Abstract
African Independent Churches (AICs) are groups of churches emerging out of western mainline church experiences. They have increased into many small groups with variant names of their interest. The process of constant breakaways gave them the urge to multiply and gain autonomy. The mainline churches constantly criticise the disadvantaged of this uncontrollable proliferation for lack of theological focus. In South Africa, they are in both large and small faith groups. They are, however, growing irrespective of the theological concern of the mainline scholars and researchers. Since they have evolved over many years alongside the mainline churches, they are aware of such criticisms. As a result, they are compelled to work on a strategy to develop their theology to public spaces. The founding leaders and visions form the core of their theologies. Their biblical faith learned from their founders’ leadership and visions. They are Africans who want to teach themselves the Christian ways anchored in their traditional heritages. Can AICs ever have a unique own theologies? This is the core-interest approach to this article.
Highlights
African Independent Churches (AICs) are all over South Africa; around cities open spaces, townships, squatters, and rural areas with the colourful uniform display on Sundays
Imagine how the AICs will look when they have cast off their foreign mantle and assume the African garment of their indigenous faith (Amanze, 1998:91)? Though they grumble about the continuing theological education from other formations with little apprehension of their origin, their ecumenical body ‘OAIC’ keeps the relationship with them on ecumenical and evangelical levels until such time that they can present theology their way (Lubaale et al, 2009-2013:30)
Barrett (1970:37-38) justified his interest by stating that: This extraordinary movement has given rise to an extensive modern literature, consisting of one thousand five hundred published studies in shape of books, articles, surveys, essays, reports, notes and monographs. These were written on the whole from an objective and sympathetic viewpoint; this study described the movement in considerable detail and brilliantly set forth their theological and religious calibre and dynamic African creativity that they represent
Summary
African Independent Churches (AICs) are all over South Africa; around cities open spaces, townships, squatters, and rural areas with the colourful uniform display on Sundays They arose out of similar patterns of background circumstances in each of the ethnic groups concerned, yet in most cases without links or coherence (Barrett, 1970:3). As long as the AICs stay apart and remain a separate field, their entire picture will not be reflected (Hayes, 1992:143-146) Being aware of their subordinate character to mainstream churches, they insist to “speak for themselves” for better understanding and relations with other Christian bodies. In attempting to answer the raised questions above, we firstly dedicate the paper to Rev Prof Nico Botha, a great ‘moruti or minister’ and liberationist scholar He is someone interested in unity, justice and peace, reconciliation, and respect for humanity. The tone might be more emphatic on theology than mission, though the meaning is one and the same in this article
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