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From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022)
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613986221981696 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | David, Stephen Kioko |
| author2 | Muller, Retief |
| author_browse | David, Stephen Kioko Muller, Retief |
| author_facet | Muller, Retief David, Stephen Kioko |
| author_sort | David, Stephen Kioko |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127065 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:51.414Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127065 From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) David, Stephen Kioko Muller, Retief Pentecostalism -- Africa Political theology Pentecostalism UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Neo-Pentecostalism is the new face of Christianity with global and local manifestations. Studies on Christianity in Africa have shifted their focus from mainstream Christianity to Pentecostalism. This study contributed to the discourse on Pentecostalism specifically on Pentecostal engagement in the public sphere. Therefore, the study interrogated the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals explaining the shift from disengagement to engagement in politics in Kenya (2000 -2022). Towards this end, the study was guided by the following objectives: To analyse the history and the theology of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya; to examine the theological shift of the Neo - Pentecostals from disengagement to engagement in Kenyan politics; to discuss the biblical-political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals and its impact on the Neo-Pentecostals involvement in Kenyan politics; to analyse the nature, extent and the prophetic role of Neo-Pentecostal’s engagement in Kenyan politics. While studies have been done on Neo-Pentecostals and public engagement, this study delved into the Neo-Pentecostal aspect of biblical interpretation regarding political involvement. On methodology, the study used a descriptive research design employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. To arrive at the appropriate study sample purposive, simple random, and stratified sampling procedures were used to sample bishops, pastors, and Church members from three Neo-Pentecostal Churches in Nairobi County and Nakuru County in Kenya. The study included two members of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), which is a representative body of Pentecostals on social matters. In total, the study sampled 221 respondents. Questionnaires, interview schedules, Focus group discussions, and personal observations were utilized in data collection. The field data was integrated with library research in analysing Neo-Pentecostal’s political hermeneutics, especially the shift from disengagement to engagement. The study data revealed that Neo-Pentecostalism finds its emergence within classical Pentecostalism through a period of growth within the story of the church. That Neo-Pentecostal theology is pneumatic, and although initially borrowed from evangelicalism, with time their theology has become more experiential with an emphasis on the lived experiences of the adherents. Further, the study found that while historically, the Neo-Pentecostal shift from disengagement to engagement was situated in eschatological contexts, eschatology with the quest of understanding the millennium and its place in the church was not purely what informed the shift. Besides, eschatology was the different hermeneutics that accompanied the Neo-Pentecostal emphasis on the Third person of the trinity; Holy Spirit. With a pneumatic posture in theology, Neo-Pentecostals interpret the Bible from a spiritualized orientation; what this study labelled spiritualized-selective-literal hermeneutics Concerning the Neo-Pentecostal nature and extent of involvement in Kenyan politics, the study established that Neo-Pentecostals are not normally active in terms of being prophetic. However, with a pneumatic theology and spirituality, demons and evil spirits are interpreted as the cause of individual and national problems. Consequently, their involvement in politics is spiritualized in the sense that prayer takes the centre stage. This is accompanied by a theology of deliverance, exorcising the demons which destroy the nation and its citizens. The findings of the study put together formed this thesis. The thesis will later be a source of scholarly articles and research papers on Pentecostal political hermeneutics. