Abstract
This article investigates the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) church’s responses to the problem of child sexual abuse, through a discourse analysis of its sermons. Studies on this topic are scarce, and this study makes a modest contribution to this seemingly understudied area. AFM church was chosen as it is the oldest and fastest growing Pentecostal church in Zimbabwe. The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as both a framework for conceptualising the sermon discourses and a methodological thrust. In the CDA scheme, discourse is perceived to be in a dialectical relationship with social reality. A total of thirty sermons collected using the Library Research technique, and purposively sampled, were analysed using Fairclough’s five-step model of data analysis. This involved identifying trends in discourse, interpreting the discourse patterns, evaluating the interpretations, drawing generalisations and lastly suggesting recommendations. It is indicated that, although religious sermons are organs of moral, social and political education, those delivered in the AFM church fail to address the horror of child sexual abuse, owing to various socio-cultural factors such as ideologies, taboos, gender inequalities and patriarchal attitudes. Recommended is the need for preachers to address this dilemma, given their power of influence in the society. Keywords : Child Sexual Abuse; Sermon Discourse; AFM Church; Critical Discourse Analysis. DOI : 10.7176/JPCR/46-01 Publication date: November 30 th 2019
Highlights
In the critical discourse around child sexual abuse, the linguistic voice has remained largely muted, notwithstanding the proliferation of the stubborn scourge in various settings including the church as an institution
Data Analysis As noted in the introduction, the purpose of this study is to explore the manner in which the topic of child sexual abuse is addressed within the discourse of sermon delivered in the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) church, informed by the urgency of the matter which has resulted in serious health problems in Zimbabwe
The church appears to endorse the existing attitudes in the society that trivialise the problem of child sexual abuse. This critical discourse investigation of data samples of sermons delivered in the AFM church in Zimbabwe establishes three focal point
Summary
In the critical discourse around child sexual abuse, the linguistic voice has remained largely muted, notwithstanding the proliferation of the stubborn scourge in various settings including the church as an institution. It sounds ridiculous that child sexual abuse passes off for an epidemic that is being nurtured and perpetrated even within the confines of the church. Christians cannot bury their heads in the sand and pretend the elephant in the room manifesting as child sexual abuse will just disappear. The greatest tragedy and most costly mistake the church can make related to child sexual abuse is to ignore its presence and reality
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