Journal: Conspectus
Volume: CONSPECTUS 37:1 (Apr 2024)
Article: Reconciliation In South Africa: Recent Contributions And The Part African Pentecostalism Can Play
Author: Bambo Miti

Conspectus 37:1 (April 2024) p. 54

Reconciliation In South Africa: Recent Contributions And The Part African Pentecostalism Can Play

Bambo Miti

University of South Africa

About The Author

Mr. Bambo Miti obtained his B.Th., a B.Th. (Hons), and an M.Th in Systematic Theology from the University of South Africa (UNISA). He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Systematic Theology at UNISA. He has presented papers at notable international conferences. His research interests include African Theology, African Pentecostalism, ecumenism, reconciliation, and migration. His doctoral research focuses on the role of faith traditions (African Pentecostalism) in dealing with the problem of violence and xenophobia in the local South African communities. Miti is a religious leader within the Pentecostal church and was a proposal research fellow (2022–2023) at the Social Science Research Council (SSRC). Bambo Miti is also a beneficiary of the Coimbra group scholarship, a scholarship that allows young African researchers to spend 1–3 months at a European university researching their proposed Ph.D. topic and establishing academic connections. Email: [email protected]

This article: https://www.sats.ac.za/conspectus/reconciliation-south-africa-recent https://doi.org/10.54725/conspectus.2024.1.4

Abstract

The current socio-political approaches to reconciliation in South Africa are fragile which is evidenced by the high levels of poverty, corruption, and inequalities which cancel the strides taken in the right direction of democratizing and unifying the country. These inadequacies evidence a need to come up with new ideas, particularly from the religious sector, that can play a leading role in enhancing the capacity of these socio-political systems to build reconciled and peaceful communities. Pentecostalism has the potential to be used as an instrument of peace and reconciliation in our community, therefore this article explores African Pentecostalism as a way of assessing how this tradition can contribute to the transformation of communities, leading to co-existence, reconciliation, and love for the other. To achieve this objective, this study will make use of a systematic review methodology which will involve analyzing selected works written by various scholars on the topic of reconciliation and African Pentecostalism.

Keywords

Reconciliation, African Pentecostalism, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, retributive justice, unity

Conspectus 37:1 (April 2024) p. 55

1. Introduction

The purpose of this research is to learn more about African Pentecostalism as part of the broader Christian tradition by discussing recent developments on reconciliat...