The religio-spiritual and sacred dimensions of climate-induced conflicts:A research agenda

This chapter charts a research agenda that transcends established perspectives of responding to climate-related conflicts by arguing for the interrogation of how religion, spirituality, and the sacred influence violence and conflicts that are induced by climate change. In what follows, we first discuss the relationship between climate change and violence. We then consider the current scholarly, practical, and policy responses, and the place of religion in them, before pointing out the lacunae in the existing literature, as well as in practical and policy responses. After exposing these gaps and their scholarly and practical implications, we bring religion, spirituality, and the sacred into the discourse on climate change and violent conflict. To ground our discussion, we focus on African indigenous communities, especially the Shona in Zimbabwe, and their sacred relationship with their natural environment to distil the cognitive, emotional, and moral meanings that emerge from that relationship and show how they mediate climate-related conflicts. Drawing on our findings, we conclude by re-stating the need for a research agenda that critically considers how religion and spirituality or any similar phenomena, such as traditional knowledge of ecological systems, mediate climate-induced conflicts. We argue that marginalizing the influence of religious, cultural, spiritual, and moral orders not only results in a failure to comprehend why some climate-induced conflicts become intense, impassioned, and intractable, it also hinders the development of locally grounded sustainable peace-building and conflict transformation strategies. This chapter contributes to advancing SDG13: Take urgent action to combat climate and its impacts. We argue that addressing SDG 13 should not only be about mitigation and adaptation, but also about the consequences such as climate-induced conflicts when climate change exceeds adaptive capacities of the communities

‘Citizens of both Heaven and Earth’: Pentecostalism and Social Transformation in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya

As Pentecostalism enjoys unparalleled growth in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, greater attention has been paid to its problematic expressions by some scholars. Media images of the abuse of believers in different contexts have been widely circulated. These include sexual abuse by charismatic (male) prophets, financial scandals, as well as the degrading treatment of clients/members by forcing them to eat grass/snakes and other questionable acts. While conceding that these aspects are challenging, this article seeks to provide a more balanced perspective by highlighting the extent to which selected Pentecostal churches in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya have sought to contribute to social reconstruction in their respective countries. By examining the sermons and teachings on personal responsibility and having effective marriages by the Pentecostal leaders, the article contends that they mobilise their members and audiences to become agents of social transformation. The article highlights the potential role of Pentecostalism in social reconstruction in the selected countries

God in the city : Pentecostalism as an urban phenomenon in Kenya

Peer reviewedThis article focuses on contemporary Kenyan Pentecostal Christianity, and depicts it as an urban phenomenon geared to meet the needs of urban Kenyans, particularly those from the middle and working classes. It explores the origins and characteristics of the Deliverance Church of Kenya (DCK), one of the largest Pentecostal churches in Kenya, and one which has penetrated major towns and urban centres in the country. The article also discusses important features of modern Pentecostalism and argues that these features only favour urban environments. The article argues that Kenyan Pentecostalism has learned not only to survive in whatever socio-cultural and economic circumstances it finds itself, but has also, in fact, learned to thrive in such circumstances. Moreover, in its quest for relevance in rapidly changing times, Kenyan Pentecostalism has established a niche for itself in urban Kenya. The article concludes that Pentecostalism, as a modern and urban movement, caters for the needs of upwardly mobile youth and helps to expose and connect them to the modern world of commodities, media and financial flows – without being overwhelmed by it.Research Institute for Theology and Religio

Relationship Between Perceptions of Masculinities and Incidences of Family Crises Facing the Modern Family: A Case of Selected Faith-Based Organisations in Bahati Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya