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Neo-Pinksterisme is die nuwe gesig van die Christendom met globale en plaaslike manifestasies. Studies oor Christenskap in Afrika het hul fokus verskuif vanhoofstroom Christendom na Pinkster. Hierdie studie het bygedra tot die diskoers oor Pinkster spesifiek oor Pinksterbetrokkenheid in die publieke sfeer. Daarom het die studie die politieke hermeneutiek van Neo-Pinkstermense ondervra wat die verskuiwing van onbetrokkenheid na betrokkenheid by politiek in Kenia (2000 -2022) verduidelik. Vir hierdie doel is die studie gelei deur die volgende doelwitte: Om die geskiedenis en die teologie van Neo-Pinkstermense in Kenia te ontleed; om die teologiese verskuiwing van die Neo-Pinkstermense van onbetrokkenheid na betrokkenheid by Keniaanse politiek te ondersoek; om die Bybels-politieke hermeneutiek van Neo-Pinkstermense en die impak daarvan op die Neo-Pinksterbetrokkenheid in Keniaanse politiek te bespreek; om die aard, omvang en die profetiese rol van Neo-Pinkster se betrokkenheid in Keniaanse politiek te ontleed. Terwyl studies oor Neo-Pinkstermense en openbare betrokkenheid gedoen is, het hierdie studie in die Neo-Pinkster aspek van Bybelse interpretasie rakende politieke betrokkenheid gedelf. Wat metodologie betref, het die studie 'n beskrywende navorsingsontwerp gebruik wat beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe benaderings gebruik. Om by die toepaslike studie uit te kom, is doelgerigte, eenvoudige ewekansige en gestratifiseerde steekproefprosedures gebruik om biskoppe, pastore en kerklede van drie Neo-Pinksterkerke in Nairobi County en Nakuru County in Kenia te monster. Die studie het twee lede van die Evangeliese Vereniging van Kenia (EAK) ingesluit, wat 'n verteenwoordigende liggaam van Pinkstermense oor sosiale aangeleenthede is. In totaal het die studie 191 respondente gesteek. Vraelyste, onderhoudskedules, Fokusgroepbesprekings en Waarnemings is in data-insameling gebruik. Die velddata is geïntegreer met biblioteeknavorsing in die ontleding van Neo-Pinkster se politieke hermeneutiek, veral die verskuiwing van ontkoppeling na betrokkenheid. Die studiedata het aan die lig gebring dat Neo-Pentekostalisme sy opkoms vind binne klassieke Pinksterisme deur 'n tydperk van groei binne die storie van die kerk. Dat Neo-Pinksterteologie pneumaties is, en hoewel dit aanvanklik aan evangelisasie ontleen is, het hulle teologie mettertyd meer ervaringsgerig geword met die klem op die geleefde ervarings van die aanhangers. Verder het die studie bevind dat hoewel die Neo-Pinksterverskuiwing van ontkoppeling na betrokkenheid histories in eskatologiese kontekste geleë was, was eskatologie met die soeke om die millennium en sy plek in die kerk te verstaan nie suiwer wat die verskuiwing ingelig het nie. Buitendien was eskatologie die verskillende hermeneutiek wat met die Neo-Pinksterbeklemtoning op die Derde persoon van die drie-eenheid gepaard gegaan het; Heilige Gees. Met 'n pneumatiese houding in die teologie interpreteer Neo-Pinkstermense die Bybel vanuit 'n vergeestelikte oriëntasie; wat hierdie studie as vergeestelikte-selektiewe-letterlike hermeneutiek bestempel het. Wat die Neo-Pinkster-aard en omvang van betrokkenheid by Keniaanse politiek betref, het die studie vasgestel dat Neo-Pinkstermense nie normaalweg aktief is in terme van profeties nie. Met 'n pneumatiese teologie en spiritualiteit word demone en bose geeste egter geïnterpreteer as die oorsaak van individuele en nasionale probleme. Gevolglik word hulle betrokkenheid by die politiek vergeestelik in die sin dat gebed die middelpunt inneem. Dit gaan gepaard met 'n teologie van bevryding, wat die demone uitdryf wat die nasie en sy burgers vernietig. Die bevindinge van die studie saamgestel het hierdie tesis gevorm. Die tesis sal later 'n bron wees van vakkundige artikels en navorsingsartikels oor Pinkster politieke hermeneutiek. Doctoral 2023-02-24T08:36:54Z 2023-05-18T07:02:33Z 2023-02-24T08:36:54Z 2023-05-18T07:02:33Z 2023-02 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127065 en Stellenbosch University xv, 311 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Pentecostalism -- Africa Political theology Pentecostalism UCTD David, Stephen Kioko From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) |
| title | From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) |
| title_full | From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) |
| title_fullStr | From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) |
| title_full_unstemmed | From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) |
| title_short | From disengagement to engagement : interrogating the political hermeneutics of Neo-Pentecostals in Kenya (2000-2022) |
| title_sort | from disengagement to engagement interrogating the political hermeneutics of neo pentecostals in kenya 2000 2022 |
| topic | Pentecostalism -- Africa Political theology Pentecostalism UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127065 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidstephenkioko fromdisengagementtoengagementinterrogatingthepoliticalhermeneuticsofneopentecostalsinkenya20002022 |