Independent Churches Research Articles

Are they Pentecostal? A theological perspective on the inclusion or exclusion of Zionist African Independent Churches into the Pentecostal tradition

Are they Pentecostal? A theological perspective on the inclusion or exclusion of Zionist African Independent Churches into the Pentecostal tradition

Book Review: Unless a Grain of Wheat: A Story of Friendship between African Independent Churches and North American Mennonites

Book Review: Unless a Grain of Wheat: A Story of Friendship between African Independent Churches and North American Mennonites

The Tradition of Russian Independent Theological Thought: A Complex Interplay between Believers, the Orthodox Church and the State in the Case of the Conflict in Ukraine

The construction of the Russian state has been closely linked with the development of the autocephalous Russian Orthodox Church. Russian identity is deeply rooted in Orthodoxy: Russian literature, music, architecture and philosophy all bear a strong religious mark. The birth of the Russian state is also tied to the concept of Moscow as the Third Rome. Over time, the head of the Russian state has been invested with this mission to preserve orthodoxy embodied in Russian statehood. The attempts of the state to politicise religious institutions or to use religious teachings for political gains are not a new phenomenon and are certainly apparent to Russian Orthodoxy, including in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. The disturbing absence of distance displayed by the Church authorities towards the use of force has isolated the Patriarch, but has also triggered discontent within the ranks of the clergy. Dissonant voices have spoken regardless of the pressure exerted to silence them. In the complex history of State—Church relations, the symphony between the temporal and spiritual powers has fluctuated from complete subjugation of the Church under the authority of the State to a more autonomous and independent Church. On the margins of this volatile relationship, Orthodox believers and movements have always emerged to challenge both. This article pays tribute to the long tradition of dissonant Russian Orthodox voices and attempts to demonstrate the continuity of this tradition in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.

Psychosocial Determinants of Bad Quality of Life Among People Living with HIV/AIDS on Antiretroviral Drugs in Kinshasa /DR Congo

Context and Objective: The search for psychosocial determinants of bad quality of life (Qol) in people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLWHA) under Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) constitutes a real public health problem in Kinshasa. Determine the psychosocial factors of bad Qol among PLWHA on antiretrovirals in Kinshasa. Methods: This was a case control study carried out in Kinshasa from January 15 to April 15, 2021, which included 1082 subjects divided into two groups including 541 PLWHA patients and 541 no-PLWHA. Sampling was non-probability based on matching patients from case to control. Recruitment was carried out first among PLWHA, then matching was done by age and sex considering the sample of PLWHA. The variables of interest were sociodemographic, condom use, psychoactive substance abuse, perceived stress, anxiety-depression, and bad Qol. Results: The average age of PLWHA was 50.4±10.7 years with a sex ratio of 2.81. A third of PLWHA (32.9%) were married (p<0,001), 9.2% used condoms (p<0,001), 68% had a secondary education (p=0,006), 54.3% had an occupation (p=0,005), 54.2% attended independent churches (p=0,033), 52.1% had an average socioeconomic level (p<0,001), 12.2% consumed alcohol (p<0,001), 15.3% had a bad Qol. The main determinants of bad quality of life were stage 4 (ORa : 3,06 IC95% : 1,47-7,79), side effects due to HAART (ORa : 1,90 IC95% : 1,04-3,60), perceived stress (ORa : 4,14 IC95% : 1,32-12,94) and anxiety-depression (ORa : 6,88 IC95% : 1,60-9,43). Conclusion: Bad quality of life is present among PLWHA in Kinshasa. It was linked to stage 4, side effects due to Highly active antiretroviral therapy, perceived stress, anxiety-depression in HIV-positive people.

