Transparent Theological Dialogue—“Moseka Phofu Ya Gaabo Ga a Tshabe Go Swa Lentswe” (A Setswana Proverb)
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Transparent Theological Dialogue
2.1. Transparency in Theological Dialogue—One Biblical Example
It is, therefore, linguistically correct to conclude that transparency is the full, accurate, and timely disclosure of information. Theologians are the transparent interlocutors of the mind of God in socio-economic structures of society. Moseka phofu (in this case, a theologian) is a transparent communicator of dogma into the human situation to enable humanity to assess and regain the meaning of life. Kusmierz (2016, p. 161) also captures this that:lack of hidden agendas or conditions, accompanied by the availability of full information required for collaboration, cooperation, and collective decision making… an essential condition for a free and open exchange whereby the rules and reasons behind regularity measures are fair and clear to all participants.
This theologian is like a believer who exists for others not just for himself. He cannot operate as an island. Moseka phofu is a full member of the community that he is willing to die for, rescue from hardships, or alerting them of the new order. His mandate is the patriotic service to the community. This paper promotes the moseka phofu whose endeavor is the recovery of the notion of theological dialogue in contemporary post-liberation South African context. This dialogue calls for accountability to the community where he/she belongs:Theology that takes up the challenge of contributing to the shaping of common life can only be meaningful and relevant if it takes into account its social, political, and economic context.
Political liberation had come, yet not liberation in totality. West (2017, p. 186) resonates this reality thatObviously, being part of the faith community the believer is no island and has no exclusive claim to wisdom or to the guidance of the Spirit. He is accountable to his community of faith for ethical decisions.
The new focus of struggle is for socio-economic justice, where theology must be vocal in South Africa. Unfortunately, it occupies the back seat, what Tshaka (2015, p. 7) alludes to thatWhile political and legal liberation have been secured in South Africa, we have been forced to recognize that we have less liberation than we had imagined.
In theology, the bottom line transparency is walking together in the light; letting the left hand know what the right hand does. Theologians as the depositories of empirical knowledge of dogma walk together for mutual support to form the united voice, especially in the corrupt socio-political landscape. Theological silence in times of crises is not justified. Ecumenical cooperation becomes effective when transparency is constituent to kerygmatic efforts and attempts in redressing the imbalances in the society. Transparency puts a damper on ecclesiastical fragmentations.The perception was, we assume, that once political power is gained, the economy would simply conform to the dictates of politics.
There are many biblical examples of transparency, but one selected here is to drive the point home. The biblical example of transparency selected is that of Paul’s dealing with the Corinthian Church in his second letter to them. In the introductory part of the letter (2 Cor 1:1–24), he addresses the complaint that he had not been open and honest with them. He takes a great delight that his conduct among the Corinthians has always been transparent. He did not display machinations of worldly wisdom, as his abeyance of his visit to them was intended for positive outcomes. The historical interactions with them was permeated by integrity and transparency that would hopefully breed trust (2 Cor 1:12). His continuous and direct involvement with them authenticates his word to them (1:17–20); and this will enhance their understanding, after listening to him. Transparency enhances mutual trust.Fragmentary denominational existence put at risk the testimonial and kerygmatic integrity of the one whole Christian church. Different and conflicting brands of Christianity present ironical testimonies and proclamations amidst a spiritually hungry world that has overwhelmingly grown by billions.
2.2. Theological Dialogue
Moseka phofu dialogues with the surroundings and people in immediate precincts. To seka, which is the root or verb of moseka, (legal or communal debate) cannot take place on the mountaintop or at the periphery of the community. Tsheko (court case) takes place at the kgotla (court) which is always at the centre of the village. The case is stated and debated with and within the community. Moseka phofu is part of the community. These people are not apart from him/her. Tsheko is a communal dialogue, not like in the normal court of justice where there is the accused and the accuser with the magistrate presiding. In this context, moseka phofu is an advocate, arbitrator or reconciler who patiently plead for what rightly needs action for the plaintiff and the accused. The participants carry different personalities and dialoguing with them may bear some dissenting ideas. It is true thatSocial scientists often assign themselves the role of deconstructor: unpacking power, race, capitalism and consumption with glorious self-righteous abandon. My colleagues and I recognise that we cannot work alone, and require our students to play a central role in contributing to the university’s outputs.
