Pentecostalism and Cultism in South Africa

Pentecostalism and Cultism in South Africa
Author: Mookgo Solomon Kgatle
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 238
Release: 2021-02-28
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 303069724X

Pentecostalism is a growing movement in world Christianity. However, the growth of Pentecostalism in South Africa has faced some challenges, including the abuse of religion by some prophets. This book first names these prophets and the churches they lead in South Africa, and then makes use of literary and media analysis to analyse the religious practices by the prophets in relation to cultism. Additionally, the book analyses the “celebrity cult” and how it helps promote the prophets in South Africa. The purpose of this book is threefold: First, to draw parallels between the abuse of religion and cultism. Second, to illustrate that it is cultic tendencies, including the celebrity cult, that has given rise to many prophets in South Africa. Last, to showcase that the challenge for many of these prophets is that the Pentecostal tradition is actually anti-cultism, and thus there is a need for them to rethink their cultic tendencies in order for them to be truly relevant in a South African context.

Desire Work

Desire Work
Author: Melissa Hackman
Publisher: Duke University Press
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2018-07-16
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 147800231X

In postapartheid Cape Town—Africa's gay capital—many Pentecostal men turned to "ex-gay" ministries in hopes of “curing” their homosexuality in order to conform to conservative Christian values and African social norms. In Desire Work Melissa Hackman traces the experiences of predominantly white ex-gay men as they attempt to forge a heterosexual masculinity and enter into heterosexual marriage through emotional, bodily, and religious work. These men subjected themselves to daily self-surveillance and followed prescribed behaviors such as changing how they talked and walked. Ex-gay men also saw themselves as participating in the redemption of the nation, because South African society was perceived as suffering from a crisis of masculinity in which the country lacked enough moral heterosexual men. By tying the experience of ex-gay men to the convergence of social movements and public debates surrounding race, violence, religion, and masculinity in South Africa, Hackman offers insights into the construction of personal identities in the context of sexuality and spirituality.

Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism

Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism
Author: Mookgo Solomon Kgatle
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 309
Release: 2024-01-29
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3031491599

This book is an interdisciplinary study of the relationship between prophecy and politics in South African Pentecostalism. The role and the power of prophecy in enhancing the presence of politicians in the church square are unpacked through historical examples, as well as case studies of contemporary prophets. Solomon Kgatle argues that the influence of prophecy in politics has the potential to weaken the prophetic voice of the church in general and the Pentecostal movement in particular. He proposes a Pentecostal political theology of prophecy. This theology is developed by taking into cognizance the theoretical and theological frameworks of prophetic imagination and pneumatological imagination. In addition, this theology seeks a balance between prophecy and power and prophecy and sovereignty.

Commercialisation of Religion in South Africa

Commercialisation of Religion in South Africa
Author: Mookgo Solomon Kgatle
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2023-11-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3031418379

Aspects of the 2017 Final Report of the South African Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL) have drawn strong criticism, particularly from South African scholars, politicians and the public. The criticism is largely regarding the constitutionality of its recommendation, which calls for regulation of the Religion to combat its abuse and commercialization. Scholars have criticized the CRL Rights Commission for hastening its investigation and releasing the final report without having a substantive understanding of what is meant by the commercialization of religion, and consequently the unconstitutional implications of the recommendation, to regulate religion. A close reading of this critique has pointed to the urgent need to assemble a cumulative body of research that examines and advances understanding of what is meant by the commercialization of religion. Accordingly, this book gathers scholarly contributions which offer valuable insights into the basics of what is meant by the commercialization of religion. Contributors examine this phenomenon from the historical roots to the manifestation in the contemporary world, particularly in South Africa.

African Pentecostal Theology

African Pentecostal Theology
Author: Mookgo Solomon Kgatle
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2023-12-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1666953679

African Pentecostal Theology: Modality, Disciplinarity, and Decoloniality explores research methodology, theological disciplines, and contextualization as important aspects in the process of studying Pentecostal theology in an African context. Mookgo Solomon Kgatle outlines different data collection and data analysis methods, including the skills of interpreting and presenting research findings in a responsible manner. This book illustrates that Pentecostal theology, given its pneumatological approach, goes beyond conventional theological disciplines in transdisciplinary research. The development of knowledge in African Pentecostal Theology should recognize African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS), African oral and traditional cultures, and African indigenous languages to be relevant to Africans. Pentecostal theologians from different theological disciplines in Africa and globally will find this book a worthwhile read.

Megachurches in Africa

Megachurches in Africa
Author: Babatunde A. Adedibu
Publisher: African Books Collective
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2024-10-04
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9956554413

Six chapters include: A General Overview of Professional Ethics; The Legal Profession and the Kenyan System; Advocate-Client Relationship; Unqualified Persons Acting as Advocates; Remuneration of Advocates; Professional Misconduct and offenses by Advocates.

The Fourth Pentecostal Wave in South Africa

The Fourth Pentecostal Wave in South Africa
Author: Solomon Kgatle
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 301
Release: 2019-11-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1000769968

This book critically examines contemporary Pentecostalism in South Africa and its influence on some of the countries that surround it. Pentecostalism plays a significant role in the religious life of this region and so evaluating its impact is key to understanding how religion functions in Twenty-First Century Africa. Beginning with an overview of the roots of Pentecostalism in Southern Africa, the book moves on to identify a current "fourth" wave of this form of Christianity. It sets out the factors that have given rise to this movement and then offers the first academic evaluation of its theology and practice. Positive aspects as well as extreme or negative practices are all identified in order to give a balanced and nuanced assessment of this religious group and allow the reader to gain valuable insight into how it interacts with wider African society. This book is cutting-edge look at an emerging form of one of the fastest-growing religions in the world. It will, therefore, be of great use to scholars working in Pentecostalism, Theology, Religious Studies and African Religion as well as African Studies more generally.

Professional Women in South African Pentecostal Charismatic Churches

Professional Women in South African Pentecostal Charismatic Churches
Author: Maria Frahm-Arp
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2010
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9004168753

This book offers an exploration into the interconnections between career success and religiosity as it examines the role of Pentecostal Charismatic Christianity in the work experiences of young, professional, black women who are becoming part of the post-apartheid South African middle class.

Christological Paradigm Shifts in Prophetic Pentecostalism in South Africa

Christological Paradigm Shifts in Prophetic Pentecostalism in South Africa
Author: Mookgo Solomon Kgatle
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 211
Release: 2021-09-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1000451682

This book explores recent developments in South African Pentecostalism, focusing on new prophetic churches. The chapters engage with a number of paradigm shifts in Christology, identified as complementing Christ, competing with Christ, removing Christ and replacing Christ. What are the implications of these shifts? Does it mean that believers no longer believe in Christ but in their leaders? Does it shift believers’ faith towards materiality than the person of Christ? This volume will be valuable for scholars of African Christianity and in particular those interested in the neo-prophetic movement and Christology in a South African context.