Papers by Dr Peter Manzanga
I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own origina... more I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any University for a Degree.
A public pastoral assessment of Church response to Gender Based Violence (GBV) within the United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe
PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus, 2020In a country such as Zi... more PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus, 2020In a country such as Zimbabwe where 84.5% of the population is Christian, it is expected that gender-based violence (GBV) should be minimal. However, it is not so as GBV remains very high. Sadly, churches and church members are complicit in GBV. The study investigated the role that churches could perform in their interface with communities to address GBV. The study hinged on the public pastoral role of the church in responding to GBV within its social and community ministerial spaces. The study argued for a constructive and meaningful church and community engagement as a responsive intervention to address GBV. To that end, a public pastoral care was proposed as a responsive integrated approach to church and society in addressing GBV. The study focused on the United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe (UBCZ) as a case study whose interventions could mirror other ecclesio-community interactions. To conceptualise the scope and prevalence of the GBV phenomenon, the study explored the global and national impact of GBV from the perspective of human rights infringement that disproportionally affects women in many countries. GBV is persistent despite global and national efforts. GBV actions are deeply entrenched in social structures that continue to sustain it and is prevalent in both times of peace and war. In the midst of the reality of GBV, the church has been blamed for its ambivalent response. In light of the above, the research engaged in a quest for a public pastoral care responsive model that is rooted in possible church intervention to mitigate against GBV in the country. The model is aimed at emphasising the pertinent role of the church as a microcosm of society with a key role to play. Thus, the research achieved this by establishing some key drivers of GBV in Zimbabwe as the national context of the UBCZ and also religious drivers. An interplay between the national and religious drivers exist because the church acts as suitable environment for sustaining some of the national drivers of the country. Though negatively, this amplifies the fact that the church is a subsystem of society, which should publicly respond positively to GBV. Efforts by government to respond to this social ill are discernible as evidenced by legal and policy instruments to mitigate against GBV. NGOs and CSOs have rallied behind the government to implement the drafted GBV laws and policies but the scourge remains. This has indicated the church needs to practise what it means to be a church in the real spaces of GBV. To understand how the church is responding to GBV, the research engaged in an empirical research in UBCZ. The research was aimed at determining how the church responds to GBV. Conceptual deficiencies of the phenomenon, culture of silence, invalid interpretation of scriptures and socio-cultural GBV issues that are sustained in the church emerged as some of the key deficiencies. This accounts for the ambivalent nature of its public pastoral response to GBV. From a biblical point of view, the research investigated God’s ideal plan on gender relations for humanity by studying Genesis 1-2. The creation of Adam and Eve equally in the image of God and equally complementing each other, establishes God’s ideal plan for gender relations. To be created in His image means to perfectly relate to God and to be humane to one another in perfect love and union. The image of God was marred at creation such that gender relations became soured. In both the Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT), women were subservient to men; sometimes in a manner that perpetrated GBV. The research underscored that GBV occurred in the Bible and God did not remain silent. He spoke through circumstances and socio-cultural mores of biblical times. The study established that God cared and spoke against the oppression and marginalisation of women. It follows that the church should engage in a public pastoral care role in upholding and honouring the dignity of women. In paying attention to the need for the church to play its public pastoral care role, the research emphasised the need for the church to be the salt of the earth and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-14). As a subsystem of society, placed by God in the world to represent Him, the church should publicly fulfil its ambassadorial role by engaging with public issues that affect society. The church needs to move away from parochial ministries and institutionalised theology to interface with the current situations of humanity, as God would do. The study underscored that public theology should be utilised as a larger theoretical lens to assist the church in framing pastoral care ministries. It also emphasised the need for public pastoral care to be a congregational responsibility, which is characterised by holistic koinonia of congregants in the context of GBV. Such fellowship interrogates the gender imbalances that exist in the church,…
A public pastoral assessment of Church response to Gender Based Violence (GBV) within the United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe
PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus, 2020In a country such as Zi... more PhD (Pastoral Studies), North-West University, Vanderbijlpark Campus, 2020In a country such as Zimbabwe where 84.5% of the population is Christian, it is expected that gender-based violence (GBV) should be minimal. However, it is not so as GBV remains very high. Sadly, churches and church members are complicit in GBV. The study investigated the role that churches could perform in their interface with communities to address GBV. The study hinged on the public pastoral role of the church in responding to GBV within its social and community ministerial spaces. The study argued for a constructive and meaningful church and community engagement as a responsive intervention to address GBV. To that end, a public pastoral care was proposed as a responsive integrated approach to church and society in addressing GBV. The study focused on the United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe (UBCZ) as a case study whose interventions could mirror other ecclesio-community interactions. To conceptualise the scope and prevalence of the GBV phenomenon, the study explored the global and national impact of GBV from the perspective of human rights infringement that disproportionally affects women in many countries. GBV is persistent despite global and national efforts. GBV actions are deeply entrenched in social structures that continue to sustain it and is prevalent in both times of peace and war. In the midst of the reality of GBV, the church has been blamed for its ambivalent response. In light of the above, the research engaged in a quest for a public pastoral care responsive model that is rooted in possible church intervention to mitigate against GBV in the country. The model is aimed at emphasising the pertinent role of the church as a microcosm of society with a key role to play. Thus, the research achieved this by establishing some key drivers of GBV in Zimbabwe as the national context of the UBCZ and also religious drivers. An interplay between the national and religious drivers exist because the church acts as suitable environment for sustaining some of the national drivers of the country. Though negatively, this amplifies the fact that the church is a subsystem of society, which should publicly respond positively to GBV. Efforts by government to respond to this social ill are discernible as evidenced by legal and policy instruments to mitigate against GBV. NGOs and CSOs have rallied behind the government to implement the drafted GBV laws and policies but the scourge remains. This has indicated the church needs to practise what it means to be a church in the real spaces of GBV. To understand how the church is responding to GBV, the research engaged in an empirical research in UBCZ. The research was aimed at determining how the church responds to GBV. Conceptual deficiencies of the phenomenon, culture of silence, invalid interpretation of scriptures and socio-cultural GBV issues that are sustained in the church emerged as some of the key deficiencies. This accounts for the ambivalent nature of its public pastoral response to GBV. From a biblical point of view, the research investigated God’s ideal plan on gender relations for humanity by studying Genesis 1-2. The creation of Adam and Eve equally in the image of God and equally complementing each other, establishes God’s ideal plan for gender relations. To be created in His image means to perfectly relate to God and to be humane to one another in perfect love and union. The image of God was marred at creation such that gender relations became soured. In both the Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT), women were subservient to men; sometimes in a manner that perpetrated GBV. The research underscored that GBV occurred in the Bible and God did not remain silent. He spoke through circumstances and socio-cultural mores of biblical times. The study established that God cared and spoke against the oppression and marginalisation of women. It follows that the church should engage in a public pastoral care role in upholding and honouring the dignity of women. In paying attention to the need for the church to play its public pastoral care role, the research emphasised the need for the church to be the salt of the earth and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-14). As a subsystem of society, placed by God in the world to represent Him, the church should publicly fulfil its ambassadorial role by engaging with public issues that affect society. The church needs to move away from parochial ministries and institutionalised theology to interface with the current situations of humanity, as God would do. The study underscored that public theology should be utilised as a larger theoretical lens to assist the church in framing pastoral care ministries. It also emphasised the need for public pastoral care to be a congregational responsibility, which is characterised by holistic koinonia of congregants in the context of GBV. Such fellowship interrogates the gender imbalances that exist in the church,…
I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own
A public pastoral assessment of the interplay between ‘she was created inferior’ and cultural perceptions of women by Christian men in Zimbabwe as accessory to gender-based violence
Verbum Et Ecclesia, 2021
The concepts of "Life" and "Light" are prominent in the prologue of the fourt... more The concepts of "Life" and "Light" are prominent in the prologue of the fourth gospel (cf. John 1:4, 5, 7, 8, 9) and have been studied by various scholars as important themes. In the past years, the quest for the conceptual background of the prologue and the entire Gospel has led to converging and diverging opinions. But are all the proposed backgrounds important to the reader to understand and interpret the fourth gospel? Should we find the relevant religious background, could it help us understand and interpret the "Life" and "Light" concepts in the prologue and the rest of the Gospel? The aim of this study is to identify the most appropriate background against which to read and explore the concepts of "Life" and "Light" in the fourth gospel. We also wish to study other selected passages from the fourth gospel that relate to "Life" and "Light". The reason for doing this is to find out if they can add m...
