Victory Over Fear: Charms, Witchcraft and Worldview in South-Central Malawi

Robert Beaton

Description

This volume is about effective discipleship. The author discusses how it is possible to transform worldview and thus change behaviour (practice) in the area of African traditional religious charm- dependency and related witchcraft practices in the church. He lays foundations for an appropriate approach for renewal, one which takes into consideration cultural sensitivity, Biblical fidelity and pedagogic efficacy. Specific Biblical passages are studied with a view to both theological significance and practically applicable significance for the context, and suggestions are made regarding how to best communicate these Biblical truths effectively in situ. This material provides a malleable resource for church leaders, theological educators and missionaries, to use, develop or modify, according to their own particular didactic needs and specific ATR challenges to Christian discipleship.

Sujets

• Social Science
• Sociologie, société et politique
• Anthropology

Informations

• Publié par: Kachere Series
• Date de parution: 25 mai 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789996025471
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

V V ic i t ct o o ry ry O O v v er er F F e e ar ar - - V i ic t toryOverFear:Charms, W i i t tchcraftandWorldviewin South - -CentralMalawi

V V ol o u lu m m e e 2 2

Volume2

T T o ow a a r r d d s s a aB i ib l l i ica l lResponse:Word,Spirit a a n ndPedagogy i inContext

Robert Beaton

Robert Beaton

VICTORY OVER FEAR: CHARMS, WITCHCRAFT AND WORLDVIEW IN SOUTH-CENTRAL MALAWI

Volume 2

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Copyright 2023 by Rev. Dr. Robert Beaton

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 prior permission from the publishers.

Published by Kachere Series P.O. Box 1037, Zomba

ISBN: 978-99960-25-48-8 eISBN: 978-99960-25-47-1

The Kachere Series is represented outside Malawi by: African Books Collective, Oxford (also for e-books) ([e-mail])

www.africanbookscollective

Layout & Cover Design: Josephine Kawejere Cover Art: Hope May Beaton

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VICTORY OVER FEAR: CHARMS, WITCHCRAFT AND WORLDVIEW IN SOUTH-CENTRAL MALAWI

Volume 2: Towards a Biblical Response: Word, Spirit and Pedagogy in Context

Rev. Dr. Robert Bruce Beaton Kachere Books no. 83 Kachere Series Zomba 2023

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Kachere Series P.O. Box 1037, Zomba, Malawi This book is part of the Kachere Series, a range of books on religion, culture and society from Malawi. Some of the related Kachere titles are: Boston Soko, Nchimi Chikanga:The Battle against Witchcraft in Malawi Rhodian G. Munyenyembe,Christianity and Socio-Cultural Issues: The Charismatic Movement and Contextualization in Malawi James Tengatenga,The UMCA in Malawi: A History of the Anglican Church Uledi Kamanga ed.,Society and the Arts: Studies in Gender, Literature and Language Mzee Hermann Y Mvula,The Theory, Praxis and Pursuit of Constitutionalism in Democratic Malawi: An Old Testament Ethical Perspective. The Kachere Series is the publication arm of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies of the University of Malawi

INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS: Prof. Bosman Hendrik Prof. Clement Majawa Prof. John Kapya Kaoma _________________________________________________________ Series Editors: Rev. Dr. J. Thipa, Mzee Dr. H. Mvula, Sheikh Dr. I.S. Mohammad, Dr. J. Mawerenga, Fr. Dr. Chaima, Dr. D. Tembo, Mr. R. Mdoka

