Academic literature on the topic 'Lutheran Church – Namibia'

Linguistic features were used by Bishop Kleopas Dumeni of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) in the pre-independence era to persuade the audience to support the struggle for independence. Bishop Kleopas Dumeni used linguistic devices in an attempt to convince his target audience that the Namibians suffered a great deal at the hands of the colonial authorities. Thus international community support was desired to break the shackles of colonialism. Although Bishop Kleopas Dumeni employed various linguistic features in his speeches as a tool to whip up support for struggle for independence of Namibia, his language choices were never subjected to a critical examination to unravel their contribution to the effectiveness of the speeches. This paper thus examines how Bishop Dumeni used linguistic devices in his speeches to appeal to his audience as well as the effects these features had on the audience to support the struggle for Namibian independence. The paper is pegged on Aristotelian theory to reveal how language choice affects the three appeals of Aristotle namely, ethos, logos and pathos. Content analysis was used to deconstruct the selected speeches of Bishop Dumeni thereby identifying and evaluating the linguistic features in the speeches. The conclusion from this investigation is that Bishop Kleopas Dumeni effectively used the linguistic devices to woo his audience to his side to support in his efforts to end the wickedness of colonialism in Namibia.

AbstractIn the year 1966, the first government hospital, Oshakati hospital, was inaugurated in northern South-West Africa. It was constructed by the apartheid regime of South Africa which was occupying the territory. Prior to this inauguration, Finnish missionaries had, for 65 years, provided healthcare to the indigenous people in a number of healthcare facilities of which Onandjokwe hospital was the most important. This article discusses these two agents’ ideological standpoints. The same year, the war between the South-West African guerrillas and the South African state started, and continued up to 1988. The two hospitals became involved in the war; Oshakati hospital as a part of the South African war machinery, and Onandjokwe hospital as a ‘terrorist hospital’ in the eyes of the South Africans. The missionary Onandjokwe hospital was linked to the Lutheran church in South-West Africa, which became one of the main critics of the apartheid system early in the liberation war. Warfare and healthcare became intertwined with apartheid policies and aggression, materialised by healthcare provision based on strategic rationales rather than the people’s healthcare needs. When the Namibian state took over a ruined healthcare system in 1990, the two hospitals were hubs in a healthcare landscape shaped by missionary ambitions, war and apartheid logic.

On the worldwide scale Africa is the least-known continent demographically. Until the mid-twentieth century not even the size of the population was precisely known in many areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The major problems in African historical demography have either been the almost total lack of relevant sources or, if some have been available, they have been fragmentary and non-systematic. The reliability of the most commonly-used sources in African historical demography—population counts and early censuses—remained questionable until the 1960s. However, fairly far-reaching conclusions and estimations based on these sources using indirect methods have been drawn. Despite the development of methods in historical demography, the questionable source materials have naturally provided serious grounds for argumentation.An excellent example is the debate between the natalistic and antinatalistic school over changes in fertility and mortality in sub-Saharan African societies during the precolonial and early colonial period. The fragmentary nature of the available sources has offered a firm basis for the disagreement.The objective of this paper is to discuss limitations, pitfalls, and opportunities related to sources used in African historical demography. The paper first reviews the conventional sources—population counts, censuses, and surveys—and then presents an old but seldom-used group of sources, Christian parish registers. The usability of parish registers is discussed through a concrete research project based on data produced since the late nineteenth century in the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). Finally, attention is paid on widening the range of disciplines where African parish registers could be utilized.

