Doing Church Differently
The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, alternatively known as the Circle, are a group known for their circle of knowledge sharing, whereby they sit together and share stories with participants actively listening and engaging with what is offered. The Circle is also known as a young foru...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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UJ Press
2024-07-01
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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/3328 |
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| _version_ | 1841554894414151680 |
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| author | Clementine Nishimwe |
| author_facet | Clementine Nishimwe |
| author_sort | Clementine Nishimwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
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The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, alternatively known as the Circle, are a group known for their circle of knowledge sharing, whereby they sit together and share stories with participants actively listening and engaging with what is offered. The Circle is also known as a young forum for theological dialogue and mentorship. Launched in 1989 under the leadership of Mercy Amba Oduyoye, the concept of the Circle has been prominent in African women’s (practical) theologies. However, it has yet to be explicitly applied to xenophobic contexts. Using the stories of selected African migrant women congregants at St. Aidan Anglican Church (SAAC), this article argues that employing the Circle’s methodologies of theologizing offers an alternative way of creating a relevant church in a xenophobic and gendered context. This argument is premised on three sub-arguments: First, employing such methodologies requires voicing migrant women’s experiences of gender-based marginalization and violence to inform the church’s support to victims. Second, their experiences of inclusion in the church would shape how cultural diversity is handled. Third, migrant women’s “individualized” experiences of God would inform the church’s communal approach to living together and promote sisterhood among migrant women and between migrant and host community women. This article focuses on the sensory aspects of the Eucharist including the sharing of food, smells/incense, and narratives to explore and examine the experiences of African women migrating within Africa. It also examines the potential of the Circle in nurturing a more vibrant and inclusive church.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c84c21573ddc49a687c97c8ce513e82b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2707-2991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | UJ Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) |
| spelling | doaj-art-c84c21573ddc49a687c97c8ce513e82b2025-01-08T08:59:07ZengUJ PressAfrican Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR)2707-29912024-07-0130110.36615/ermwq003Doing Church DifferentlyClementine Nishimwe0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9257-9037University of Johannesburg The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, alternatively known as the Circle, are a group known for their circle of knowledge sharing, whereby they sit together and share stories with participants actively listening and engaging with what is offered. The Circle is also known as a young forum for theological dialogue and mentorship. Launched in 1989 under the leadership of Mercy Amba Oduyoye, the concept of the Circle has been prominent in African women’s (practical) theologies. However, it has yet to be explicitly applied to xenophobic contexts. Using the stories of selected African migrant women congregants at St. Aidan Anglican Church (SAAC), this article argues that employing the Circle’s methodologies of theologizing offers an alternative way of creating a relevant church in a xenophobic and gendered context. This argument is premised on three sub-arguments: First, employing such methodologies requires voicing migrant women’s experiences of gender-based marginalization and violence to inform the church’s support to victims. Second, their experiences of inclusion in the church would shape how cultural diversity is handled. Third, migrant women’s “individualized” experiences of God would inform the church’s communal approach to living together and promote sisterhood among migrant women and between migrant and host community women. This article focuses on the sensory aspects of the Eucharist including the sharing of food, smells/incense, and narratives to explore and examine the experiences of African women migrating within Africa. It also examines the potential of the Circle in nurturing a more vibrant and inclusive church. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/3328Circle of Concerned African Women TheologiansMercy Amba OduyoyeAfrican women's theologiesXenophobic contextsSt. Aidan Anglican Church (SAAC)African migrant women |
| spellingShingle | Clementine Nishimwe Doing Church Differently African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians Mercy Amba Oduyoye African women's theologies Xenophobic contexts St. Aidan Anglican Church (SAAC) African migrant women |
| title | Doing Church Differently |
| title_full | Doing Church Differently |
| title_fullStr | Doing Church Differently |
| title_full_unstemmed | Doing Church Differently |
| title_short | Doing Church Differently |
| title_sort | doing church differently |
| topic | Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians Mercy Amba Oduyoye African women's theologies Xenophobic contexts St. Aidan Anglican Church (SAAC) African migrant women |
| url | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/3328 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT clementinenishimwe doingchurchdifferently |