Deconstructing Gendered vumilia (perseverance) Theology in times of the Gender-based Violence Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of gender-based violence (GBV) dramatically increased. While the Kenyan governmental bodies are held responsible for their inadequate response to this “national disaster of GBV”, the role of the Kenyan churches is hardly criticized. The churches neither spoke out against this prevalent injustice, nor did they openly support the victims of GBV. Furthermore, it could be argued that churches, through their patriarchal structures and cultural and doctrinal teachings, have contributed to this disaster. This article is written from a woman’s perspective and focused on the notion of vumilia, or perseverance, an important notion in the lived faith of women. Vumilia is the Kiswahili word for “persevere” or “endure.” It appears that a gendered vumilia theology applied to gender relations, prevents churches from adequately addressing gender-based violence. Unless and until this vumilia theology is deconstructed and balanced with a liberation theology, the church’s response to gender-based violence will be superficial and insufficient. In this article, the narrative method is used to bring about the ideas and experiences of women in two Kenyan churches, the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) and the African Israel Nineveh Church (AINC), related to vumilia and its cultural and theological underpinnings. The article discusses the teachings of vumilia theology in these churches and their effects on women who suffer from gender-based violence. The paper also traces the resistance of church women, indicating the contours of a woman-affirming Christ-centered theology and spirituality

Introduction

Part of the Palgrave MacMillan Series "Postcolonialism and Religions."This introduction explores how the volume addresses the challenges of living together after empire in many post-colonial cities. It explains how the first section focuses on efforts by people of multiple faiths to live together within their contexts, including such efforts within a neighbourhood in urban Manchester; the array of attempts at creating multi-faith spaces for worship across the globe; and initiatives to commemorate divisive conflict together in Northern Ireland. It outlines how the second section of the volume utilizes particular postcolonial methods to illuminate pressing issues within specific contexts—including women’s leadership in an indigenous denomination in the variegated African landscape, and baptism and discipleship among Dalit communities in India. In the context of growing multiculturalism in the West, this volume offers a postcolonial theological resource, challenging the epistemologies in the Western academy

Queen of Sheba : East and Central African Women's Theologies of Liberation (Circle Jubilee Volume 2)

This volume, named after a legendary biblical woman, the Queen of Sheba, is celebrating the wisdom of pioneers of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians’ (CIRCLE). It rose within the context of producing biographies of the founding members of the CIRCLE. The three regional volumes are: Sankofa: Liberation Theologies of West African Women, ed. by S. Amenyedi, M. Yele & Y. Maton (BiAS 39); Queen of Sheba: East and Central African Theologies of Liberation, ed. by L. Maseno, E. Mombo, N. Muke & V. K. Kahindo (BiAS 40); Nehanda: Women’s Theologies of Liberation in Southern Africa, ed. by N. Mwale, R. Gabaitse, D. Tembo & F. Kobo (BiAS 41). Thus, this essays collection, being the second partof the CIRCLE jubilee trilogy, focuses on East and Central African women, their lives and struggles and their powerful Queen-of-Sheba-Wisdom in contributing to liberation in theory and practice. The editors and authors: Loreen MASENO (Lead Editor — Kenya) | Esther MOMBO (Ass. Editor — Kenya) | Nagaju MUKE (Ass. Editor — Rwanda) | Veronica K. KAHINDO (Ass. Editor — DR Congo) | Daniel ASSEFA (Ethiopia) | Tekletsadik BELACHEW (USA/ Ethiopia) | Musa W. DUBE (USA/ Botswana) | Witness ISSA (Tanzania) | Heleen JOZIASSE (Netherlands/ Kenya) | Dorcas JUMA (Kenya) | Joy Isabirye MUKISA (Uganda) | Hope Karangwa MUNEZERO (Rwanda) | Telesia MUSILI (Kenya) | Christine NAKYEYUNE (Uganda) | Françoise NIYONSABA (Rwanda) | Joyce Damian NGANDANGO (Tanzania) | Pauline NJIRU (Kenya) | Monica OSUKA (Kenya)