit are perceived to be inseperable.
If the missionaries of the past had been patientand open-minded enough to study
and analyse the sacrificial rites as conducted by the Vhavenda, thiswould have acted
as a base or steppingstone towardshelping the Vhavenda to accept and embrace the
final sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ. The researcher further explains that it is therefore not surprising that some
Vhavenda regard Jesus as the prime ancestor, healer, liberator, mediator, elder
brother and master of initiation. The researcher is compelled to conclude that lufu ndi
muratho kana dambuwo (death is a bridge). To the Vhavenda, death is not a total
annihilation, but is regarded as a bridge by means of which one crosses to the next
world.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Science of Religion and Missiology
PhD
Unrestricted
46
Hamilton, Joel. "The relationship between religion and diet-related disparities in African American men." OpenSIUC, 2019. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/theses/2550.
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This study utilized a cross-sectional design to report quantitative results. Equal numbers of African American men, religious and non-religious, were sought out for comparison. Participants must have identified as African American, been 30 years of age or older, and lived within 10 miles of Carbondale, IL during the time of the study. African American men are at an increased risk of developing many diet-related disparities. This study aimed to see if religion influenced these factors.
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Mushishi, Clifford. "The role of African traditional religion in the promotion of human rights." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7945.
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Bibliography: leaves 104-110.This study examines the role of African traditional religion in the promotion of human rights in Africa generally and among the Shona people of Zimbabwe in particular.
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Hamlet, Janice D. "Religious discourse as cultural narrative : a critical analysis of the rhetoric of African-American sermons /." The Ohio State University, 1989. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487673114115347.
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Emebo, Blaise [Verfasser eines Vorworts]. "Healing and Wholeness in African Traditional Religion, African Islam and Christianity : An Historical-Comparative Approach from Christian Theological Perspective." Aachen : Shaker, 2006. http://d-nb.info/1166514218/34.
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Kumordzie, Beatrice. "The political instrumentalization of religion in the South African truth and reconciliation commission." Master's thesis, Faculty of Humanities, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/11427/31612.
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The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has been subject to numerous debates across a wide range of disciplines, including peace and conflict studies, justice and transformation studies, as well as religious studies. In political science, the debates concerning the TRC have mainly revolved around the peace versus justice dichotomy, and more recently - the heated question of whether symbolic measures as opposed to socioeconomic measures can pave the ideal path to justice and reconciliation in post-conflict societies. Arguably, the debates that have dominated the discourse on justice and transformation in South Africa so far has failed to acknowledge and unpack the central role that religion played in the country’s process of transition. My argument is that religion was instrumentalized politically in the TRC, and thereby used to morally justify certain political compromises that were made during the negotiations between the apartheid National Party (NP) and the African National Congress (ANC) in the early 1990s. By political instrumentalization, I am referring to the strategy of using an identity marker, in this case Christianity, to achieve political ends. I propose that that the Mandela administration purposely employed religious elements in the political nation-building-tool of the TRC with the intent to create an atmosphere of “spiritual healing”. This symbolic and inter-personal understanding of justice in turn, it can be argued, came at the expense of retributive and/ or socio-economic justice. The influence of religion within the TRC can be seen most strongly in the identity of the key people involved (the chairperson Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and four of the commissioners who were theologians), the overt biblical rhetoric employed both in the hearings and in the final report, as well as in the design of the commission. The constructivist theories in which this paper will frame its understanding of “the religious” suggests any space can become holy through the performance of religious practices. In this regard, I propose that the TRC, while appearing to be a court-like body, became a sacred space through practices including prayers, lighting of candles and singing of hymns.