In dialogue, consensus is reached. Dialogue brings the warring parties to the table to foster the unified action plan in order to address the situation; or clarify any misunderstanding. In theological dialogue, fragmentations, misunderstandings, and misinformation are all addressed because:Dialogue makes participants more sympathetic to one another, even when they disagree, and assists enormously in preparing the ground for negotiation or decision-making on emotion-laden issues.
Dialogue kicks theologians out of their parochial silos. When the voice of moseka phofu reverberates, citizens stand attention to listen or to leave or enter a laager for safety. Theological safety is not inside the laager or a silo, but is in jumping out and crossing the dividing walls of self-righteous or self-imposing enclaves such as race, power, economy, traditions, gender, institutions etc. Disagreements in open dialogues are inevitable, but the mutual understanding of the differing opinion or ideology calms down the potential of conflicts and mistrust. Ratzinger (1987, pp. 73–74) referring to Catholic-Anglican dialogues asserts:Dialogue is a special kind of discourse that enables people with different perspectives and worldviews to work together to dispel mistrust and create a climate of good faith.
The similar truth is affirmed by Ford (2013, p. 166) thatAffirmation and criticism are not mutually exclusive: each demands the other. Only when both are joined together do we get an authentic vehicle for true dialogue.
In dialogue, all voices are heard and respected. It is unacceptable for authentic voices to keep silence during the dialogue. This is especially to African theologians who tend to keep their peace during the dialogues. Their rich insights are muzzled, consequently omitted in crucial policymaking processes. It is a fact that “For us to assess the impact of the voice in its variations, we really need to know what it is” ((Gaie and Tabalaka 2015, p. 379), in Chimhanda, Molobi & Mothoagae). The silent voice during theological dialogues disservices the think tank.a theology, which tries to avoid such differences by claiming some unquestionable certainty, or an overview of everyone else, is implausible and unwise.
translate any claims or concerns deriving from their faiths into a language that is comprehensible—deemable as reasonable—to individuals outside that particular (or outside any) belief system.
3. Dogma and Kerygma
3.1. Dogma as Homologia and Credo—Theology in Action
The Greek homologein, in theological context, meansis language that gives a simple and unrestricted Yes to God’s action and therefore must be unconditionally and under all circumstances affirmed.
The key text is Romans 10:9—“If you confess (homologia) with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe (credo) in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. Wethmar alludes to the fact that “The term homologia is indicative not of the content of faith as a deed or an act”. Confession is an act rather than just a content. The Christian faith is not merely theoretical talk without any obligation. Faith requires a commitment and a decision. Confession is an enactment of Christian faith, a decision and commitment. Confession (homologia) and belief (credo) are a symbiotic relationship. Credo is a description of the saving work of Christ as content of the Christian faith and as the basis of a commitment to Christ. Commitment and content are inseparable. Commitment to dogma is a confession and belief in incarnation of the love of God by bringing soteriological realities to the context where faith is lived and practiced. Dogma, homologia and credo operate in a balance overflowing out of passion. External practices are the results of intrinsic motivations. This balance is captured by De Gruchy (2011, p. 10) thatto declare things that all can hear, to declare what is binding, and at the same time to declare one’s own acceptance of what is said, to agree to it, to consent, to confess.
In the same spirit, liberation theology takes biblical text further by expressing the lex esedenti –lex orandi (What I know is what I say) further. In this context,Studying theology is a necessary and important academic activity, whereas doing theology is more—it is as a faith-praxis, a committed engagement, a way of being, a passion.
Soteriological experiences are not only spiritual, but also total human liberation. This includes the effects of social justice in the evil society. The incarnation of the love of Christ is the ultimate soteriological experience for humanity. This becomes feasible when dogma is articulated to address human miseries in diverse form. It should always be by bona fides that “dogma aims to articulate the universal implications of the Christian faith” ((Gunton 1998, p. 5), in Pfitzner and Regan). Dogma is not a dead quaere (inquiry), but a viva voce (living voice) in the community “regarding beliefs and practices that are considered essential to the identity or welfare of the group in question” (Lindbeck 1984, p. 74). It is the voice of the people, therefore a vox populi, vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God). That is why it is crucial that the church is perceived, rightly so, as belonging or some form of embodiment. From this embodiment, the voice becomes united and vocal, and in and through the body, theology becomes vocal and practical. Vosloo (2017, p. 224) captures Smit’s idea thatThe biblical text becomes a catalyst in the exploration of pressing contemporary issues relevant to the community; it offers a language so that the voice of the voiceless may be heard ((Modise 2015, p. 4), in Chimhanda, Molobi & Mothoagae).
