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A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe
Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 1999.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2012
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| _version_ | 1867614090748231680 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Mutumburanzou, Anos Rex |
| author2 | Coertzen, Pieter |
| author_browse | Coertzen, Pieter Mutumburanzou, Anos Rex |
| author_facet | Coertzen, Pieter Mutumburanzou, Anos Rex |
| author_sort | Mutumburanzou, Anos Rex |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 1999. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51112 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:30.498Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publishDateRange | 2012 |
| publishDateSort | 2012 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51112 A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe Mutumburanzou, Anos Rex Coertzen, Pieter Pauw, C. M. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology. Missions -- Zimbabwe -- History Christianity and culture -- Zimbabwe -- History -- 20th century Dissertations -- Theology Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 1999. The establishment of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe, at the end of 19th century, was unique for two factors. Firstly, the fact that it was initiated by African christians of the Dutch Reformed Church in the Zoutpansberg, who were under the guidance and inspiration of Rev. Stephanus Hofmeyr, who also had a vision of training the African christians so as to equip them for carrying the gospel to others. It was often during their hunting expedition, across the Limpopo river, in Zimbabwe, where they visited periodically, that they used their spare time to proclaim the gospel to the Shona people. Secondly, it was unique in the fact that this missionary activity was initially a joint undertaking by White, Coloured and African missionaries, a situation which was hard to come by in South Africa during that time because of the racial practices which had been introduced in the country. The lives of the Shona people who were a social group who often cherished peace and stability was often at stake because the Matebele raids plundered their homes and confiscated their properties, women, children, cattle, corn while the rest of the people were murdered in cold blood and their homes set in flames. However, at the fullness of time, through the providence of God, a number of inspired missionaries were challenged to preach the Word of God to these needy people but who also worshipped God in their own way. Such missionaries were from the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society in Basutoland (Lesotho); from the D.R.C.M. of the Zoutpansberg as well as from the Western Cape in South Africa. All these made sacrifices by leaving their work, parents, relatives, friends and venturing across the Limpopo river into Zimbabwe, passing through gorges, rivers, thickets, ravines amidst wild animals to a strange country. The outcome of their venture was the establishment of the R.C.Z. venture was the establishment of the R.C.Z. However, these missionaries in their missionary venture, they did not take cognisance of the cultural values of the Shona people but instead, they brought a christianity that had the ethos of Europe and propagated this ethos to the people. Consequently, christianity and western culture were viewed by the Africans as synonymous. Accordingly, the European missionaries viewed christianity and western culture as opposite sides of the same coin. The tendency was to look down upon the African Traditional culture as well as the Africans themselves. In their endeavour to spread the gospel to these Shona people in order to win them to Christ, they used various methods. Some of them produced positive results while some gradually incurred problems in their work. The various methods used were as follows: church planting and the introduction of church order, evangelism, worship, Bible translation or provision of literature, stewardship, education, medical work, Theological Training, Theological Education by Extension, leadership, urban ministry, Bible correspondence, courses and training, Munyai Washe, a Printing Press, a book distribution network, a radio studio called Penya and farming. This study has been divided into two parts with the first part as the Missionary or Muneri era and the second as the post independence era with the handover of 4th May, 1977 as the link. In a number of chapters, the study commerces with the background of the political situation which influenced a number of events for the given time. Comparing the development in a number of areas between the Muneri era and the post independence era, the study reveals that the R.C.Z. grew better when it became indigenized than during the Muneri era. On the other hand, on the road ahead, the R.C.Z. has to consider the validity of some of these methods used in order to continue to improve them or devise other means of utilizing them in order to achieve better results. Since God is part of this historical perspective of R.C.Z. and He guided the missionaries for their challenging work, in the same way, on the road ahead, He will surely continue to guide, gather, equip and bless His church so that it may continue to grow in His holiness. Doctoral 2012-08-27T11:34:20Z 2012-08-27T11:34:20Z 1999-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/51112 en Stellenbosch University 356 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Missions -- Zimbabwe -- History Christianity and culture -- Zimbabwe -- History -- 20th century Dissertations -- Theology Mutumburanzou, Anos Rex A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe |
| title | A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | A historical perspective on the development of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | historical perspective on the development of the reformed church in zimbabwe |
| topic | Missions -- Zimbabwe -- History Christianity and culture -- Zimbabwe -- History -- 20th century Dissertations -- Theology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/51112 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mutumburanzouanosrex ahistoricalperspectiveonthedevelopmentofthereformedchurchinzimbabwe AT mutumburanzouanosrex historicalperspectiveonthedevelopmentofthereformedchurchinzimbabwe |