Who is MWC?

World Directory
  *World Map 2003

World Assembly: Africa 2003
  *Photo Tour

Faith and Life Council, Peace Council

Global Youth Summit

Global Mission Fellowship

Program Plan 2003-2006

World Fellowship Sunday

Publications

News Releases

How can you participate?

South African Women Publish Bible Studies

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — Like many of the afternoon workshops at the Mennonite World Conference here, the 13 August presentation by the Umtata Women's Theology Group drew a standing-room-only crowd, with many people sitting on the floor and lining the walls of the meeting room.

The Mennonite and Brethren in Christ African Women Theologians sponsored the workshop. It told how this ecumenical South Africa-based group came into being more than 15 years ago and how it has found a significant role in writing and publishing Bible studies on critical social issues from the perspective of women.

Welekazi Sokutu, Pule Tshangela, Lynell Bergen Dyck, and Nomaza Roloti, told how five women returning from a 1987 conference on theology and social engagement in Johannesburg, South Africa conceived the group.

The women noted that the theological issues which most concerned women were always interpreted and explained by men. They asked themselves whether they could look at the Bible, their own situations and current issues of their society and culture, and come to understandings of biblical teachings which spoke more directly to women and their concerns.

Out of this beginning developed a group of about twelve Umtata-based women who have been meeting several times a month for 15 years. They have focused on personal sharing, social involvement, and Bible study. As a result, they have written and published eleven Bible study booklets on current social and religious issues which have a particular impact on women.

The subjects include an introduction to women's theology, women in the Old and New Testaments, sexuality, AIDS, marriage, parenting, singleness, divorce, aging and death.

The broad scope of subjects studied by the Umtata women reflects their understanding that women need to engage with all theological and social issues, not only those traditionally seen as "women's issues." Future Bible studies are being planned on such themes as a theology of work and male circumcision.

The latter is a growing problem in Southern Africa, where the practice has become separated from its traditional moorings. As a result boys and young men are sometimes taken to circumcision schools without their parents knowledge and consent, and without an adequate understanding of the meaning of the rites. Each year many initiates suffer trauma and even death as a result of unsanitary conditions and incompetent practitioners.

The Bible study booklets are prepared by the group as a whole through prayer, members' involvement in local programs, and reflection on scripture. To date the booklets have been translated from English into several African languages and have been distributed to women's groups throughout Africa as well as Canada, the US, Pakistan, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland and Australia.

Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ women's leader Treziah Ndlovu gave a strong endorsement of the booklets, noting that the Zimbabwe women have been using them for the past two years.

A current project of the group is to translate as many of the Bible study booklets into French as possible, for use in French speaking Africa. Sylvie Gudin, editor of Mennonite World Conference's French language Courier, will spend four months in Umtata beginning in October 2003 working on this translation project.

An essential part of the theological reflection of the group is the personal involvement of members in community social activities and programs. Participants have provided support to schools, health programs, and projects for street children in Umtata.

The Umtata group has always maintained a strong ecumenical flavor, involving Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, and African Independent Church participants. Mennonites have been involved with the group for many years through Mennonite Central Committee and Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission workers based in Umtata. Support for the work has come from Swiss Reformed churches and from Mennonite Women of Eastern Canada.

— Mennonite World Conference release by Tim Lind