Being Christian and being church has to do with “belonging”. It also has significant implication for the way one thinks about theology. Theology is done in community.
3.2. Kerygma as a Liberative Dunamis
The British theologian, John Macquarrie (1997, p. 10) drives the point home:We do not proclaim from the distance, from the security of some haven of self-righteousness, but that we come very close to the people we are inviting, in relate to them in solidarity because we are as much in need of the good news as they are.
The salvific experiences do not emanate prophetically from the political status quo. The Old Testament narratives are not shaped by the royal stories but by the prophets. “The real actors of history are the prophets. History is written from the perspective of the prophets” (Wittenberg 2012, p. 97). The knowledge of dogma encourages the liberation theologians to be kerygmatic as prophets to confront the imbalances in the society. As moseka phofu, they are not afraid to swa lentswe (lose voice), fighting for the righteousness of faith and civic righteousness. This theology is the involved theology.Gospel is preaching or proclamation; it is a first order language, which is unselfconscious, a language in which faith speaks in order to awaken faith through the transmission of the good news on which faith has been founded. Christology on the other hand has taken a step back, so to speak, and has become self-conscious and self-critical.
Liberation theology as the theology that addresses the current socio-cultural scenes, conscientizes dogmatists to contribute towards “the shaping of industries, nations, institutions, professions, cultures, and practices of all sorts” (Ford 2013, p. 173). It challenges the mainstream theology to stand up from the upper room laurels and move to the public square to become prophetic. The current scenario of corruption in socio-political landscape can be refuted through prophetic theology. Nolan (2012, p. 118) points out thatWe do not have the luxury of the distant view of earth from space, where the airless void refuses to carry the world’s cries of despair. We hear the cries all around us and wonder what we are being called to do about it all.
This happens when theology advocates a clear option for the poor in the South Africa of today. It is when theology speaks prophetically for the redemption of humanity from the snares of socio-political injustice, oppression, and all forms of marginalization and capture. Koopman (2010, p. 54) reminds us that:Prophetic Theology would then mean the outright condemnation of the worship of money in all its forms and a call to action, a call to participate in the struggle against economic injustice.
This cannot be achieved in silence. Koopman (2009, pp. 122–23) elsewhere alludes to the fact that prophets are critics. They denounce the realities that are in conflict with the ideals of the new society. It is therefore; accurately conclusive that theology is the vehicle by which the arguments are voiced. Just as a moseka phofu is a vital member of a society, so is theologians as the community members; and as communal people, speak prophetically and in humility. Thiemann (1991, p. 135) highlights this that:This option for the poor indicates how God works in the world, namely from the particular to the universal. The option for the poor, therefore, also does not imply that even the poor are ends in themselves. In the redemption and liberation of the poor and wronged God is working towards the liberation of all, also of oppressors.
This brings the liberative dunamis that the voices are within the societal structures where theology is practically appropriated for the benefit of the community in need. Fernando (1995, p. 42) also attests this that:Theologians carry on the conversation, not from a privileged position above tradition, but from within the polyphony of voices that constitute the Christian community.
Ministering to people provides the context out of which we preach and teach. Without this we may produce a lot of excellent material, but the material will lack the penetrating insight that is needed to effect change for good in the lives and thinking of people.
3.3. Rationale for the Return of Liberation Theology
The emergence of liberation theology over fifty years ago was due to a genuine concern for biblical social justice. It took theology out of silos when almost all major academic theologians were white, middle class and male.South Africa is at the crossroads as its moral compass is being eroded by unscrupulous people. Since the arrival of freedom and democracy, the voice of the Church is not audible enough to usher and lead people to God. Corruption in the form of oppression of the poor is at an alarming level. The beneficiaries are social elites and political demagogues. Ethics in political governance had become opaque. The populace finds it incomprehensible regarding politics and Church’s role in public policies. The opacity in moral values had magnified beyond explanation.
Due to its stress on the importance of the wisdom and insight of the poor as the focal point, liberation theology is a moseka phofu to return to the community and conscientise it of its responsibility in the hurting and the marginalized poor. Theologians on the mainstream are invited to opt for openness in dialogue. There should never be a space for neutrality in advocating economic justice. Mind shift is inevitable. This is a theological tug-of-war, but needs to be overcome. It is a struggle thatIt has attempted to take theology out of the academic ivory tower of the West into the streets… it has shifted the focus of theological engagement from the intellectual discourse of the Western philosophy to the life and death struggles of poor and oppressed communities ((Modise 2015, p. 3), in Chimhanda, Molobi & Mothoagae).