Polsko-bułgarskie więzi międzykulturowe w życiu i dziełach Wandy Smochowskiej-Petrowej // "Mieć dwie ojczyzny". Z Aliną Petrową-Wasilewicz rozmawia Margreta Grigorova

The present text examines the historical-biographical and ideological connection with Bulgaria of the Polish Bulgarianist and Slavist Wanda Smohovska-Petrova, who emigrated to Bulgaria at the beginning of the Second World War. In her scientific monographs, the topic of Polish-Bulgarian relations in the second half of the 19th century is traced. Considered: the contributing moments in her monographs on Polish émigré writers Zygmunt Miłkowski (Teodor Tomasz Jeż) and Michal Tchaikovsky (Sadyk Pasza), in her book on Neophyte Bozveli and the Polish participation in the struggle for an independent Bulgarian church, her original concept about the specifics of the Bulgarian national revival. The importance of her dual cultural identity is emphasized. The text also refers to publications by Wanda Smohowska’s daughter, the Polish journalist Alina Petrova-Wasilewicz. An interview with her is attached.

ÖHLMANN, Philip, Wilhelm GRÄB and Marie-Luise FROST (eds). <i>African Initiated Christianity and the Decolonisation of Development: Sustainable Development in Pentecostal and Independent Churches</i>

ÖHLMANN, Philip, Wilhelm GRÄB and Marie-Luise FROST (eds). <i>African Initiated Christianity and the Decolonisation of Development: Sustainable Development in Pentecostal and Independent Churches</i>

Neither Eastern nor Western: Jia Yuming’s Support of Independent Churches in the Anti-Christian Movement

Neither Eastern nor Western: Jia Yuming’s Support of Independent Churches in the Anti-Christian Movement

The Problem of Denominational Identity of Churches in Modern Protestantism

This article examines the history of denominationalism – the division of Protestantism into a multitude of independent religious associations, freely competing with each other. This approach to typologising religious associations, initially adopted for Protestant communities within the United States, has become a global phenomenon. Since the early 1980s, there has been a vigorous debate in the sociology of religion about the contemporary meaning of denominations. There is a growing number of independent churches that do not wish to be associated with any of the Protestant denominations; megachurches are leaving denominations or trying not to emphasise their affiliation with any particular denomination; some megachurches and church organisations are growing into a transdenominational evangelical movement with worldwide influence. The article is based on an analysis of the work of sociologists of religion on the issue of denominationalism in Protestant organizations, ranging from Richard Niebuhr to researchers drawing on contemporary statistical data. The existing congregations that emphasize their denominational identity, none of them exist in a denominational isolated cocoon any more – worship practices and music, missional objectives and educational resources can be adopted from other non-denominational churches and trans-denominational evangelical movements. The very concepts of megachurch, independent church, and evangelical movement can be viewed as separate denominations. Using these terms, members of a congregation identify themselves as holding certain beliefs and engaging in certain practices in common with others around the world. The trend toward the emergence of independent churches is part of the new course of Protestantism – post-denominational Protestantism.

Leadership among African Independent Churches

Abstract African Independent Churches are known to be the fourth segment of Christianity in Africa – after Roman Catholics and Orthodox Churches, and Western Protestant Churches. The early leaders had no books to read about leadership, no Bible Colleges and Seminaries where they learned about leading people. They did not have the opportunity to attend conferences and seminars on leadership. The means of getting information were scant. Despite all these challenges, they commanded thousands and even millions of people today and are influential. Some of their leaders were and are deified. This paper looks at the leadership qualities and dynamics of African Independent Churches to the extent that some of their leaders were and are treated as demigods. They have introduced a new style of leadership to African Christianity, which is gradually becoming the norm in most churches.

Black Pentecostal reflections on the inward-looking approach in classical Pentecostalism

ABSTRACT This article problematises the inward-looking approach adopted by classical Pentecostalism in a South African context. A literature review on White-led classical Pentecostal churches reveals that in their early development, these churches were inward-looking and only concentrated on their theology of Spirit baptism, evangelism, and eschatological expectations. This inward-looking approach made classical Pentecostalism passive in response to socio-economic and socio-political issues. Issues such as racial segregation and economic challenges are highlighted here to demonstrate classical Pentecostalism’s non-engagement. The aim of this article is the rationale the benefits for classical Pentecostal churches in broadening their ways of engaging with South African society. This can be done by learning from African Independent Pentecostal Churches whose theology on socio-economic and socio-political issues is exceedingly outward-looking. These lessons have implications for Blackness as they demonstrate that Black leaders can change their circumstances without the supervision of Whiteness.

