Abstract
There are different streams of healing praxis in Africa today, namely African traditional healing, biomedical healing and spiritual healing (which includes the more recent �touch your TV screen� healing method) among others. These streams offer contemporary African people diverse alternatives with regard to healing. As much as the hegemony of Western biomedicine, as endorsed by missionaries in the past, can no longer serve as a norm in the area of healing, we can also not use the African traditional healing methods and or any other alternative presented to Africa without discernment. This suggests therefore that Reformed mission ecclesiology and missionary practitioners should critically engage the African context, worldview and culture on the matter of healing. It should also engage other forms of spiritual healing methods on offer in the African soil.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The use of an indigenous knowledge system when coming to healing in the African context, alongside Western biomedicine and other forms of spiritual healing practices, provides African people with diverse alternatives. It also poses a missiological question regarding the acceptability of such a practice within the framework of the Reformed Missionary Paradigm.Keywords: healing; praxis; Reformed; Missionary; Africa
Highlights
Africa is a continent plagued with many sicknesses and diseases
It is clear from the body of literature on the African Independent Churches (AICs) that healing is at the centre of all their operations in the church and community life (Monyai 2007); some people look at the AICs as ‘Institutes of Healing’ (Sundkler 1961:22)
This section dealt with the healing practice in the African context by looking closely at the Vhavenda speaking people of South Africa
Summary
Africa is a continent plagued with many sicknesses and diseases. Self- health and healing would be major concerns and interests of the inhabitants (Van Wyk 2011:1). The hegemony of Western biomedicine to bring about healing, a position that was long held by Reformed missionaries (Van Wyk 2011:2), is losing its spark as a norm among African Christians today. There are various factors that have contributed to the growth of the recognition of traditional medicine and faith healing among Christians in Africa. The first to be highlighted in this article is the healing practice within African Independent Churches (AICs) It is clear from the body of literature on the AICs that healing is at the centre of all their operations in the church and community life (Monyai 2007); some people look at the AICs as ‘Institutes of Healing’ (Sundkler 1961:22). Confession of sins and healing from physical and spiritual maladies were interrelated (Ogot 1966:31)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
