The Church’s response to The Church’s response to confliction and reconciliation in confliction and reconciliation in

apartheid South Africaapartheid South Africa

- Christ perfection as social holiness in - Christ perfection as social holiness in the theology of the Methodist Church of the theology of the Methodist Church of

Southern AfricaSouthern Africa

Dr Dion Forster - John Wesley College, Pretoria, South AfricaDr Dion Forster - John Wesley College, Pretoria, South Africa

SessionsSessionsSession 1: Session 1: Social holiness as Christian Social holiness as Christian

perfection - the Methodist Church of perfection - the Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s (MCSA’s) response to Southern Africa’s (MCSA’s) response to oppression and violence in Southern oppression and violence in Southern Africa.Africa.

Session 2:Session 2: An Outcomes Based Education An Outcomes Based Education (OBE) approach to equipping clergy and (OBE) approach to equipping clergy and laity for ministries of social holiness (‘A laity for ministries of social holiness (‘A Christ healed Africa for the healing of the Christ healed Africa for the healing of the nations’).nations’).

OutcomesOutcomesBy the end of these two sessions you should be able to:By the end of these two sessions you should be able to: Give an account of the colonialism and apartheid Give an account of the colonialism and apartheid

damaged Southern Africa society.damaged Southern Africa society. Express an understanding of the Wesleyan concepts of Express an understanding of the Wesleyan concepts of

‘social holiness’ and ‘practical divinity / Christian ‘social holiness’ and ‘practical divinity / Christian pragmatism’ as approaches to ‘Christian perfection’.pragmatism’ as approaches to ‘Christian perfection’.

Give some examples of how the MCSA applied social Give some examples of how the MCSA applied social holiness as a response to oppression and violence in holiness as a response to oppression and violence in Southern Africa.Southern Africa.

Articulate an understanding of the current challenges the Articulate an understanding of the current challenges the Church is addressing in ‘post-apartheid’ South Africa.Church is addressing in ‘post-apartheid’ South Africa.

Understand the approach to equipping Southern African Understand the approach to equipping Southern African Methodist for the ministry of healing and transformation Methodist for the ministry of healing and transformation in post apartheid Southern Africa.in post apartheid Southern Africa.

Critically evaluate one model of contextual theological Critically evaluate one model of contextual theological reflection.reflection.

Session 1Session 1Social holiness as Christian perfection - the Social holiness as Christian perfection - the

Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s (MCSA’s) response to oppression and (MCSA’s) response to oppression and violence in Southern Africa.violence in Southern Africa.

1.1. IntroductionIntroduction2.2. The unbearable and The unbearable and

offensive task of offensive task of working for Christian working for Christian perfection in an perfection in an imperfect world.imperfect world.

3. Struggle, opportunity, and new life – planting the seeds of Methodism in Southern African soil

Piet falls asleep with Bible on his face. Piet falls asleep with Bible on his face. Africans say: "When the Africans say: "When the Europeans came, they had the Europeans came, they had the Bible and we had the land. Now Bible and we had the land. Now we have the Bible and they have we have the Bible and they have our land".our land".

4. Five important markers in the journey to the new land and beyond - Christian perfection, as social holiness, in the MCSA.

o ‘One and undivided’ 1958o The formation of the ‘Black Methodist

Consultation’ 1975o ‘Obedience’ ‘81’ o The ‘Journey to the new land’ in the

early 1990’s o The ‘Mission Congress’ 2004

DiscussionDiscussion

…the gospel of Christ knows no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness. 'Faith working by love' is the length and breadth and depth and height of Christian perfection - John Wesley

Session 2Session 2

An Outcomes Based Education (OBE) An Outcomes Based Education (OBE) approach to equipping clergy and laity approach to equipping clergy and laity for ministries of social holiness (‘A Christ for ministries of social holiness (‘A Christ healed Africa for the healing of the healed Africa for the healing of the nations’).nations’).

Let’s talk…Let’s talk…You are 13 years old, both your You are 13 years old, both your

parents have died of AIDS. parents have died of AIDS. You are HIV+. You are the You are HIV+. You are the eldest surviving family eldest surviving family member and so have to member and so have to care for a sister of 8 and a care for a sister of 8 and a brother of 3.brother of 3.

Questions:Questions: 1.1. What does salvation mean What does salvation mean

in this context? in this context? (objectively / subjectively)(objectively / subjectively)

2.2. What kind of ministry, and What kind of ministry, and ministers, does this context ministers, does this context require?require?

The ‘Outcomes’ towards which we train The ‘Outcomes’ towards which we train persons.persons.

EFFECTIVE MINISTERS WILL BE PERSONS … Whose spiritual life has been formed and continues to be nourished by the Gospel

and by the rich traditions of Christian Spirituality and the Wesleyan heritage; Whose personal conduct and way of life are above reproach and an example to

others; Who have a passion to call people to Christian discipleship, to instruct them in the

Faith and to build up the Church of Christ; Who have been trained to think theologically, to interpret and expound Scripture

faithfully and to preach effectively; Who have been equipped to serve in any part of the diverse Southern African

community and are willing to do so; Who work for reconciliation and the unity of the People of God; Who care pastorally for the needs of God’s People; Who can give guidance on ethical issues and are equipped to critique the policies

of Government and the practices of civil society in the light of Christian teaching; Who respect the dignity of all people, resisting injustice and seeking to empower

all people, especially the poor and marginalized, to develop to their full potential as children of God.