An Anthology of Faith-Based Collections’ Writings: Tracking the Genealogy of Scholarship on This Genre of Archives

Faith-based collections, also known as religious archives, church archives or archives of faith traditions, have paradoxically not received attention in mainstream archives. However, they permeate every facet of human endeavour. This could be attributed to this genre of archives as they are relatively unknown; there is a lack of general interest, maybe because of the small volume of archives generated from their parent churches or ministries, which renders them insignificant. Consequently, a definitive and authoritative text on faith-based collections has remained a pipe dream in the records and archives discipline, a global challenge. This paper explores the breadth of the writings to inform the global archival community so that scholars and archivists can contribute in this regard, thereby bridging this literary gap in our archival historiography. Faith-based collections, as they relate primarily to manuscripts of evangelists, are an under-researched area in Archival Science. Using secondary sources like books and reports and empirical works in journals, dissertations, theses, conference proceedings and so on, this paper provides a historical insight and timeline that highlights the trajectory of the scholarship on faith-based collections. While this article highlighted the scholarship on faith-based archives, it also contributed to managing manuscripts by evangelists/pastors in African Independent Churches (AICS) and mainstream churches. It offered insight into the emerging literature on faith-based collections and how this is scattered over various sources.

미자립교회 목회자의 스트레스와 자존감에 관한 통합예술심리치료 프로그램 개발 및 효과

The purpose of this study is to develop and verify the effectiveness of an in-tegrative art psychotherapy program on stress and self-esteem of pastors of dependent churches. To this end, 9 male and female pastors of independent churches in their late 50s to early 70s in J Province were tested by quantitative and qualitative methods after devel-oping and implementing an integrative art psychotherapy program to reduce stress re-sponse in terms of emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral aspects, and to improve stress coping ability and self-esteem. As a result, there was a reduction in stress re-sponse in quantitative terms, a significant improvement in stress coping ability and self-esteem, and a significant change in qualitative aspects. These results suggest that this program is a meaningful first step toward reducing the stress response of pastors of dependent churches and improving their ability to cope with stress and to improve their self-esteem. In addition, it is expected that the program will help not only pastors of de-pendent churches but also counselors of various counseling sites to lead a healthy life by preventing psychological disorders caused by stress and improving their ability to cope with stress and to improve their self-esteem.

Shifting notions in matrnal health of Johane Masowe Chishanu of Chitekete, Gokwe, Zimbabwe

The study explores the maternal health delivery system of Johane Masowe Chishanu of Chitekete (JMCC), Gokwe in Zimbabwe. The Church is growing tremendously and has become popular, owing to its approach to maternal health. The study aimed to find out how the JMCC’s approach to maternal health relates to the biomedical delivery system. We wanted to find out how the JMCC handles this delicate balance in their search for maternal health services with a view to tapping from their experiences in recommending integration between the two systems. The study is both empirical and theoretical. It employs qualitative phenomenological exploration and, makes use of the existing literature on the JMCC’s approach to maternal health issues. The theory of changing beliefs and enduring faith underpinned the study. Past researches on African Independent Churches (AICs) in general tend to focus on how their beliefs and practices influence negative health-seeking behaviours. They have often concluded that AICs are through and through part of the problem in health matters and not part of the solution. The study explores the extent to which the JMCC is positively reinterpreting its beliefs and practices in order to handle the sensitive maternal health issues in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).Contribution: Researches have been conducted on maternal health systems and the pandemic of HIV and AIDS in apostolic sects in Zimbabwe in general, and the main focus has been on the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church. Little has been written on the Johane Masowe Chishanu’s (JMC) maternal delivery system, especially about the JMCC, Gokwe.