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DEDICATION For the late, Rev. Lameck Masoamphambe, my former pupil, friend and trustworthy advisor. Thank you. Rest in peace and joy in our Lord Jesus Christ, my dear brother.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS On the home-front, my wife Lesley has been a constant source of support and encouragement and my children have given me the time and space to complete my research and this book. Special thanks go to Hope May for the cover art. I am greatly indebted to Rev. Molten Kalima for helping to arrange the Focus Group sessions, and to the late, Rev. Lamech Masoamphambe, for his hard work in transcribing many of the recordings. I am also deeply grateful to every pastor and student- pastor who gave up so much of their time to be part of the Focus Groups. Thanks too, go to EBCoM (the Evangelical Bible College of Malawi), for the use of a classroom. Special thanks to Rev. Zacchaeus Jekemu, the Chairman of Trustees for the Zambezi Evangelical Church, for his willingness (along with the other trustees and the denominational leadership team) to see the book published, and for kindly writing the foreword. Again, thanks go to Dr. Hermann Mvula, from Chancellor College, who took the time to read this manuscript and offer encou- ragement and constructive criticism. Thanks also to Rev. Dr. Hany Longwe, for the feedback and the back-cover endorsement. To all my friends, colleagues and acquaintances who were willing to discuss charms and witchcraft with me, and to those who urged me to persevere, thank you. Finally, to the one who is able to keep us from falling, and present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy," to Him, "Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24-25).

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FOREWORD Dependency on charms and witchcraft are some of the most challenging factors to discipleship in Malawian churches. The author recognizes the existence of these phenomena as already depicted in the first volume, and begins to move towards providing solutions to the challenges posed. The book provides much needed tools that church leaderships and members require to deal with the charm-dependency problem. It is thus hoped that church leaders and professing Christians will embrace the Biblical and pedagogical insights found on these pages with the aim of winning the battle faced. The book provides a vital resource for in-service training of both church leaders and members in this fight against charm-dependency and witchcraft. I am confident that if used as a helpful stimulus and resource, the book will help us to move on towards solutions to overcoming the challenges at hand. I therefore implore all church leaders in the Zambezi Evangelical Church, and those in other denominations too, to make full use of the wisdom found in this book to help transform our churches in Malawi and Africa at large into better places for disciples and discipleship making.

Rev. ZACHEUS JEKEMU Chair: The Board of Trustees of Zambezi Evangelical Church Pastor: South Lunzu Zambezi Evangelical Church B.Ed. (Social Studies), DipTH

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword ................................................... 7 Abbreviations ................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................. 10 Chapter One Transformation in Missional Perspective: Evangelical Convictions and Missiological Foundations ............................................. 15 Chapter Two Worldview Transformation in Missional Perspective in the Malawian Context ....... 27 Chapter ThreeBiblical Authority and an Evangelical  Missional Hermeneutic ............................. 60 Chapter Four Key Biblical Texts Explored in Context: A Discourse on Theological Significance and Practically Applicable Significance ............ 82 Chapter Five Pedagogic Considerations for Effective Communication of Biblical Truth in the Context ............................................... 247 Chapter Six Conclusions and Recommendations ....... 274 Figure 1 A Redemptive Picture of a Transformed Worldview ................................................. 95 Bibliography ............................................... 301

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ABBREVIATIONS

ATR EBCoM NIV

NWU PFG SFG ZEC

African Traditional Religions Evangelical Bible College of Malawi New International Version (1984 translation) (Scripture quotations are fom NIV unless otherwise stated)

North West University Pastors' Focus Group Student-Pastors' Focus Group Zambezi Evangelical Church

Old Testament Abbreviations: Gen; Ex; Lev; Num; Deut; Jos; Judg; Ruth; 1 Sam; 2 Sam; 1 Kgs; 2 Kgs; 1 Chr; 2 Chr; Ezra; Neh; Est; Job; Ps; Prov; Eccl; Song; Isa; Jer; Lam; Ez; Dan; Hos; Joel; Amos; Obad; Jonah; Mic; Nah; Hab; Zeph; Hag; Zech; Mal.

New Testament Abbreviations: Mt; Mk; Lk; Jn; Acts; Rom; 1 Cor; 2 Cor; Gal; Eph; Phil; Col; 1 Th; 2 Th; 1 Tim; 2 Tim; Tit; Phm; Heb; Jas; 1 Pt; 2 Pt; 1 Jn; 2 Jn; 3 Jn; Jude; Rev.

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