“Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane”
On a typical Sunday afternoon, while roaming around the streets of TikTok, a social media application, my eyes landed on a video in which a female preacher was dancing vigorously on the pulpit. The comment section was abuzz with both words of admiration and notes of displeasure. It was clear in tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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UJ Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/2791 |
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| author | Princess Sibanda |
| author_facet | Princess Sibanda |
| author_sort | Princess Sibanda |
| collection | DOAJ |
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On a typical Sunday afternoon, while roaming around the streets of TikTok, a social media application, my eyes landed on a video in which a female preacher was dancing vigorously on the pulpit. The comment section was abuzz with both words of admiration and notes of displeasure. It was clear in that moment that her theological pedagogy was unsettling for most. Yet, I found it intriguing. It is also on TikTok that I encountered the tagline, “itai amen satani abhoekane” [say amen and make satan bored]. I was sold on her disruptive use of language, the singing of secular music in church, and dancing with abandon on the pulpit. Her name is Chaplain Christabel Phiri, a woman who in my view is reshaping theological discourse in Zimbabwe. Beyond that, she redefines what it means to be Christian and troubles the dichotomy that exists around Christianity and feminisms. Drawing on Chaplain Christine Phiri as my case study, I reveal, in this paper, the possibilities of feminist praxis within the church space. I offer an analysis of five of her sermons, referred to here as theological performances, as well as other performance elements such as costume, gestures, conduct, and props, including language.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8dde2479a2914c9584938ff999719f8d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2707-2991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | UJ Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) |
| spelling | doaj-art-8dde2479a2914c9584938ff999719f8d2025-01-08T08:59:11ZengUJ PressAfrican Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR)2707-29912024-01-0129210.36615/ajgr.v29i2.2791“Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane”Princess Sibanda On a typical Sunday afternoon, while roaming around the streets of TikTok, a social media application, my eyes landed on a video in which a female preacher was dancing vigorously on the pulpit. The comment section was abuzz with both words of admiration and notes of displeasure. It was clear in that moment that her theological pedagogy was unsettling for most. Yet, I found it intriguing. It is also on TikTok that I encountered the tagline, “itai amen satani abhoekane” [say amen and make satan bored]. I was sold on her disruptive use of language, the singing of secular music in church, and dancing with abandon on the pulpit. Her name is Chaplain Christabel Phiri, a woman who in my view is reshaping theological discourse in Zimbabwe. Beyond that, she redefines what it means to be Christian and troubles the dichotomy that exists around Christianity and feminisms. Drawing on Chaplain Christine Phiri as my case study, I reveal, in this paper, the possibilities of feminist praxis within the church space. I offer an analysis of five of her sermons, referred to here as theological performances, as well as other performance elements such as costume, gestures, conduct, and props, including language. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/2791Chaplain PhiriAfrican feminismsDecolonialityAfrican feminist theology.Popular participatory performanceKilljoy feminism |
| spellingShingle | Princess Sibanda “Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane” African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) Chaplain Phiri African feminisms Decoloniality African feminist theology. Popular participatory performance Killjoy feminism |
| title | “Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane” |
| title_full | “Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane” |
| title_fullStr | “Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane” |
| title_full_unstemmed | “Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane” |
| title_short | “Itai Amen Satani Abhoikane” |
| title_sort | itai amen satani abhoikane |
| topic | Chaplain Phiri African feminisms Decoloniality African feminist theology. Popular participatory performance Killjoy feminism |
| url | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/2791 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT princesssibanda itaiamensataniabhoikane |