Suchergebnisse

Based in part on her book entitled, "Revolution in El Salvador."

ABSTRACT
The African Independent churches (AICs) in Zambia, as elsewhere in Africa, from their very beginning formed a protest movement against the cultural imperialism undertaken by the missionary representatives of the historic mission churches and also played an important role in the anti-colonial political struggles. In Zambia, the early AICs were closely related to witchcraft eradication movements such as the Mchape, or socially and politically oriented prophet-healing churches such as The Lumpa church of Alice Lenshina. Since the 1970s and in particular in the 1990s the Christianity in Zambia has been significantly marked by the proliferation of the African Independent Churches - both of Pentecostal and prophet-healing type. These churches that started mushrooming particularly in urban settings became part of the strengthening charismatic movement, particularly within Protestantism. A typical feature of AICs is focus on spiritual healing and religious syncretism - the local traditional customs and beliefs in dangerous ghosts, ancestral spirits, or witches are placed within the biblical religious framework where the Holy Spirit (Muzimu Oyela) is considered to be the only source of healing whereas other 'inferior spirits' are labelled as demons. The traditional methods of healing are creatively combined with Christian healing by means of prayers, spiritual blessings, laying on of hands on patients and demon exorcism - it is believed that only a body rid of bad spirits can receive the Holy Spirit, and thus be healed. The paper draws on both secondary literature concerning African Independent Churches and primary data issued from fieldwork in Lusaka (2008-2009).

Religion can motivate participation in the national liberation struggle. Presently, the participation of Christians in the liberation movement is heavily conditioned by the emergence of international actors such as the US and Vatican. By focusing on the role of Vatican, this paper argues that Vatican policy and church social teaching are distinct. The gap between teaching and policy allows Christians allied with revolutionaries some rationale and shield for their involvement even as Vatican policy enjoins their desistance as a matter of loyalty to the church. The Polish thesis, the dominant aspect of papal policy, is a model of church and church action within a revolutionary context. In the Philippines where there is a rightist dictatorship instead of a Marxist regime, while the local church played an important role in firmly standing up to the dictatorship, it has been at the same time providing oblique legitimation to a leftist-led revolution. Thus, the paper argues that ideological onslaughts on leftist thought must be seen as functionally related to the resolution of the dilemma of the institutional church in the Philippines in the direction of the Polish thesis. Two key strategies for the institutional church are as follows: The church should go beyond the "yellow" stance that political and economic system should simply be made back on the same old tracks; and be different from the "red" stance in its rejection of a violent revolution. Also, in an activist religion, action on societal issues will all be carried out by lay men and women, motivated by their faith, with the support and encouragement of the clergy. For Filipino Marxists and radical Christians, alliance has had a distinctly political and practical hue rather than a theoretical or ideological one. Accordingly, Christians unite with Marxists within the National Democratic Front on the basis of the national democratic program.

The Church, as a human institution, is affected by every social and cultural change which occurs in its environment. Of all human institutions, however, the Church is probably the most conservative. The current awakening of religious interest throughout the United States presents the Church with many opportunities and confronts it with potential dangers. The danger exists that emphasis upon quantitative growth will obscure the need for qualitative excellence. A well-educated laity will embarrass the church whose educational standards for the clergy fall below those for business and the professions. Although the churches speak boldly for liberal reform, they lag behind government, the armed services, sports, and industry in implementing liberal programs. It is not certain that the Church speaks relevantly to an urban-dominated culture. It is certain that the churches have overlooked many opportunities in the innercity areas. Although denominational ties have lost much meaning among laymen, many denominations aggressively perpetuate their separate existences. Unions between differently organized denominations, rather than reunions within splintered denominations, indicate real accomplishment in social adjustment.—Ed.