African Theological Journal for Church and Society

Wealth in Things, Wealth in People :

2026-05-30T11:31:33+02:00

This paper examines how Luke presents Jesus as a Graeco-Roman orator who employs parables as a rhetorical tool to define a new socioeconomic order for the early Christians. It focuses on wealth and poverty as an interpretive paradigm for the text, Luke 16:1–9. It suggests that this parable mirrors unequal socioeconomic statuses in first-century Roman Palestine, where a few elites created wealth in things (material wealth) via the exploitation and violation of the poor majority. The article argues that Luke’s description of the client’s shrewd action, his master’s commendation, and the narrator’s charge in Luke 16:1–9 reconciles the two opposing sources of wealth in Roman Palestine: wealth in things and wealth in people. The article suggests that the parable portrays wealth as holistic, encompassing both cash/commodities and socioeconomic justice. Thus, the parable aims to challenge the dominant Graeco-Roman values, encouraging a community of mutual dependence between the rich and the poor. The article concludes with some theological and hermeneutical reflections on potential responses to the problem of wealth in Africa.

Practical implication of Chiuta chinyetenyete :

2026-05-30T11:31:32+02:00

This article explores the deeper and richer meaning of the Tumbuka attribute Chiuta chinyetenyete, translated as the omnipresent God. It encourages exploration of the wealth underlying reflections on attributes of God in African languages for the purpose of forming a more contextual Christian faith. The attribute Chiuta chinyetenyete communicates God’s omnipresence with a unique concept of effectual and gentle, life-giving, and supporting flow of God’s presence. The church is discussed as a product of and an ingraft in the efficacious flow of the indiscriminate presence of God. The article also deliberates on the implications of believing in Chiuta chinyetenyete for the church, its formation, and the practice of faith. With data gathered through a qualitative literature review and observations, this article emphasises the need for the church to understand the flow of God and to flow in and with God’s presence so that its formation and exercise of faith vivify his efficacious omnipresence in all contexts.

Disrupted Devotion and Virtual Altars :

2026-05-30T11:31:31+02:00

The COVID-19 epidemic significantly altered religious traditions globally, compelling churches to swiftly transition from conventional in-person assemblies to digital platforms. The Full Gospel Church (FGC) congregants and leaders in Thohoyandou, South Africa, grounded in Pentecostal traditions that prioritise embodied worship, communal fellowship, and the theology of presence, encountered spiritual, technological, and theological obstacles throughout the shift to virtual worship. The research employed a qualitative case study design, collecting data via semi-structured interviews with twenty participants, comprising church leaders and members. The data indicates a dual response: although virtual liturgy maintained spiritual continuity throughout the lockdown, it concurrently led to a notable decrease in spiritual intimacy, particularly among rural and elderly individuals with restricted technological access. The theological ramifications, especially the cessation of sacraments like holy communion and baptism, prompted essential enquiries into the legitimacy and manifestation of digital worship. Church leaders utilised digital literacy and pastoral agility to maintain connections with members. The research ultimately contributes to ongoing theological discussions over the future of worship in a post-pandemic society, especially within African Pentecostal congregations. It emphasises the significance of contextual theology in addressing the convergence of faith, technology, and crises.

Leadership Dynamics on Peaceful Transitions of Power During Elections in African Inland Church, Soy Sub-County, Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

2026-05-30T11:31:30+02:00

This study investigates the influence of leadership dynamics on the peaceful transition of power in the Africa Inland Church (AIC) in Soy sub-county, Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya. The study looks at how leadership dynamics affect the transfer of elective power in the church. The following objectives guide the study: to evaluate biblical and theological foundations of leadership dynamics, to explore leadership dynamics that influences peaceful transitions of power in the AIC, to evaluate provisions in the church constitution on leadership dynamics in peaceful transitions of power in the AIC, and to find measures to enhance peaceful transitions of power in the AIC. The study was confined to AIC churches in Soy sub-county, Uasin-Gishu County. Servant leadership and conflict resolution theories are used to explain leadership dynamics and peaceful governance. The target population was 6400 and the sampling size was 238. A descriptive research design was used. Purposive and stratified sampling were used to select participants. Data collection instruments included questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data was analysed using SPSS Version 21.0. The data was analysed, organised, and presented thematically according to the study's objectives. The study reveals that the church experience conflicts during the election of leaders and power transitions due to dynamisms in leadership. The researcher recommends that church leadership adopt a biblically acceptable model of leadership.

