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Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia

Includes bibliographical references.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Chrispin, Mbalazi
Other Authors: De Gruchy, John W
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Religious Studies 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Chrispin, Mbalazi
author2 De Gruchy, John W
author_browse Chrispin, Mbalazi
De Gruchy, John W
author_facet De Gruchy, John W
Chrispin, Mbalazi
author_sort Chrispin, Mbalazi
collection Thesis
description Includes bibliographical references.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9714
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:46:22.059Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Department of Religious Studies
publisherStr Department of Religious Studies
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9714 Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia Chrispin, Mbalazi De Gruchy, John W Religious Studies Includes bibliographical references. This study is about the renewal of theology and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia. It proceeds from the understanding that theology has and always will have a crucial task to perform in Zambia, a nation that professes itself to be Christian. This potential to contribute to public life, unless otherwise, demonstrates that theology is not primarily an abstract talk or a description about God-in-himself. Rather, it is an attempt to reflect critically on, and to express in the most clearest and coherent language possible, what it means to be involved by God in the divine creative and redemptive process of transforming the world into his reign. To examine this question, the study engages an inter-disciplinary theoretical approach, making use of various sources. It has drawn on liberation and post-liberation theories, popular language and sociolinguistics. The thesis examines the context of contemporary Zambia, analysing the social, economic and political situation for the past thirty-four years. This analysis is linked to the ecclesiastical history of Zambia. Particular attention is given to the mainline Protestant Churches. Directed towards bringing to realisation the vision of God's reign on earth today, imperatively, God's reign is defined. The definition sees reign from two dimensions: as a future hope and as earthly utopia. An interpretive link is then made between God's reign and concrete utopia. To root the theological argument, some theological currents operative in Zambia are examined. This analysis is necessary as it serves as part of the strategy to see the typology of theology in Zambia and how, need be, this theology can be renewed. The thesis ends with some theological propositions for re-imaging God's reign on earth today. Although they are not novel suggestions in theological method, to bring attention to these propositions in this study at the dawn of the new millennium, the church and theology in Zambia are offered yet another chance to reconsider their position so that they may live up to the challenge of their existence. 2014-11-18T18:26:38Z 2014-11-18T18:26:38Z 1999 Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9714 eng application/pdf Department of Religious Studies Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Religious Studies
Chrispin, Mbalazi
Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia
title_full Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia
title_fullStr Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia
title_full_unstemmed Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia
title_short Theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of Zambia
title_sort theological renewal and the role of the church in the social reconstruction of zambia
topic Religious Studies
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9714
work_keys_str_mv AT chrispinmbalazi theologicalrenewalandtheroleofthechurchinthesocialreconstructionofzambia