Benefaction and Patronage in Leadership

Nathan Nzyoka Joshua

Description

Since antiquity, many have come to view benefaction and patronage in a negative light, largely due to the increasingly immoral motives of those involved in systems that can be exploitative or corrupt. Dr Nathan Joshua provides a counter to this perception and instead draws attention to the goodness of godly benefaction and patronage from an African Christian perspective.
Dr Joshua gives a detailed historical analysis of the Pastoral Epistles in the social context of benefaction and patronage in the first century AD, while offering a comparative study on how to carefully apply the values of benefaction and patronage in light of Paul’s perspective in the Pastoral Epistles, in Christian life and leadership. This is a valuable resource addressing the need for leadership with integrity, and challenging the negative outlook surrounding benefaction and patronage today.

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 30 novembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783685028
• Langue: English

Extrait

This work meticulously examines the concept of benefaction and patronage in the Pastoral Epistles in ways that are relevant to the needs of the global church. Anyone who undertakes to understand the communities in Africa will find this work a necessary resource.
David Ngaruiya, PhD
Associate Professor and Director of Theological Studies PhD Program,
International Leadership University, Nairobi, Kenya
Nathan Nzyoka Joshua breaks new ground in the study of the Pastoral Epistles by carefully and responsibly locating them within the ancient practice of benefaction and patronage. His work has added benefit by applying his findings to ecclesial structures in his own East African context. An eye-opening and challenging work.
James C. Miller, PhD
Professor of Inductive Biblical Studies,
Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky, USA

Benefaction and Patronage in Leadership
A Socio-Historical Exegesis of the Pastoral Epistles
Nathan Nzyoka Joshua

© 2018 Nathan Nzyoka Joshua
Published 2018 by Langham Monographs
An imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK
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ISBNs:
978-1-78368-501-1 Print
978-1-78368-502-8 ePub
978-1-78368-503-5 Mobi
978-1-78368-504-2 PDF
Nathan Nzyoka Joshua has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked RSV are from Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Translations of the Greek New Testament are the author’s own.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78368-501-1
Cover & Book Design: ProjectLuz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and an author’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth here or in works referenced within this publication, nor can we guarantee technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

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To
God
my wife, Regina Muthoki
our children, Irene Mwende, Nason Ngila and Nehemiah Musembi
my late father, Joshua Kieti Munyao
late father-in-law, Jackson Muia Masai
mother, Alice Kieti
mother-in-law, Jane Muia
the late Rev Daniel Mulemba
the late ex-senior chief, Paul Munguti
and the entire church fraternity in Africa
Contents

Cover


Acknowledgements


Abstract


Abbreviations


Chapter 1 General Introduction and Modern Scholarship on Benefaction and Patronage


1.1 General Introduction


1.2 Intended Contribution to Biblical Scholarship


1.3 Delimitations


1.4 Methodology


1.5 Authorship of the Pastoral Epistles


1.6 Modern Scholarship on Benefaction and Patronage


Chapter 2 Socio-Historical Background of Benefaction and Patronage


2.1 Introduction


2.2 Ancient Sources


2.3 Benefaction and Patronage in the Greek, Roman and Jewish Contexts


2.4 Conclusion


Chapter 3 Benefaction, Patronage, and Leadership in the Pastoral Epistles Text


3.1 Introduction


3.2 Benefaction and Patronage in the Pastoral Epistles


3.3 Pastoral Epistles Characters as Benefactors and Patrons


3.4 Humans as Benefactors and Patrons


3.5 Conclusion


Chapter 4 Influences of African Benefaction and Patronage on Africa Inland Church Leadership


4.1 Introduction


4.2 Faith and Moral Character of Church Leaders


4.3 Management Skill


4.4 Economic Status


4.5 Conclusion


Chapter 5 Summary and Conclusions


5.1 Summary


5.2 Conclusions


5.3 Recommendations


Appendix A Questionnaires


Appendix B Interviewees for Chapter 4


Bibliography


Primary Sources


Secondary Sources


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Acknowledgements
My utmost gratitude is to God for enabling me to do this study. Heartfelt thanks to Dr Margaret G. Sim, Professor I. Howard Marshall and Professor Samuel M. Ngewa for your faithful supervision with godly patience and encouragement in my writing. Sincere thanks to the Fraser-Peckham Trust through Jeremy and Jan; to Lamb Foundation through Martha Johnston; to Wayfarers Ministries Inc. through Betty Wagner; to Overseas Council International; to Professor Chester and Dolores Wood; to Christian Leaders for Africa; to all family members; and to friends, for your sacrificial financial benefaction to us. Gratitude to my wife and our children; to the pioneer PhD cohort of Africa International University (AIU), its faculty and support staff; to the second PhD cohort, and all other doctoral studies cohorts, and their teaching and support staff; to all AIU faculty members, administration and staff; to all other AIU academic cohorts and friends, for your prayers, patience, sacrifice, positive challenge and constant encouragement throughout my writing.
Abstract
This work is a development from my PhD dissertation titled “Benefaction and Patronage in the Pastoral Epistles: Influences on the Author.” It is a historical analysis of the epistles in the social context of benefaction and patronage in the first century AD. The core proposition is that, as Paul formulated and promulgated the instructions for guidance and administration of the Pastoral Epistles (PE) churches, he either deliberately or subconsciously utilized the ideologies of Greek benefaction ( εὐεργεσία ), Roman patronage (patronicium) and Jewish kinship benefaction systems . That fact is portrayed in his employment of principles and expressions that were common in those systems. Some previous studies have focused on what the scholars view as PE author’s biased support for the “corrupted systems.” In this study however, the discussion is on how Paul interacted prudently with both the positive and negative principles of material and nonmaterial benefaction and patronage. Prime among other arguments is that, Paul encouraged PE churches to function as good benefaction and patronage associations. His portrayal of God as “the only God and saviour of all people” and Christ as “the only mediator between God and humans” had patronal nuances. Likewise, from a patronal perspective, as the false teachers had abandoned sound doctrine and were destroying the faith and conduct of believers, they were rejecting and causing others also to reject dependence on God and loyalty to him as “the Chief Patron,” and denying loyalty to Paul as a “secondary patron.” In PE churches also, there apparently was laxity in giving benefaction, and in reciprocation for it. Hence, together with confronting heresy and exhorting believers to adhere to sound faith, Paul exposed and confronted malpractice in the benefaction systems, and, instead, encouraged participation in the positive aspects of the systems.
This study also assesses how the positive and negative principles of ancient and modern African benefaction and patronage have influenced the Africa Inland Church (AIC), especially its leadership philosophy. AIC acknowledges PE as the basis for its administrative philosophy. The study about Paul’s interaction with the positive and negative aspects of the first century benefaction and patronage systems enables the African biblical scholarship and church fraternities to read and apply PE instructions with better understanding of the relationship between patronage and church leadership.
Abbreviations
1 Apol. Justin Martyr, First Apology 2 Apol. Justin Martyr, Second Apology ACC Area Church Council AIC Africa Inland Church AIM Africa Inland Mission AIU Africa International University ALGNT Mounce, The Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament Alleg. Leg. Philo, De Allegoriis Legum (The Allegories of the Legislative) Ant Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews ATR Anglican Theological Review BD Blass, F., and Debrunner, A., A Greek English Grammar of the New Testament (trans. by R. W. Funk), Chicago/Cambridge, 1961 (Same as BDF below.) BDAG Walter Bauer, F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich. A Greek-E