Abstract The artworks produced at the Evangelical Lutheran Church Art and Craft Centre at Rorke’s Drift, KwaZulu-Natal, have been highly appraised and appreciated in South African art-historical circles, not in the least so as African expressions of postcolonial and anti-apartheid resistance. The work of Namibian artist John Muafangejo (1943–1987) is prominent amongst these. In this article, while borrowing generously from the methods of art historical research, our interest is primarily in works of art as objects of material religion. Erwin Panofsky introduced iconology as a way of determining the meaning of art. Iconology wants to enable the seeing of the unseen; seeing the transcendence—making it most applicable to the study of religion as a cultural practice. This article investigates in a critical way how iconology can assist in the study of material religion, especially as applied to the study of religious art. Because meaning is contextual, the conditions under which religious objects are made and interpreted are as important as the work itself. A discussion of a specific work by John Muafangejo originating from the Rorke’s Drift Centre will be conducted by testing the potential of iconology as an analytical tool in this African Christian environment.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is an evaluative study of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN). It is presupposed in this study that, although the ELCIN, since it became autonomous in 1954, has a long history of doing mission and diaconal work according to her Constitution, it has been recorded that, the Church is more and more lacking in the capacity to meet the challenges and needs of the Namibian post-independent society and subsequently cannot effect social transformation, yet it undoubtedly has the potential. This study focuses on the communities of the Ondangwa and Oshakati informal Settlements situated in the Oshana Region of northern Namibia, in the former homeland of “Owamboland.” The study is an overview of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) with regard to her public witness before Namibia’s independence that is during 1971 to 1989 and seeks a better understanding of her functionality fundamental to the Missio Dei. Throughout its history, the Church has been called to have a deep concern for the poor and oppressed. The post-Namibian socio-economic problems present a huge challenge to the church, thus raising questions such as: How well has the Church been responding to the challenges of our times? How helpful has it been to those who turn to it to seek social justice? How helpful has it been to those who seek economic and political justice? How helpful has it been to those seeking gender equality and to the marginalised? How helpful has it been to those infected, affected and afflicted by HIV/AIDS? In short, how helpful and relevant is the Church in addressing persons, laws, structures and institutions that degrade and oppress God’s people? These questions arise from concern regarding the emerging culture of corruption and crimes in the nation as well as questions concerning the prophetic task of the Church regarding socio-political and economic issues. It is argued in this study that the socio-economic challenges faced by the informal settlement inhabitants pose a challenge to the Church regarding poverty. A holistic approach to Church‘s mission in context should embrace radical discipleship, coupled with socio-political and economic involvement, integrating both economic, social, ecological, and spiritual change, and leading to healing and transformation. This means that the mission of God is as comprehensive, broad and deep as the needs and exigencies of human existence that is why spiritual and physical ministry cannot be done separately. A holistic mission approach will enable the Christian faith to penetrate and have its roots deep in the Namibian soil. The most adequate formulation subsumes the total mission of the church under the biblical concept of marturea (witnessing), kerugma (proclamation), koinonia (fellowship) didache (teaching) and diakonia (service). The context should indicate where the emphasis ought to be, and the circumstances dictate the way in which this witness has to be communicated. It is of cardinal (paramount) importance for the Church to continuously minister to the marginalised because of its concern and divine calling to the Missio Dei. The empowerment of people in development at the grassroots level is crucial to overcoming oppression and exploitation. The Church, particularly the Evangelical Lutheran in Church in Namibia (ELCIN), has a responsibility to foster and encourage self-reliance in order that, people can exercise their rights to determine their own future, rights which include sovereignty over natural resources, land, production and distribution. It is argued in this study, based on an analysis of the Church as a Community called by God that the essence of community development and the people-centred participatory development process, is that the Church as a Community-based organization is essentially best served in effecting social change by orientating itself according to the people-centred participatory development approach. The conclusion is drawn, among the key challenges identified, that there is a need for the church to evidence holistic theology and sustainable action with regard to social responsibility. Action remains, for the most part, in a dominant charity mode. Partnership, in its various forms, is identified as necessary and as the more sustainable strategy in a context of inequality. Recommendations for action are proposed at the end of this study in order to guide the ELCIN in areas such as Ondangwa and Oshakati, to become a meaningful role player in these communities.