Healing as a Distinctive Feature of African Christianity

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 31 Sayı: 2, 443 - 461, 30.12.2022

Bayram Akbulut

https://doi.org/10.51447/uluifd.1063469

Öz

For Christians, one of the prominent features of Jesus, besides being the Son of God, is his healing miracles. Reviving the dead, exorcising demons, healing lepers, the paralyzed, the deaf, and the blind are some of the healing miracles that Jesus showed. The miracle of healing has survived to the present day through the apostles and saints after Jesus. Although the Reformed Churches rejected the healing, it was brought back to the agenda by certain groups and names in the 18th and 19th centuries and even became an indispensable element for Pentecostal Churches and African Independent Churches. Especially today, healing stands out as a distinctive feature for many churches established in Africa. Besides the effect of the healing on the missionary activities and the emphasis on the theology of these churches established under the African Independent Churches, some of them were named as healing churches. In this article, after revealing the nature of healing in African Traditional Religions and Mainstream Christianity, the meaning and importance of healing in African Christianity and its unique structure different from other Christian groups are mentioned.

Anahtar Kelimeler

History of Religions, Africa, African Traditional Religions, Christianity, African Independent Churches, Healing.

Afrika Hıristiyanlığının Ayırıcı Özelliği Olarak Şifa Bağışı

Öz

Hıristiyanlar açısından İsa Mesih’in Tanrı Oğlu olmasının yanında öne çıkan özelliklerinden biri şifacılığıdır. Ölüleri diriltmesi, cinleri kovması, cüzzamlıları, felçlileri, sağırları ve körleri iyileştirmesi İsa Mesih’in küçüklüğünden vefatına kadar göstermiş olduğu şifa mucizelerin-den bir kısmıdır. Şifa mucizesi, İsa Mesih’ten sonra havariler ve azizler yoluyla devam ettirilmiş ve günümüze kadar gelmiştir. Katolik ve Ortodokslardan bağımsız olarak her ne kadar Reform Kiliseleri şifa bahşetme yeteneğini reddetmiş olsalar da 18. ve 19. yüzyıllarda şifa bağışı belli başlı gruplar ve isimler sayesinde tekrar gündeme gelmiş hatta Pentekostal Kiliseler ile Bağımsız Afrika Kiliseleri için vazgeçilmez bir unsur halini almıştır. Günümüzde şifa mucizesi, Afrika’da kurulan birçok kilise için ayırıcı bir özellik olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Zira şifa bağışının gerek misyonerlik faaliyetlerindeki etkisi gerekse söz konusu kiliselerin teolojilerindeki vurgusu sebebiyle Bağımsız Afrika Kiliseleri altında kurulan kiliselerin bir kısmı şifa kilisesi olarak adlandırılmıştır. Bu makalede, Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri ile ana akım Hıristiyanlıkta şifa bağışının mahiyeti ortaya konduktan sonra Afrika Hıristiyanlığında şifa bağışının anlam ve önemine ayrıca diğer Hıristiyan gruplardan farklı kendi özgün yapısına değinilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Dinler Tarihi, Afrika, Geleneksel Afrika Dinleri, Hıristiyanlık, Bağımsız Afrika Kiliseleri, Şifa., History of Religions, Africa, African Traditional Religions, Christianity, African Independent Churches, Healing.