Matrimonial Ring in the Catholic Rite of Marriage :

2026-05-30T11:31:28+02:00

The exchange of the ring is the main explanatory rite in the Catholic Rite of Marriage. Yet the symbolism of the ring is not clearly understood by many people. One wonders whether it is a liturgical symbol or a marriage symbol presented at a liturgical function. Tracing the origin of the matrimonial ring and its subsequent use in the Catholic Rite of Marriage, the article explores the challenges related to the use of the ring in celebrating and living marriage. These challenges provide opportunities for inculturating Christian marriage celebrations by incorporating African marriage symbols. The article acknowledges that marriage symbols are not homogenous in many African societies, but they reflect similar values. Among such values are: fruitfulness, procreation, resilience, and communitarian nature of marriage. Any symbol that embodies these values together with love and fidelity could be incorporated into the Catholic rite of Marriage. It makes a contribution to the scholarship in Sacred Liturgy by proposing inclusion of these values in the formularies for the blessing and exchange of the matrimonial ring.

The Dilemma of Polygamy in Nigerian Pentecostal's Theology of Marriage

2026-05-30T11:31:27+02:00

This paper examines marriage and polygamy in the teachings of two Nigerian Pentecostal denominations. Prior to the advent of the nineteenth-century missionaries in Africa, Africans practised polygamous marriage for its economic and social benefits. The missionaries’ ideal of Christian marriage was monogamous marriage. The missionaries did not hesitate to take up the battle against the traditional marriage system and impose their belief in monogamy on their African converts. Polygamists who were converted to Christianity were compelled to send away all their wives except only the first wives. While many Christian denominations founded by the missionaries have either abolished or amended this position, certain Pentecostal and charismatic churches still hold on to it. Moreover, existing studies on polygamy in African Christianity barely focus on Pentecostal and charismatic churches. Hence, this article examines the views of two leading Pentecostal denominations’ leaders, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi of Deeper Christian Life Ministry and Dr D. O. Olukoya of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, on marriage and polygamy. The two denominations are chosen because of their pronounced viewpoints on polygamy and how widespread their branches are in Africa. By examining the denominations, this article does not only fill a gap in the studies of polygamy in African Christian theology, it also shifts the focus of studies on polygamy from the mainline protestant denominations to Pentecostal and charismatic denominations which have been overlooked in many studies. Using the content-analytical method, the paper identifies illogicality and incompatibility with biblical teachings in any theology of marriage that encourages polygamists to ‘divorce’ all their wives except the first ones.

Pre-colonial West African Christianity in the Senegal River Valley

2026-05-30T11:31:26+02:00

Historical scholarship has often documented that Christianity was not present in West Africa until Europeans introduced it to West Africans around the fifteenth century. Yet history speaks differently. Many centuries before Europeans arrived on the West African coast to build economic alliances and to colonise West Africa, West Africans were introduced to Christianity from other Africans via trade and migration. This paper focuses on the presence of Christianity in the Senegal River Valley in late antiquity and the Middle Ages. It also shows the contemporary consequences of the often-said statement that Christianity was brought to West Africa solely through Europeans and presents the implications of sharing the truth of pre-colonial Christianity existing in the West African Senegal River Valley region with hopes that this rich history will advance Christianity among unbelieving African diasporic populations.

Violence against Children Accused of Witchcraft in Nigeria and its Impact on Their Wellbeing :

2026-05-30T11:31:25+02:00

Witchcraft accusations have been on the rise across various regions of Nigeria. Unfortunately, those often accused are not just the adults, but also children. Rather than being protected, provided for, and loved, these children are accused and dehumanised. Some of these children have been abandoned on the streets, tortured with hot objects, had acid poured on them, and even been killed. Shockingly, their accusers are often not strangers, but close family members including parents, step-parents, siblings, and cousins. This study analyses three accounts of witchcraft accusations against children, the horrendous violence it attracted to the accused, and its impact on their wellbeing in order to identify factors responsible for witchcraft accusations and violence against children. A qualitative research method was adopted through face-to-face interviews and empirical analysis of documented cases of witchcraft accusations in Nigeria. The findings reveal that cultural beliefs, the portrayal of children as witches in movies, a prevailing witchcraft mentality, the teachings of religious institutions on witchcraft, and ignorance are key factors responsible for witchcraft accusations and violence against children. Furthermore, the findings show that witchcraft accusations and violence against children affect them in five domains: their health, material wellbeing, education, risk, and relationships. The study recommends that the biblical passages that Nigerian pastors use to validate witchcraft accusations be interpreted within the context intended by the original writers, that movies depicting children as witches be banned or strictly regulated, and that those who interact with children in the five domains be trained and equipped to reduce the effects of accusation and violence on the children.