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is ‘n evaluerende studie van die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk in Namibie (ELKIN). Daar word in hierdie studie veronderstel dat, hoewel die ELKIN, sedet dit in 1954 outonoom het, ‘n lang geskiedenis het van missie en diakonale wek volgens haar Grondwet, dit aangeteken is dat die Kerk is meer en meer aan die kapasiteit ontbreek om te voldoen aan die uitdagings en die behoeftes van die Namibiese post-onafhanklike samelewing en daarom geen invloed op sosiale transformasie het nie, maar ongetwyfeld die potensiaal daartoe het. In hierdie studie word gefokus op die gemeenskappe van Ondangwa en Oshakati se informele nedersettings gelee in die Oshana-streek noorde van Namibie, in die voormalige tuisland van “Owamboland.” Die doel is om ‘n oorsig van die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk in Namibie (ELKIN) met betrekking tot haar openbare getuienis voor Namibie se onafhanklikwording in die tydperk 1971 tot 1989, te gee en om ‘n beter begrip van haar funksies onderliggend aan die Missio Dei te bewerstelling. Dwarsdeur die geskiedenis, is die kerk geroep is om ‘n diepe besorgheid vir die armes en onderdruktes te he. Die post-Namibiese sosioekonomiese problem bied ‘n groot uitdaging aan die kerk, dus die vehoging in die aantaal vrae soos: Hoe goed het die Kerk ge reageer op die uitdagings van ons tyd? Hoe dra die Kerk tot die soeke na sosiale geregtigheid? Hoe nuttig is dit aan diegene wat die ekonomiese en politieke geregtigheid soek? Hoe dra die Kerk by tot die soeke na geslagsgelykheid en hulp aan diegene wat gemarginaliseer word? Watter hulp bied bied die Kerk aan diegene wat met MIV/vigs besmet is of wat daardeur geraak en verdruk word? In kort, hoe nuttig en relevant is die kerk in die aanspreek van persone, wette, structure en instellings wat God se volk verneder en verdruk? Hierdie vrae ontstaan as gevolg van die kommer wat ontstaan weens die opkomende kultuur van korrupsie en misdaad in die land sowel as vrae oor die profetiese taak van die Kerk ten opsigte van sosio-politieke en ekonomiese kwessies. Daar word aangevoer word in hierdie studied at die sosio-ekonomiese van die inwoners van die informele nedersetting ‘n uitdaging aan die kerk ten opsigte van armoede. ‘n holistiese benadering tot die Kerk se sending in die konteks moet omhels radikale dissipelskap, tesame met ‘n sosio-politieke en ekonomiese betrokkenheid, die integrasie van beide die ekonomiese, sosiale, ekologiese, en geestelike verandering behels. Dit lei tot genesing en transformasie. Dit beteken dat die missie van God net so omvattende, breed en diep is soos die behoeftes en vereistes van die menslike bestaan, dit is waarom die geestelike en die fisiese ministerie kan nie apart gedoen kan word nie. ‘n holistiese missie benadering sal die Christelike geloof in staat stel om deur te dring en het sy wortels diep in die Namibiese grond. Die mees geskikte formulering behels die totale missie van die kerk onder die Bybelse konsep van marturea (getuie), kerugma (verkondiging), koinonia (gemeenskap) en diakonia (diens). Die konteks behoort te le en die omstandighede dikteer die manier waarop hierdie getuienis gekomminikeer word. Dit is van kardinale belang vir die Kerk om voortdurend die Word aan hierdie mense te bring, en om hul te versorg, in hehoorsaamhed aan die goddelike roeping tot die Missio Dei. Die bemagtiging van mense en hul ontwikkeling op voetsoolvlak is noodsaaklik vir die voorkoming van onderdrukking en uitbuiting. Die kerk, veral die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk in Namibie (ELKIN), het ‘n verantwoordelikheid om selfstangigeheid te be vorder en aan te moedig, sodat mense hul regte, hul eie toekoms, soewereiniteit oor natuurlike hulpbronne, die land, produksie en verspreiding kan bepaal en uitoefen. Daar word aangevoer in hierdie studie, wat gebaseer is op ‘n analise van die Kerk as ‘n Gemeenskap wat deur God geroep is, dat die essensie van ontwikkeling van die gemeenskap en die mens-gesentreerde deelnemende ontwikkeling proses, is dat die Kerk as ‘n gemeenskaps-baseerde organisasie in wese die beste gedien word in die bewerkstelliging van sosiale verandering, deur om te orienteer in die rigting van mens-gesentreerde deelnemende ontwikkeling. Nadat sleutel uitdagings uitgeken word, word die studie afgesluit deurdat daar tot die slotsam gekom word dat daar getuiens gelewer moet word holistiese teologie en volhoubare aksie met betrekking tot sosiale verantwoordelikheid. Aksie sal nog steeds hoofsaaklik liefdadig van aard wees maar daar word vasgestel dat Vennootskappe, in die konteks van ongelykheid, die mees volhoudbare strategie blyk te wees. Aanbevelings vir aksie word aan die einde van hierdie studie gedoen om die ELKIN te lei in gebiede soos Ondangwa and Oshakati, ‘n betekenis volle rol speel.