Introduction: African Pentecostalism, Genders, Sexualities and Spirituality
Chammah J. Kaunda
Sokfa F. John
PART I: THEOLOGICAL, PUBLIC, AND GENDERED CONSTRUCTIONS AND VIOLENT ENACTIONS
Problematising the use of the Bible in the human sexuality and Pentecostal spirituality
Lovemore Togarasei
Moving forward in Reverse Gear? Sexuality, Dress and Public Spaces in Harare
Tapiwa Praise Mapuranga
Publicising the ‘Private’: New Pentecostal Movements in Zimbabwe and the Discourses on Sexuality
Molly Manyonganise
“A new man in Christ?”: Pentecostalism and the construction of masculinities
Rosinah Mmannana Gabaitse
Interaction between Societal Constructions on Women Fertility and African Pentecostalism: A Seedbed for Gender-Based Violence in Swaziland
Sonene Nyawo
Zambian Pentecostalism, Gender Based Violence and Human Rights of Victims
Jackie Mapulanga-Hulston
Maureen Mapulanga Chikoya
‘Clean the Nation Spiritually’: The Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs (MNGRA) and National Sexual Moral Order in Zambia
Chammah J. Kaunda
Nelly Mwale
Joseph Chita
Mutale M Kaunda
PART II: MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND SINGLENESS
Afro-Pentecostalism and Marital Challenges: A Kenyan Perspective
Elizabeth Nancy Muriithi
Julius Gathogo
Josephine Gitome
The Ideal Does Not Exist On Earth: Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in African Pentecostalism
David Tonghou Ngong
Initiation Rites and Sex Education: A Ghanaian Pentecostal Perspective
Emmanuel Kwesi Anim
An Appraisal of Pentecostal Children’s Understanding of Sex and Sexuality
Mutale M. Kaunda
Josephine Y. Towani
“Need but Not Numbers”: Challenges Enshrined in Pentecostal Discourses of Singlehood in Zimbabwe: An African Womanist Perspective
Kudzai Biri
Sexuality, Marriage and Singleness among Pentecostal Indian Women in South Africa
Linda Naicker
‘Virtual People’ and Matches Made in Heaven: The Pitch of Born-Again Dating Platforms and Pentecostal Attitude towards Online Dating
Sokfa F. John
PART III: TRADITIONS, NON-CONFORMITY GENDERS/SEXUALIES
Continuity and Discontinuity of Haya Traditions on Charismatic Teaching on Human Sexuality in Tanzania
Faith K. Lugazia
‘Can a Queer be Born Again?’: The Experiences of the LGBTIQ+ Pentecostals at Grace Bible Church Soweto
Tebogo Sewapa
Is Homosexuality the Eternal Sin? A Critique of Pentecostal Arguments against Same-Sex Relations in Africa
Asonzeh Ukah
‘Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin’: Homosexuality and Masculinity Politics among Pentecostal-Charismatics – A Case of the Mighty Men’s Conference (MMC)
Kennedy Owino
Congolese Pentecostalism, and Gender and Sexual Orientation
Isaac K. Mbabazi
Performances of Sexualities: Exploring Discourses of Heteronormativity and Prejudice in Pentecostal Spaces
Sindiso Zhou
Nhlanhla Landa
Infidelity among Afro-Pentecostal leadership: The Kenyan case
Julius Gathogo
Chammah J. Kaunda is Assistant Professor of World Christianity and Theology in the Global Institute of Theology and college of Theology/United Graduate School of Theology, Yonsei University, South Korea.
This book examines the complex and multifaceted nature of African Pentecostal engagements with genders and sexualities. In the last three decades, African Pentecostalism has emerged as one the most visible and profound aspects of religious change on the continent, and is a social force that straddles cultural, economic, and political spheres. Its conventional and selective literal interpretations of the Bible with respect to gender and sexualities are increasingly perceived as exhibiting a strong influence on many aspects of social and public institutions and their moral orientations. This collection features articles which examine sexualities and genders in African Pentecostalism using interdisciplinary methodological and theoretical approaches grounded within traditional African thought systems, with the goal of enabling a broader understanding of Pentecostalism and sexualities in Africa.