Deconstructing gendered glorification of charitable work: A case of women in Nomiya Church

Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), COVID-19 and Ebola have exposed the magnitude of care-related tasks on women. Most often, because of the gendered nature of domestic and reproductive roles, women are expected to assume unpaid care-related, nurturing and domestic work. Despite the valuable duties, women are economically poor and othered. These unpaid care duties are exacerbated by pandemics and ratified even further by religion. For instance, in Nomiya Church (NC), the first African independent church in Kenya, women’s experience narratives and biblical texts such as the story of the Proverbs 31 virtuous woman are used to glorify unpaid charitable work for women. Women’s virtuous personality, hard work and character are upheld in Christian spaces, thus obstructing sound work theologies. This article employed African Women’s theological lens in view of pointing out repressing and transformative tenets in charitable theologies of work for social and gender justice. While applying womanhood hermeneutics in the passage, the article points to valued behavioural postures of hard work in responding to God’s stewardship mandate. An affirmation of fair reward and accumulation of property is embraced as a familial complementary role, especially in pandemic contexts. The article amplifies the accumulation of property as a human right and the mandate of stewardship for all earth communities. Hence, charity work is a stewardship framework that all earth communities must engage in for replenishment and sustenance for all.Contribution: The article challenges literal biblical interpretations that glorify charity work. It advances a stewardship framework in understanding unpaid and charity work that all earth communities must engage in to replenish and sustain all creation. The framework affirms the dignity of all human persons through a transformational understanding of the theology of work as enabled by the African theological hermeneutics.

Pentecostalism and the Eucharist in a digital age: A theological reflection on Bill Johnson’s praxis

ABSTRACT During the Covid-19 pandemic most, if not all, Christian denominations moved their worship services online. While this may have been satisfactory in some respects, it caused problems for many liturgical traditions because of the centrality of the Eucharist as an act of worship. They struggled to decide whether it was legitimate to celebrate the sacrament online. However, Pentecostals and independent charismatic churches simply moved their eucharistic services online without too many obvious problems. Individuals sat at home with bread and fruit juice in front of their computer screens. Since the pandemic has passed, many people continue to sit in front of their computer screens or smartphones in order to participate in the Eucharist. But these practices raise some important and interesting theological questions from a Pentecostal perspective. This paper explores Pentecostal eucharistic theology using the example of Bill Johnson’s teaching praxis, as posted on the social medial platform YouTube. It offers a theological reflection on Pentecostal scholarship and makes suggestions as to how the discussion of Pentecostal eucharistic praxis may be developed.

Revisiting African Spirituality: A reference to Missiological Institute consultations of 1965 and 1967

This article revisits the hope of the First and Fourth Missiological Institute (MI) consultations in 1965 and 1967 regarding the survival of African Spirituality as relevant to the daily life of South African churches. African Spirituality has played a significant role in the cultural context of Africans. In the African context, African Spirituality is intertwined with life, death, and health, which co-exist with material aspects and the economy as gracious gifts from God. The churches in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa have been challenged by the African worldview of healing and culture. Thus, Africans mostly prefer the African-centred church with more African Christianity, instead of Western Christianity. This has been a serious challenge in African church circles for centuries, even in the current 21st century. The question therefore arises whether this is a matter for the Africanisation, indigenisation, and decolonisation of the church in Africa.Contribution: The article analyses the two MI consultations and whether the church in the 21st century has Africanised and decolonised itself in service of its African members. The study is a historical approach given the history of the MI’s contribution in South Africa. The concept of African Spirituality is unpacked and contextualised within the African Independent Churches’ (AIC) Zionist type churches such as the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), the St John’s Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM), and other Ethiopian type churches such as Lutheran Bapedi Church and others in South Africa and African Traditional Religions (ATR). The article engages the importance of how African Spirituality differs from other spiritualities within the context of Christian spirituality.

Jasne i ciemne karty w dziejach Cerkwi prawosławnej w II Rzeczypospolitej

The article presents light and dark pages in the history of the Orthodox Church in the Second Polish Republic. The positive pages in the history of the Orthodox Church in the Second Polish Republic include the normalization of the legal status of the Orthodox Church in the Polish state. Autocephaly accelerated the process of fully shaping the church organizational structure at the diocesan, deanery and parish levels. The Orthodox Church in the Second Polish Republic could boast of a high level of development of monasticism and church education. After the announcement of the establishment of an independent church structure, the activities of the Orthodox military chaplaincy in the Second Polish Republic began to develop. We must also remember about the negative phenomena in the history of the Orthodox Church in the Second Polish Republic, such as: revindication processes, illegal seizure and demolition of Orthodox religious buildings, neo-union, proselytism by the Roman Catholic Church and the treatment of Orthodox Christians by state authorities as second-class citizens.