A background study of "Life" and "Light" in John's Gospel
The author's aim in this study is to identify the most appropriate conceptual background agai... more The author's aim in this study is to identify the most appropriate conceptual background against which to read and explore the concepts of "Life" and "Light" in the fourth gospel. He proceeds to exegete other selected passages from the fourth gospel that relate to "Life" and "Light". The reason for doing this is to find out if they can add meaning to our understanding of "Life" and "Light" in the prologue. He reviews and compares crucial literature on the fourth gospel. Attention is given to the development of the debate on the religious background that influenced John. He also seeks to discover if there are any fresh ideas on the religious background of the fourth gospel. He makes reference to primary material like the Dead Sea Scrolls, first century Palestinian Judaism, Josephus, and Philo of Alexandria. The following proposed backgrounds will be reviewed: Hellenistic Judaism, Philo of Alexandria, Gnosticism, Hermetic...
In die Skriflig / In Luce Verbi
… 1 in 3 women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, while about 1 in 5 women has exp... more … 1 in 3 women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence, while about 1 in 5 women has experienced sexual violence since the age of 15, usually by their intimate partners. (n.p.) Most of the GBV cases in Zimbabwe and in other countries are perpetrated by somebody known and close to the victim (Kruttschnitt et al. 2018; United Nations Women [UNW] 2016; World Health Organisation [WHO] 2013). This logically follows that GBV is a threat in environments where women should feel safe (
Gender-based violence and efforts to address the phenomenon: Towards a church public pastoral care intervention proposition for community development in Zimbabwe
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies
Gender-based Violence (GBV) is a huge concern in many African countries such as Zimbabwe despite ... more Gender-based Violence (GBV) is a huge concern in many African countries such as Zimbabwe despite the preventative and mitigatory interventions that have been proposed and implemented by various stakeholders. The interventions applied range from policies and programmes that are government initiated as well as those interventions by social actors such as non-government organisations and Faith-based Organisations (FBOs) like churches. Gender-based violence as a social structural issue is sustained and perpetuated by cultural norms, values and beliefs that are fed by patriarchy, among other things. To effectively respond to the situation, interventions should target multiple social levels, including policy, government officials’ attitudes, individual men and women, families, community leaders and structures and social institutions such as churches. Churches are a critical community social institution that could play a pivotal role in addressing GBV. To position churches as players on pu...
Prosperity and health ministry as a coping mechanism in the poverty and suffering context of Zimbabwe: A pastoral evaluation and response
In die Skriflig / In Luce Verbi, 2016
Preaching on prosperity and health has significantly increased in Zimbabwe. Yet, poverty and suff... more Preaching on prosperity and health has significantly increased in Zimbabwe. Yet, poverty and suffering are also increasing, which is a contradiction. The preaching gives ‘hope’ of prosperity, wealth, health and success to its followers. The emerging question, however, is the following: What kind of hope is given? This article considers the Zimbabwean context of suffering and poverty, and the coping that arises from the Prosperity Gospel Movement. It is argued that this movement tends to grow rapidly where there are challenges such as poverty, unemployment and health problems. The article discusses prosperity-gospel trends in Zimbabwe and the history and tenets of the prosperity gospel. It also suggests reasons for the rise of the movement. The article concludes by providing an evaluation of the movement and offering a pastoral response.
A study of the background of the concepts "Life" and "Light" in the prologue of the fourth gospel / Peter Manzanga
A study to establish the most plausible background to the fourth gospel (John)
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2010
The quest to establish a conceptual background of the fourth gospel has led to converging and div... more The quest to establish a conceptual background of the fourth gospel has led to converging and diverging opinions. This study reviewed and compared literature on the fourth gospel to establish its most plausible background. In doing so, attention was given to the development of the debate on the religious backgrounds that possibly influenced the author in order to discover some fresh connections between the gospel and these suggested backgrounds. Reference is made to primary material such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, first century Palestinian Judaism, Josephus and Philo of Alexandria. The following proposed backgrounds were reviewed: Hellenistic Judaism, Philo of Alexandria, Gnosticism, Hermetic Literature, Mandaism, the Old Testament, Rabbinic Judaism, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Samaritan background.
A study to establish the most plausible background to the fourth gospel (John)
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2010
The quest to establish a conceptual background of the fourth gospel has led to converging and div... more The quest to establish a conceptual background of the fourth gospel has led to converging and diverging opinions. This study reviewed and compared literature on the fourth gospel to establish its most plausible background. In doing so, attention was given to the development of the debate on the religious backgrounds that possibly influenced the author in order to discover some fresh connections between the gospel and these suggested backgrounds. Reference is made to primary material such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, first century Palestinian Judaism, Josephus and Philo of Alexandria. The following proposed backgrounds were reviewed: Hellenistic Judaism, Philo of Alexandria, Gnosticism, Hermetic Literature, Mandaism, the Old Testament, Rabbinic Judaism, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Samaritan background.