Irving Hexham

Afro-Christian religion and healing in southern Africa

This study seeks an understanding of one result of the syncretism of Southern African Christianity, namely, the increasing evidence among African Christians of ancestor veneration, belief in possession by alien spirits, dance-induced trancing, and witch beliefs.

The Irony of Apartheid: The Struggle for National Independence of Afrikaner Calvinism against British Imperialism

This volume details the struggle for national independence of Afrikaner Calvinism against British imperialism, providing an enlightening study of the complex relation between religion and society.

New Religions As Global Cultures : Making The Human Sacred

* The Great Anti-cult Crusade * From Cults to New Religions and Global Culture * New Religions as Global Cultures * New Religions and Primal Experiences * Myths and Mythological Fragments * Yogic and Abramic Religions * The Membership Process * New Religions: New Visions * How Dangerous Are New Religions?

Living faiths in South Africa

African traditional religions, J. Kiernan settler Christianity, J.W. de Gruchy mission Christianity, C. Villa-Vicencio the impact of white settlement on African traditional religions, J. Kiernan Christianity in the 20th-century, J.W. de Gruchy the African independent churches, J. Kiernan Islam, E. Moosa the Jewish community, J. Hellig Hinduism, Maxwell, Diesel and Naidoo Chinese religion in South Africa, A. Song Buddhism and Chinese religion in South Africa, L.H. van Loon and A. Song Jains and Parsees in South Africa, G.C. Oosthuizen. Appendices: important events in the history of South Africas religions religious affiliation in South Africa.

Empirical studies of African independent/indigenous churches

This text consists of essays on how the African Independent/Indigenous Churches experience and interpret their religion, their relationship to the Black experience, and the effectiveness of religious expression with regard to their needs. Topics include oral history in the Nazareth church, the Iviyo LoFakazi BakaKristu and other renewal movements, theological issues in African Independent Churches, healing, exorcism, and involvement and creative development.

Lord of the Sky-King of the Earth: Zulu traditional religion and belief in the sky god

like Roper Africa has no history before the arrival of European or Arab invaders brought literacy and civilization. This dismal view of the African past pervades studies on African religion. Geoffrey Parrinder, in Religion in Africa, suggests that the development of traditional African religions can ‘rarely be guessed’2 while the African theologian John Mbiti says ‘African religions have neither founders nor reformers. 13 A brief survey of works on African religion will quickly convince the enquirer that these views are in fact true. Excellent anthropological works exist which show great appreciation of African religious beliefs and practices but almost without exception they are set in the timeless ethnographic present. This article is written from the conviction that African religions have a history and that it is the duty of African historians and theologians to explore that history, thus enabling African peoples to claim their place in the great religious traditions of mankind. To that end this paper is an attempt to examine the development of Zulu traditional religion and to discover what may be learned by other peoples from the history of religion in Zululand. It argues that belief in a heavenly deity or sky god can be observed in various stages of development after the establishment of lasting contact between European missionaries, traders, and settlers with the Zulu people; but contrary to many writers there is no evidence that the Zulus believed in a sky god before the arrival of Europeans. Through an examination of the documentary evidence provided by Henry Callaway in his classical work The Religious Systems of the Amazulu, and by looking at other early accounts of Zulu life and religion, suggestions are made as to why contemporary Zulu religion contains both belief in and worship of a god of the sky. The paper has the following divisions: (1) Zulu traditional religion and belief in a high/sky god, (2) The evidence of Callaway, (3) Other available evidence, and (4) Some suggestions about Zulu religion and religious change.

The Perception of Mormons by Rural Canadian Youth

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions about Mormons as an identifiable minority. Although the Canadian Constitution of 1982 prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion (as well as ethnic or racial discnrmination), examples of religious intolerance continue to be reported by the media. The focus of this paper is on the relationship between tolerance for Mormons and selected religious and non-religious factors. Of particular interest are two social familiarity factors. Data. for both Catholics and Anglicans are included for comparative purposes.

Sermons in Stone: Cumbria:

John Ruskin’s comment that English Cathedrals are ‘Sermons in Stone’ applies equally well to parish churches and other ancient religious sites. This article explores the rich Christian heritage of Cumbria and seeks to encourage British Christians to recognize the rich cultural treasures that are all around them in the belief that an awakened sense of Christian history will help revive British Christianity by providing an evangelical resource that has great potential in terms of cultural tourism.

Sermons in Stone: Along the Cumbrian Coast to the Bewcastle Cross:

Although Britain is rich in archaeological and architectural treasures many Christians are unaware of their cultural heritage and its value in communicating the Christian message today. This essay discusses the remarkable Christian history of West Cumbria in the hope that it will encourage the best sort of cultural tourism.

Comptes rendus / Reviews of books: Pentecostals in Brazil: Emotion of the Poor and Theological Romanticism: André Corten London: Macmillan, 1999. 206 p

terre promise. Si l’on se detourne de son objectif, les difficult6s surviennent pour avertir du risque de reperdre sa terre promise. 11 est possible de suivre 1’exemple de David et Saiil qui reussissent tout ce qu’ils entreprennent grace a leur confiance en Dieu. A cette 6tape, le lecteur ou la lectrice comprend que la clef du succes depend de l’intensit6 de sa foi et doit remettre le cap sur l’objectif essentiel de sa vie.