Peace Initiative for African Contexts :

2026-05-30T11:31:24+02:00

This article presents a theological reflection on the contribution of David H. Kajom’s Violence and Peace Initiative in Nigeria (2015). This conversation is meant to closely read Kajom’s work and present it to other readers in order to further reflect on the urgency of peace in the world of violence. Kajom’s major contribution to the church in the aforementioned work is to stir the interest of his readers, especially from West African Evangelical circles, to rethink their relationship with the World Council of Churches (WCC). This he did in terms of having a closer look at the projection of the WCC on ‘the Decade to Overcome Violence’. This is a hopeful projection, not only for Africa, but more so for the entire world. This article does not argue that violence can be overcome within a certain decade, nor does Kajom present such argument. But rather the possibility of self-critique and reorientation in a world full of violent actions is possible. We must beyond the culture of violence to the life-giving project of the church of Jesus Christ as the community of peace and love in the world. This reflection is offered as a memorial on the passing of Dr. David H. Kajom whose memory would continue to challenge us in the years to come.

Poverty Alleviation in Churches in Africa :

2026-05-30T11:31:23+02:00

This article presents a theoretical and theological examination of behavioural poverty, arguing that the underlying theories used to explain poverty often shape the nature of the solutions proposed. It contends that addressing behavioural poverty should be central to the church’s poverty alleviation efforts, as it can generate significant impact independent of state or societal cooperation. The study proposes a philosophical reorientation that situates ministry to the poor within the church’s disciple-making mandate, employing a two-tiered strategy that prioritises transformation within the faith community while extending compassion to others. The model integrates context-sensitive strategies, structural and accountability systems, renewal of the mind, and objectives that transcend self-interest, portraying poverty alleviation as a transformative discipleship journey that turns former receivers into self-sustainers and givers.

A Challenge to Christian Unity and Witnessing in the Context of the Government of National Unity:

2026-05-30T11:31:22+02:00

Although 85.3% of South Africans claim affiliation to the Christian religion, they are not united on how to live out the moral values central to the teachings of Christ. There are in society manifestations of corruption, high levels of crime, and other social ills. This social condition influenced the outcome of the 2024 national election, leading to the formation of a government of national unity (GNU). This article endeavours to answer the question: how does the GNU expose the weakness of Christian faith formation towards a moral conscience and witnessing of gospel values? Data was collected by observing South African citizens’ actions in their everyday lives, and from scholarly writings and journals relevant to this study. The data was analysed using a systematic literature review. The findings reveal that politics and Christianity divided the family unit and adversely affected the mindset of Africans. The study recommends a rethinking of the holistic faith-formation framework and the values of Christian unity in witnessing that identify Christians as followers of Christ.

Review of Paul as a Prototype and Entrepreneur of Christian Identity : an Investigation into Leadership and Identity in 1 Corinthians 1-4

2026-05-30T11:31:21+02:00

Review of Reading Revelation Missiologically : the Missionary Motive, Message, and Methods of Revelation

2026-05-30T11:31:21+02:00

N/A

Review of Ecclesiology in Africa

2026-05-30T11:31:20+02:00

Review of Church Growth in African Diaspora Communities : Yoruba Shaped Ecclesiology and Mission

2026-05-30T11:31:19+02:00

Review of Youth Ministry After the Pandemic : a Practical Theology from the Global South

2026-05-30T11:31:18+02:00

Review of Empowering Voices : African Women in Theological Education

2026-05-30T11:31:17+02:00

Review of Understanding and Developing Theological Education

2026-05-30T11:31:15+02:00

African Theological Journal for Church and Society

2026-05-30T11:31:29+02:00

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