The 3 Phase training systemThe 3 Phase training system

1.1. What is OBE?What is OBE?o Head / KnowledgeHead / Knowledgeo Heart / Spirituality and valuesHeart / Spirituality and valueso Hands / SkillHands / Skill

2 days a week at Seminary

Learn skills of ministry

Do cross-cultural ministry

Learn Church practice

Spiritual formation

Ministerial Formation Ministerial Formation

Mostly 1 year at College

Academic –DiplomaSpiritual- WorshipDiscipline –Service

Field Ed -1 day a weekMinistry Skills

Ministerial Formation

Learning Partnership in Circuit

Internship in the District

Prepare for Ordination

2 Retreats1 Reflective essay1 Academic essay1 Empowering the

Laity Project

A case study - contextual theological reflection

‘‘Faith seeking understanding’ [Faith seeking understanding’ [fideis quarens fideis quarens intellectumintellectum]] Anselm Anselm (1033-1109) (1033-1109)

OROR

What should the Gospel SOUND and LOOK like?What should the Gospel SOUND and LOOK like?

To seek to know and understand truthTo seek to know and understand truth To seek to know and understand truth about To seek to know and understand truth about ourselves and all creation in relation to Godourselves and all creation in relation to GodTo seek to live out this truth for the Glory of God To seek to live out this truth for the Glory of God and the obedient participation in the and the obedient participation in the missio dei.missio dei.

The importance of context and history!

Christopher Christopher Wren - St Paul’s Wren - St Paul’s

Cathedral.Cathedral.

17101710

““It is awful, It is awful, amusing and amusing and

artificial”artificial”

Seeing with new eyes...Seeing with new eyes...

The Mercator projection of the earth, in use since 1569, greatly exaggerates the size of countries The Mercator projection of the earth, in use since 1569, greatly exaggerates the size of countries in the Northern hemisphere. The Peters projection represents all countries according to their in the Northern hemisphere. The Peters projection represents all countries according to their relative area.relative area.

Peter’s projection ….Peter’s projection ….Peter’s projection ….Peter’s projection ….

Why is theological reflection important for your ministry?

Does God have a will for this world? (General orthodoxy, BUT also orthopraxis)

Do you know what God’s will and desire is for YOUR MINISTRY and YOUR COMMUNITY?

Why is theology important for your ministry?

Understanding yourselfUnderstanding the rest of the world in

which you liveUnderstanding othersUnderstanding the will of God for youUnderstanding the will of God for the

world around you

What are the sources for doing theology?

List a few sources….

The primary source is….

GOD’S REVELATION

What are our sources for doing theology?

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral:Scripture – why use it? How

does one use it well?Tradition – what constitutes

tradition? Is it always valid?Reason – when does reason

‘kick in’? When can something be considered unreasonable (i.e. what are the standards for reason?)

• Experience – what constitutes experience? Only good, or, only bad?

Stumbling blocks to good theology?

Not Not feeling feeling • Good theology stems from a relationship with God and Good theology stems from a relationship with God and

others! God primarily reveals God’s self in a PERSON and others! God primarily reveals God’s self in a PERSON and PERSONS (neither the incarnation, nor the community of the PERSONS (neither the incarnation, nor the community of the Church, are accidents or afterthoughts)Church, are accidents or afterthoughts)

Not Not thinking thinking • Reason, thought, reflection, using the insights of others. Reason, thought, reflection, using the insights of others.

These all enrich our understanding of God, and are ALSO These all enrich our understanding of God, and are ALSO sources of God’s revelation.sources of God’s revelation.

Not Not doingdoing• ‘‘Send us TRACTORS, not TRACTS’ - Send us TRACTORS, not TRACTS’ - Leonardo BoffLeonardo Boff. All . All

good and true theology leads to the DOING of God’s will.good and true theology leads to the DOING of God’s will.

How does one do contextual theology?

““you learn through experience !?”you learn through experience !?”

NO!!!

We learn through REFLECTION upon experience

How does one do contextual How does one do contextual theology?theology?

we only learn through reflecting upon experience

oHow did this experience make me feel?

oWhat do I think about this experience?

oWhat does this experience tell me about myself?

oWhat does this experience tell me about others?

oWhat does this experience tell me about God?• What does this experience make me want to do?

Let’s do an exerciseLet’s do an exercise

From the movie From the movie ‘Yesterday’‘Yesterday’

Theological Reflection ExerciseTheological Reflection ExerciseA) Now please answer the following questions

privately:o How did this movie clip make you feel?o What do I think about this experience?o What does this experience tell me about

myself?o What does this experience tell me about

others?o What does this experience tell me about

God?o What does this experience make me want

to do?

Theological Reflection ExerciseTheological Reflection ExerciseB) Now please share some of your answers in the

group. Did you notice any differences in each others’ theological approach? What were some of the differences and why do you think your theology was different?

C) Is there any way to test your own theological feeling and perception on this matter? What sources or tools can you use to do such a test?

D) What are some of the weaknesses of an ‘orthopraxy’ approach to theological reflection?

Some ways of facilitating contextual Some ways of facilitating contextual Theological ReflectionTheological Reflection

JournalingJournaling Group discussionsGroup discussions Incident ReportsIncident Reports DebriefingDebriefing Creative activities Creative activities

(drawing, sculpting, (drawing, sculpting, writing)writing)

Formal tasks (projects, Formal tasks (projects, presentations etc.)presentations etc.)

Situations in which you can Situations in which you can use Theological Reflectionuse Theological Reflection

Situations of conflictSituations of conflict Situations of apathySituations of apathy Situations in which you wish to facilitate Situations in which you wish to facilitate

changechange Other….Other….

Any Input or Questions!?Any Input or Questions!?

The END!The END!