Аdvertisement of European multiculturalism and its impact on interfaith relations in Ukraine

The article proposes a study of state-church and inter-religious relations in Ukraine during the period of independence in the context of political processes in modern Europe. The modern vectors of state policy in the sphere of religion and freedom of conscience are revealed. The insult in interfaith relations is largely caused by the ill-conceived and inconsistent policy of the government in this area. It has been established that the current political situation in Ukraine indicates a deep crisis in relations in many spheres of social life. Russia's open aggression caused a new wave of aggravation of national self-identification and the church vector in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to highlight the problem of the political and spiritual influence of Europe on modern Orthodoxy in Ukraine, which is in a state of division into different jurisdictions. It has been proven that the unification of the divided branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy will contribute to the consolidation of Ukrainian society, especially in conditions of open war. The formation of the United Church should take place on the basis of a constructive dialogue between the authorities, denominations and society.
 The research shows that the branches of the divided Ukrainian Orthodoxy are under the active political influence of the geopolitical confrontation of the European scale. Advertising and promotion of multiculturalism and polytheism, which are characteristic of the countries of Western Europe, require corresponding freedom of religion and the presence of a multi-religious component in Ukraine, which openly demonstrates the chosen vector of European integration.
 On the other hand, it was established that the status of the United Independent Church affects issues of national security, international recognition, geopolitical influence, consolidation of Ukrainian society, unification of self-identification of Ukrainian citizens and is an important conflict-causing factor. Therefore, the issue of establishing the United Independent Ukrainian Church remains topical today.

Training of African Independent Churches Students at the Umphumulo Lutheran Theological College

The African Independent Churches Association (AICA) holds a unique place in the contribution of South African theological education. The AICA established the AICA Theological College; however, later on it initiated a theological negotiation with the Umphumulo Lutheran Theological College (ULTC) to train its students. The African Independent Churches (AICs) are seriously concerned with theologically training their church leaders. The vision and mission of the AICs are to sustain and grow the quality of their doctrine. This is to ensure that the significant connection between theological training and their own churches’ life experiences are encouraged. The role of theological training has much potential to train theological students of pastoral leadership. Thus, theological training and the church have always taken a rightful place to serve communities. This article explores why the AICs are training their theological students at the ULTC. The article focuses on four areas. Firstly, it discusses an early partnership between the ULTC and the AICs. Secondly, it offers some reasons why the AICs initiated the process of training their theological students at the South African theological institutions of the mainline churches. Thirdly, it discusses the establishment of the AICA Theological College and its success and challenges. Fourthly, it outlines the theological curriculum challenges offered to AICs theological students and the Lutheran support initiatives to the AICs.

Notions of Freedom in the Rise of a Sumbanese Christianity (1902–2002)

Abstract The Dutch neo-Calvinist mission (Zending) on Sumba in Indonesia, an area known for its Marapu ancestor religion, started in 1902. The independent Sumbanese church (Gereja Kristen Sumba, GKS) was established at the 1947 Synod. One century later, by 2002, two out of three inhabitants were Christian. The research question is whether the rise of a vital GKS was facilitated by education and ‘antithetical’ notions of freedom offered by neo-Calvinist Zending. The answer is that the Zending empowered Sumbanese Christians to decide for themselves whether to preserve traditional customs (adat), so they could build the GKS from the bottom up. This answer is based on archival material – including the unexplored archive of Rev. P.J. Lambooij – and on a dozen semi-structured interviews with Sumbanese spokespersons in 2006, 2016 and 2019. Macro-level explanations – capitalism, modernity, or colonialism – hardly appear to account for the transformation to Sumbanese Christianity.