Kaynakça

• Anderson, Allan. “Healing in the Zion Christian Churches of Southern Africa: Daneel’s Research in Zimbabwe Compared with the South African Movement”. Frontiers of African Christianity: Essays in Honour of Inus Daneel. ed. Greg Cuthbertson vd. 103–119. Pretoria: Unisa Press, 2003.
• Anderson, Allan. “The Lekganyanes and Prophecy in the Zion Christian Church”. Journal of Religion in Africa 29/3 (1999), 285–312.
• Antunes, José. “African Independent Churches Origin and Development”. Anthropos 88 (1993), 393–402.
• Arslan, Hammet. “Afrika Topluluklarında Tabiat Kültü ve Tabii Unsurlara Atfedilen Güçler”. Bartın Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi 4/8 (2017), 2–16.
• Arslan, Hammet. “‘Geleneksel Afrika Dini’nde Tanrı Tasavvuru”. Bartın Üniversitesi İslami İlimler Fakültesi Dergisi 2/4 (2015), 7–26.
• Asamoah-Gyadu, J. Kwabena. “Spirit and Empowerment: The African Initiated Church Movement and Development”. African Initiated Christianity and the Decolonisation of Development. Ed. Philipp Öhlmann vd. London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2020.
• Chitando, Ezra. “African Initiated Christianity in South Africa”. The Routledge Companion to Christianity in Africa. Ed. Elias Bongmba. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2016.
• Cox, James L. “Methodological Views on African Religions”. The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to African Religions. ed. Elias Kifon Bongmba. 25–40. West Sussex: Blackwell Publishing Limited, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118255513
• Eide, Oyvind M. Revolution and Religion in Ethiopia: The Growth and Persecution of the Mekane Yesus Church 1974-1985. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University Press, 2000.
• Hollenweger, Walter J. The Pentecostals: The Charismatic Movement in the Churches. Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1972. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004
• Kaplan, Steven. “The Beta Israel (Falasha) Encounter with Protestant Missionaries: 1860-1905”. Jewish Social Studies 49/1 (1987), 27–42.
• Kau, Sello Edgar. A Comparative Study of Isaiah Shembe and Emmanuel Milingo’s Ministries and Their Contribution to African Christianity. Pietermaritzburg: the University of Natal, School of Theology, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 1999.
• Krüger, J. S. Along Edges: Religion in South Africa: Bushman, Christian, Buddhist. Pretoria: University of South Africa, 1995.
• Maimela, Simon. “Salvation in African Traditional Religions”. Missionalia 13/2 (1985), 63–77.
• Mashabela, James Kenokeno. “Healing in a Cultural Context: The Role of Healing as a Defining Character in the Growth and Popular Faith of the Zion Christian Church”. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae 43/2 (2017), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.25159/2412-4265/1909
• Mbiti, John. African Religions and Philosophy. New York: Anchor Books, 1970.
• Mokhoathi, Joel. “From Contextual Theology to African Christianity: The Consideration of Adiaphora from a South African Perspective”. Religions 8/12 (2017), 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel8120266
• Mwaura, Philomena. “Gender and Power in African Christianity: African Instituted Churches and Pentecostal Churches”. African Christianity: An African Story. ed. Ogbu Kalu. 410–445. Pretoria: University of Pretoria, 2005.
• Ndiokwere, Nathaniel. Prophecy and Revolution: The Role of the Prophets in the Independent African Churches and in Biblical Tradition. London: SPCK, 1981.
• Ngubane, Harriet. Body and Mind in Zulu Medicine. An Ethnography of Health and Disease in Nyuswa-Zulu Thought and Practice. London: Academic Press, 1977.
• Nyende, Peter. “An Aspect of the Character of Christianity in Africa”. Journal of Theology for Southern Africa 132 (2008), 38–52.
• Oborji, Francis Anekwe. “Healing in the African Independent Churches: An encounter Between Traditional Religiosity and Christianity?”. Studies in Interreligious Dialogue 15/2 (2005), 182–210.
• Oosthuizen, G. C. “Indigenous Christianity and the Future of the Church in South Africa”. International Bulletin of Missionary Research 21/1 (1997), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/239693939702100102
• Oosthuizen, George. “Interpretation of Demonic Powers in Southern African Independent Churches”. Missiology: An International Review 16/1 (1988), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/009182968801600101
• Ositelu, Rufus Okikiolaolu Olubiyi. African Instituted Churches: Diversities, Growth, Gifts, Spirituality and Ecumenical Understanding of African Initiated Churches. Münster: Lit Verlag, 2002.
• Pobee, John S. “Healing — An African Christian Theologian’s Perspective”. International Review of Mission 83/329 (1994), 247–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-6631.1994.tb03401.x
• Sundkler, Bengt. Bantu Prophets in South Africa. London: Oxford University Press, 1961.
• Toit, Brian M. Du. “Healing and Medicine: Healing and Medicine in Africa”. Encyclopedia of Religion (Second Edition). 3816–3821. Ed. Lindsay Jones. Farmington Hills: Thomson Gale, 2005.
• The Holy See. “Instruction On Prayers For Healing”. Erişim 12 Eylül 2021. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.html
• Topcan, Özlem. Pentekostal Hareket ve Afrika’daki Misyon Faaliyetleri (Nijerya Örneği). Ankara: Ankara Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Doktora Tezi, 2018.
• Truter, IIse. “African Traditional Healers: Cultural and Religious Beliefs Intertwined in a Holistic Way”. SA Pharmaceutical Journal 74/8 (2007), 56–60.
• Wouters, Jacqueline Martha Francisca. An Anthropological Study of Healing Practices in African Initiated Churches with Specific Reference to A Zionist Christian Church in Marabastad. Pretoria: University of South Africa, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, 2014.