Doing theology includes the critical or prophetic capacity to challenge the politics of abstractions that deny people social justice and economic freedom. The inescapable conclusion is that “God has a concern with the quality of political and economic structures” (Brown 1978, p. 89).demands the taking of sides, leaving no room for neutrality. Resisting neutrality and making ethical decisions draws attention to the importance of prophetic virtue.
theology focused on the interpretation of scripture in conjunction with God’s intention for mankind, within a given context—an exercise also known as contextualization.
4. Conclusions
The mainstream theology must come out of the silos, and cease being parochial. Silence is not the best theology in praxis. Kerygma is dogma verbalized. Theology has to dialogue in public spaces for assertion of its own legitimacy. This can be achieved through dialogue with the liberation theologies of the time. Theological dialogues must be transparent with a goal of achieving maximum results for ecclesiastical and societal transformation. Theology must fight patiently for its convictions that are consonant with Christian dogma and credo. In agreement with Van der Kooi and Van den Brink (2017, p. 27):This pastoral care should find its motivation from within the caregiver’s theological convictions, in order to find sufficient energy to sustain the care that is offered.
Theological consonance with dogma and credo situates theology in the right place where praxis is most needed. The church in South Africa, and Africa at large, faces the challenges in socio-cultural contexts. Tesfai (1996, p. 95) highlights the reality:It is crucial for theology to think from a perspective of the future of the kingdom that God has promised, and to act accordingly. This orientation will result in a critical theology that is at right angles with the status quo of injustice and inequality.
This is the context where the moseka phofu’s voice must echo and resonate the sound with patriotic insistence and patience through transparent dialogues. Theology as a moseka phofu must come out into the public space; ascend from parochial throne and presence itself in the grassroots centers, from periphery to the center. For in the postmodern era:People are dying of hunger; they are victims of malnutrition, diseases, and economic exploitation. National life is collapsing or on the verge of doing so.
This truth has been the focus of this paper. Theology should be vocal and unapologetically assert itself at the center stage of world and human affairs. As Naudé (2015, p. 133) remarks: “theology in a new key needs to be complemented by theology with a new voice”. Theology must be chiefly concerned with reasoning about relation between God and God’s creation (including humans), together with their ethical behaviors (Pietersen 2015, p. 120). Furthermore, theology as a moseka phofu must become patriotic in such a way that its prophetic utterances can be heeded by humanity in all spheres of life. There is no doubt that the bottom line remains:Theologising should be grass roots, communitarian, doxological, provisional, applied and contextual, rather than addressing questions that interest a theological guild.
Theological declarations, as epistemological as they may be, should transcend all structural delimitations in order to shape the cosmos eschatologically. The exuberance of the 1980s and the 1990s of prophetic appeals to the then South African government to dismantle apartheid should be revived. As in those days, the appeals should take the form of “strongly worded synodical resolutions and press statements, often issued by churches jointly” ((Kritzinger 2013, p. 108), in Plaatjies-Van Huffel and Vosloo). This contribution cannot be silent or through some docile behavior, for it is appropriate for theologians “to reflect on the proper nature of Christian contributions to deliberation about ethical issues in secular public platforms” (Biggar 2011, p. 48). Theological voice is critical in and as endeavors to restore justice in South Africa. Its voice like a moseka phofu should resonate in the halls of civil and social justice, as well as on the ecclesiastical platforms to address injustices in societal structures. The mainstream theology is invited to collaborate with liberation theologies in order to expedite balanced justice in a currently corrupt South Africa where human dignity and degradation is becoming a norm.A recognition of theology as a critical inquiry emerging out of deeply held religious convictions can greatly enrich the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual life of our society.
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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1 | Setswana is one of the Southern African language groups, mostly spoken in Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. It is estimated that more than seven million people speak it. |
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Resane, K.T. Transparent Theological Dialogue—“Moseka Phofu Ya Gaabo Ga a Tshabe Go Swa Lentswe” (A Setswana Proverb). Religions 2018, 9, 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9020054
Resane KT. Transparent Theological Dialogue—“Moseka Phofu Ya Gaabo Ga a Tshabe Go Swa Lentswe” (A Setswana Proverb). Religions. 2018; 9(2):54. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9020054
Chicago/Turabian StyleResane, Kelebogile Thomas. 2018. "Transparent Theological Dialogue—“Moseka Phofu Ya Gaabo Ga a Tshabe Go Swa Lentswe” (A Setswana Proverb)" Religions 9, no. 2: 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9020054