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is a historical investigation of the role of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) regarding social development with special attention to education as an agency of social change. ELCIN is the largest Lutheran church in Namibia, which was born out of the Finnish missionary activities after their arrival in the former Ovamboland in 1870. The Finnish missionaries became the first missionaries to do mission work in Ovamboland. This qualifies them to be regarded as pioneers of social development and of the transformation of society through education among the Ovambo people. ELCIN’s humble beginnings started as a mission field and developed into mission congregations; thereafter as a mission church and finally as independent church in 1954. The study shows that since its inception ELCIN has been committed to serve her members holistically (spiritually and socially). The focus of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the role ELCIN played to bring about development through education. The study therefore attempts to answer questions regarding the role the Finnish missionaries played in education and should be understood within the broader context of the history of ELCIN, for example, what arrangements were made and what developments took place during the indigenization process. Further, the study points out the educational challenges ELCIN encountered during the time of social development through education. In answering these questions, the study demonstrates how ELCIN played a decisive role in social development in Ovamboland, especially by way of education and training. The study refers to both informal (Christian) and formal (general or inclusive secular) education and the role each of these forms of education played in social change. The study also reflects on the engagement between ELCIN and the context resulting from the South African mandate in Namibia (then South West Africa). Finally, it is recommended that, in light of the positive contribution made by ELCIN to the social development of its members and communities by way of education in the past, it should continue this role in an independent Namibia. This could be done by way of intensifying Christian education among its members in order to educate and inspire people to remain faithful to their Christian values. In this way, ELCIN will continue to play a meaningful role in the life of communities and their members.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingstudie is ‘n historiese ondersoek na die rol van die Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) ten opsigte van sosiale ontwikkeling met spesiale verwysing na opvoeding as ‘n agent vir sosiale verandering. ELCIN is een van die grootste Lutherse kerke in Namibië, wat ontstaan het uit die aktiwiteite van die Finse sendelinge na hulle aankoms in die eertydse Ovamboland in 1870. Die Finse sendelinge was die eerste sendelinge wat sendingwerk in Ovamboland onderneem het. As gevolg hiervan word hulle beskou as pioniers van sosiale ontwikkeling en transformasie in die gemeenskap deur die opvoeding van die mense van Ovamboland. ELCIN het sy nederige ontstaan gehad as ‘n sendingveld en het ontwikkel tot sendinggemeentes; daarna tot ‘n sendingkerk en uiteindelik in 1954 tot ‘n onafhanklike kerk. Die studie dui aan dat ELCIN sedert sy ontstaan toegewyd was aan die taak om sy lede op ‘n holistiese vlak (geestelik en sosiaal) te ontwikkel. Die fokus van hierdie studie is om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot ‘n dieper begrip van die rol wat ELCIN gespeel het ten opsigte van hierdie ontwikkeling. Die studie het dus gepoog om vrae te beantwoord oor die rol wat die Finse sendelinge in opvoeding gespeel het en behoort verstaan te word binne die breër konteks van die geskiendenis van ELCIN. Watter reëlings is getref en watter ontwikkelings het plaasgevind gedurende die inheemswordingsproses? Die studie dui verder op die opvoedkundige uitdagings wat ELCIN gedurende die tyd van sosiale ontwikkeling deur opvoeding ondervind het. Ter beantwoording van hierdie vrae word deur die studie aangedui hoe ELCIN ‘n deurslaggewende rol in die sosiale ontwikkeling van Ovamboland gespeel het, veral deur middel van opvoeding en opleiding. Die studie verwys na beide informele (Christelike) en formele (algemene of inklusiewe) opvoeding en na die rol wat elk van hierdie vorms van opvoeding gespeel het ten opsigte van sosiale verandering. Die studie kyk ook eers na die verhouding tussen ELCIN en die Suid‐Afrikaanse regering gedurende Namibië (die destydse Suidwes‐Afrika) se jare as mandaatgebied en daarna word aanbevelings gemaak. In die lig van die positiewe bydrae wat ELCIN in die verlede gemaak het tot sosiale ontwikkeling, word aanbeveel dat hierdie bydrae in ‘n onafhanklike Namibië voortgesit word. Dit behoort te geskied deur ‘n intensifisering van Christelike onderwys onder lede ten einde die mense op te voed en te inspireer om getrou te bly aan hulle Christelike waardes. Op hierdie wyse sal ELCIN voortgaan om ‘n betekensivolle rol in die lewe van die gemeenskappe en hul lede te speel.

