Religion 346:

RELIGION AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Instructor: Paulus Ndamanomhata, Ph. D. in theology, University of Natal
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  The course focuses primarily on the role and theology of Christianity in southern Africa. In South Africa, Christianity, faith of almost three-quarters of the diverse South African population, has long been pushed to the margins of historical writing on South Africa, yet for more than two centuries it has shaped South African society and its diverse subcultures. Perhaps nowhere in the African continent is the study of Christianity as fascinating, complex, or contentious as in South Africa. In the twentieth century South Africans have used Christian doctrine both to justify and to oppose doctrines of racial segregation, and Christian leadership provided much of the impetus for the founding of the African National Congress in 1912 [SWAPO in Namibia]. But the history of the South African Christianity is found for the most part in local, or "micro" narratives, while the highly elaborated "macro" narratives of colonialism, capitalism, and liberation – the backbone of the conventional histories of South Africa – assign Christianity a marginal role, or no role at all…

This course is designed to help students reflect on the role of religion in particular, Christian theology (positive and negative) in the process of change that characterized Namibian and Southern African history. Students will be encouraged to use the interdisciplinary insights gained through the other courses (on history, politics and development studies) to assess for themselves what role religion has played in the changes Namibians had to assimilate in their history, through pre-colonial times, colonial and then apartheid era.
 

This course meets a Humanities Liberal Arts Foundation requirement at Augsburg College, which is another reason why the course focuses particularly on the role of Christianity.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS

1. To develop an awareness of the important role religions have played historically and currently in southern African cultures and politics.

2. To demonstrate the important role that Christian theologies have played in establishing and maintaining both positive and negative forms of social change in southern African societies.

3. To articulate an understanding of the various uses of the Bible for colonization, liberation, and unity.

TEACHING METHODOLOGY:  Through a combination of reading work, lectures, individual and group reflection, experiential learning, visits, guest lectures, summaries, journal entries and assignments the following key units will be focused on:

COURSE DESIGN

Unit 1:  Religion, Self and Society
Unit 2:  African Traditional Religions
Unit 3:  Christian Religion in Namibian History
Unit 4:  Religion, Apartheid & Liberation
Unit 5:  Religion and Human Rights in Namibia
Unit 6:  Churches' advocacy regarding HIV/AIDS
Unit 7:  Religion, Reconciliation in Namibia
Unit 8:  Wrap-up