Perception of masculinities plays an important role in transforming masculinities in the context of incidences of family crises facing the modern family. These incidences include, Gender Based Violence (GBV), separation and divorce, alcohol and substance abuse, neglect of family responsibilities and mental breakdown. Perception of masculinities is linked with the incidences family crises. This study sought to determine the association between perceptions of masculinities and incidences of family crises in Kenya Anglican Men Association (KAMA) and Presbyterian Church Men Fellowship (PCMF) as selected FBOs in Bahati Sub-County, Nakuru County. To determine this association, the study used seven perception items which are that men are perceived as, head of the family, father, protector, provider, stronger than women, ‘lover of women’ and superior than women. Stratified random sampling procedure was used to obtain a total sample size of 209 participants. Data was collected through a questionnaire, interviews and Focused Group Discussion (FGD) schedules. Descriptive and inferential statistics, specifically Pearson Chi-square test were used for analysis, with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for windows. Descriptive statistics included frequency tables and mean scores. Findings of the study established that perception of masculinities have a positive and significant relationship with incidences of family crises. In this regard the study recommends that there is need of Faith Based Organizations and other organizations which are engaged in transforming masculinities to use the perception of masculinities as an entry point into the hearts of men, while they target to strengthen the positive aspects. Keywords: Perception, Family crises, Masculinities, KAMA, PCMF. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-4-08 Publication date: February 29th 2020

Relationship Between Categories of Masculinities and Incidences of Family Crises in Modern Family:A Case of Selected Faith-Based Organisations in Bahati Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya

Globally, the modern family is faced by incidences of family crises which include Gender Based Violence (GBV), separation and divorce, alcohol and substance abuse, neglect of family responsibilities and mental breakdown. While numerous suggestions have been offered as to why this is the case, a growing body of literature links negative masculinities with the incidences of family crises. In response to this, some Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) have begun working with men as a way of transforming masculinities. This study used Kenya Anglican Men Association (KAMA) and Presbyterian Church Men Fellowship (PCMF) as selected FBOs to explore the relationship between categories of masculinities and incidences of family crises in Bahati Sub-County, Nakuru County. The study was guided by Connell theory of masculinity which conceives that the relationships among male individuals consist of four categories of masculinity: hegemonic, subordinate, complicit and marginalized. Stratified random sampling procedure was used to obtain a total sample size of 209 participants. Data was collected through a questionnaire, interviews and Focused Group Discussion (FGD) schedules. Descriptive and inferential statistics, specifically ordered logistic regression were used for analysis, with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for windows. Descriptive statistics included frequency tables, charts and mean scores. Findings of the study established that categories of masculinities have a positive and significant relationship with incidences of family crises. In this regard the study recommends that there is need of transforming masculinities especially by FBOs, institutions of learning and family. Keywords: Categories of Masculinities, Family crises, Modern family, Faith-Based Organisations, KAMA, PCMF. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-4-07 Publication date: February 29th 202

Alternative Rites of Passage in FGM/C Abandonment Campaigns in Africa: A research opportunity

Alternative Rites of Passage (ARP) are a relatively recent invention, and a key element in female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) abandonment strategies organised by NGOs in some regions of Africa, particularly East Africa. They aim to replicate traditional initiation rituals for pubescent girls who are transitioning to womanhood, but without FGM/C. This paper briefly describes the genesis of ARP in Kenya since 1996, and discusses its significance as a hybridised cultural assemblage that forms part of new cultural and relational processes. It emphasises the importance of examining the deep context in which ARP takes place, including the traditional ritual that it aims to replace. The paper identifies lacunae in the literature, and potential lines of enquiry for future research. The Appendix includes summaries of a selection of the literature on ARP

Pentecostal intimacies: women and intimate citizenship in the ministry of repentance and holiness in Kenya

This article explores the intersections of gender, sexuality and citizenship in the context of one prominent neo-Pentecostal movement in Kenya, the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness (MRH) led by the charismatic Prophet David Owuor. Employing the concept of intimate citizenship, the article analyses, first, how MRH engages in a contestation of intimate citizenship in the contemporary Kenyan public sphere, especially in relation to women’s bodies. Second, it examines how MRH simultaneously configures, through a range of highly intimate beliefs, practices and techniques, an alternative form of intimate citizenship defined by moral purity and concerned with a political project of moral regeneration. Coining the notion of ‘Pentecostal intimacies’, the article provides insight into the reasons why so many people, especially women, are attracted to MRH, and hence it interrogates the liberal frame in which intimate citizenship is usually conceptualised