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Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614109508304896 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ntlapo, Headman S. |
| author2 | White, Peter |
| author_browse | Ntlapo, Headman S. White, Peter |
| author_facet | White, Peter Ntlapo, Headman S. |
| author_sort | Ntlapo, Headman S. |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134748 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:49.061Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134748 Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community Ntlapo, Headman S. White, Peter Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology. Social conditions -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Liberation theology -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Church and social problems -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Social justice -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Postcolonial theology -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Poverty -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Zwelihle (South Africa) UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Ntlapo, H. S. 2025. Mission as Liberation and Justice: A Missiological Exploration of Lived Experiences of the Zwelihle Community. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/e67bbe6e-73f2-4f5b-ae74-7a28f34f65af ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study examined the lived experiences of the Zwelihle community from a missiological perspective. It employed the theories of mission as liberation and justice to investigate how a missiological inquiry would elucidate a theological response to the lived experiences of a black township. As such, the study employs black theological paradigm as a theoretical basis for our investigation in order to address some of the theological and missiological questions imposed by the circumstances of a post-colonial township. This paradigm is explained as “the search”, theologically, for the meaning of the black situation, black identity, and black liberation through missiological lenses. It follows that a Black theology’s relevance would resonate with the Black people’s experiences of poverty and neo-colonialism. Our hypothesis centres on the question of how mission theology could influence the Zwelihle community in transformative ways. The empirical research found that residents expressed a pervasive sense of economic marginalisation, citing unemployment, inadequate housing, and limited access to basic services. These conditions were seen not merely as material deficits but as violations of human dignity and justice. The study further found that the land question emerged as a central concern, particularly in light of recent protests. Residents articulated a deep longing for land ownership and spatial inclusion, viewing land not only as a resource but as a symbol of belonging and identity. The community reported significant gaps in municipal service delivery, including sanitation, infrastructure, and public safety. These disparities were interpreted as systemic neglect and were linked to broader patterns of racialised governance and exclusion. The findings of the empirical research suggest that the role of theology in shaping community responses to injustice was evident. Residents frequently invoked religious language to describe their struggles and aspirations. Churches were seen as both spiritual sanctuaries and potential agents of social change, although there was also critique of ecclesial silence or complicity in the face of suffering. The findings suggest that a missiological response based on the concepts of mission as liberation and justice must be rooted in imago Dei, human dignity, and the theology of service. The study found that inadequate service delivery in Zwelihle constitutes a lack of respect for human dignity and social justice, challenging the church to respond prophetically. The notion of “Kingdom-based” mission was introduced to frame this response, emphasizing that the denial of basic services is a denial of the “abundant life promised in the Gospel”. In response, the study proposed a transformational service ethic, led by African church leaders committed to theo-decoloniality, a theological praxis that critically engages African realities through the reinterpretation of the Christian message. This calls for the church to become an agent of redress and reconstruction, advocating for justice, dignity, and inclusion. The findings conclude that a credible missiological response must involve the construction of a formidable Black identity, rooted in solidarity with the oppressed and informed by a theology of liberation. Such a response requires the formation of organic relationships with Black bodies and communities, affirming their worth and agency in the face of historical and ongoing marginalization. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Doctoral 2026-01-06T13:31:53Z 2026-01-06T13:31:53Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134748 en Stellenbosch University xv, 266 pages : illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Social conditions -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Liberation theology -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Church and social problems -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Social justice -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Postcolonial theology -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Poverty -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Zwelihle (South Africa) UCTD Ntlapo, Headman S. Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community |
| title | Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community |
| title_full | Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community |
| title_fullStr | Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community |
| title_short | Mission as liberation and justice : a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the Zwelihle community |
| title_sort | mission as liberation and justice a missiological exploration of lived experiences of the zwelihle community |
| topic | Social conditions -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Liberation theology -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Church and social problems -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Social justice -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Postcolonial theology -- Zwelihle (South Africa) Poverty -- Religious aspects -- Christianity -- Zwelihle (South Africa) UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134748 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ntlapoheadmans missionasliberationandjusticeamissiologicalexplorationoflivedexperiencesofthezwelihlecommunity |