This thesis examines the historical and theological development, and ultimate failure, of the unity process between the three Lutheran Churches in Namibia, and places it in the socio-political and economic context of the turbulent history of the country. The focus is particularly on the period between 1972 and 1993 which witnessed a crucial phase in the struggle for a United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. This took place against the background of heightened anti-apartheid political activity and international mediation for Namibian independence, which was achieved in 1990. The increasing involvement of the two Black Lutheran Churches in the liberation struggle was matched by the growing alienation and isolation of the White Lutheran Church. The three Lutheran Churches eventually failed in their deliberations between 1972 and 1993 either to unite or even to form a federation, and managed only to achieve a superficial working relationship. The failure ofthe process was shaped by various factors. These included issues of political and ethnic differences between the three Churches, concerns over the future common ownership of each Church's property, differentials in salaries, the external influence of Lutheran Churches elsewhere in the world (not least through their funding), and the question of what form the leadership structure should take in a unified Church. The leaders of the three Lutheran Churches lived and operated as theologians in somewhat different religious cultures that were the product of the several Lutheran missionary societies that had originally founded the three Lutheran Churches in Namibia. The abnormal socio-political and economic context of Namibia during colonialism (1884-1990), and the new challenges after independence, created a situation where religious and secular activities became inseparable. Inevitably, the priorities and questions confronting Lutheran Church leaders and people were concerned more with issues such as social justice, freedom, self-determination, political participation and sheer survival than with the question of church unity. The challenge for the Lutheran Churches of Namibia still remains for them to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ holistically and to spread the message of unity for all Namibians irrespective of differences of race, colour, gender and geographical region.
Thesis (M.A.)- University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002

The contents of this dissertation is about the authoritarianism presently found in Lutheran churches in general and in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) in particular. In contradiction to the Roman Catholic Church, Luther advocated the participation of the laity in decision-making processes. However, strong offices of authority have been established in ELCIN and excessive powers have been granted constitutionally to the clergy against the laity, with the result that lay leaders are made to believe that the decision-making procedures belong to the higher authorities at all levels of the church. There is a lack of willingness among the higher authorities to motivate lay leaders to take up leadership responsibilities in their presence. The danger of this attitude is that most of the decisions made in the church are initiated by the clergy and are therefore not representative. The leadership style of ELCIN can be described as partially democratic and partially authoritarian. The authoritarian leadership style of ELCIN was not derived from the original Lutheran heritage. This situation is due largely to a combination of the leadership patterns of the Finnish missionaries and the prevailing Owambo traditional culture. Authoritarian attitudes remain an urgent challenge to ELCIN in particular, and to Lutheran churches in general. The formulation of a new concept of leadership in the church must embrace the collective participation of all male adult members of the community in decision-making processes as observed in positive elements of Owambo traditions and Luther's concept of the priesthood of all believers. This dissertation recommends that lay leaders must be allowed to chair decision-making bodies at all levels in the church and that clergy and lay leaders participate equally in these bodies. ELCIN theologians also have to formulate concepts which contextualise church leadership and dissociate it from foreign vessels of culture.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

This thesis contends that the individualisation, privatisation and spiritualisation of the concept of salvation in the church in general and in The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia [ELCIN] in particular, where salvation is confined to the soul and its escape from this evil world into a blessed heaven at some future date after death, with the result that church members are reluctant to strive for the quality of the present life as believers, must be overcome. This study must be seen against the background of increasing secularism in Namibia. This encroachment constitutes a serious challenge to the Namibian Lutheran Churches of which ELCIN is the largest. The secularisation of a community renowned for its Christianity seems to indicate deficiencies in the core message of the church. The concept of salvation must be formulated in response to current deficiencies in the overall wellbeing of humanity and reality as a whole. Such a paradigm of salvation may be enriched by the holistic Pauline-Lutheran concept of salvation. The Lutheran message of salvation needs contextualisation and Africanisation in order to pick up valid concerns of the Owambo tradition for African Lutherans on this side of the grave. There is, therefore, an urgent need for theologians in ELCIN to revisit their concept of salvation and to redefine it in the light of the original Pauline-Lutheran concept of salvation on the one hand, and of the Owambo traditional concerns for human wellbeing on the other. This study recommends that ELCIN must integrate her message ofeschatological salvation with her practical services so that it becomes obvious to her members that the latter is, in fact, the consequence of the former and both are indispensable to shalom, that is comprehensive salvation. Such an integration will be her highest token of gratitude for the message of salvation which she received from the Finns albeit in the vessels of their own culture; the convincing sign of her theological maturity, and the best possible way to maintain her relevancy at all times.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.