Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism : A Pentecostal Political Theology in Postcolonial Africa

This book is an interdisciplinary study of the relationship between prophecy and politics in South African Pentecostalism. The role and the power of prophecy in enhancing the presence of politicians in the church square are unpacked through historical examples, as well as case studies of contemporary prophets. Solomon Kgatle argues that the influence of prophecy in politics has the potential to weaken the prophetic voice of the church in general and the Pentecostal movement in particular. He proposes a Pentecostal political theology of prophecy. This theology is developed by taking into cognizance the theoretical and theological frameworks of prophetic imagination and pneumatological imagination. In addition, this theology seeks a balance between prophecy and power and prophecy and sovereignty. Preface Contents Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Background to the Study 1.2 Some Gaps in the Intersectionality of Prophecy and Politics 1.3 Introducing South African Pentecostalism 1.4 Introducing Pentecostal Prophecy 1.5 Introducing South African Politics 1.6 Theoretical Framework Prophetic Imagination Pneumatological Imagination Sovereignty 1.7 Research Methods 1.8 Chapter Outline Part I: Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism Chapter 2: Historical Dimensions of Prophecy and Politics in South African Pentecostalism 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Intersectionality of Prophecy and Politics 2.3 Early Pentecostalism and Inward-Looking Approach 2.4 The Emergence of a Prophetic Voice 2.5 Prophecy and Neo-colonialism in South Africa 2.6 Prophecy, Post-colonialism and Migration in South Africa 2.7 The Political Importance of Prophecy 2.8 Challenges of the Intersectionality of Prophecy and Politics 2.9 Conclusion Chapter 3: The Practice of Prophecy in Contemporary Pentecostalism 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Conceptualisation of Prophecy 3.3 The Practice of Prophecy in Pentecostal Theology 3.4 Prophecy in Various Strands of Pentecostalism 3.5 Prophecy in New Prophetic Churches 3.6 Some Similarities with Traditional African Religions 3.7 Some Similarities with African Independent Churches 3.8 Prophecy as a Crowd Puller 3.9 Conclusion Notes Chapter 4: Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Politics 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri in South Africa 4.3 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Politics 4.4 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s Legal Woes 4.5 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s Arrests 4.6 Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s Escape 4.7 Political Influence in His Escape? 4.8 Attempts to Rearrest Bushiri in Malawi 4.9 Conclusion Chapter 5: Other Contemporary Prophets and Politics in South Africa 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Prophets During the Zuma and Ramaphosa Presidencies 5.3 Politicians Who Visited Prophets 5.4 Politicians Who Received Prayers 5.5 Politicians Who Received Prophecies 5.6 The Rationale Behind Political Visits 5.7 Political Visits and Political Affiliations 5.8 Political Visits and Church Affiliations 5.9 Political Visits and the Popularity of Prophets 5.10 Conclusion Notes Chapter 6: Problematising the Intersectionality of Prophecy and Politics in Post-colonial Africa 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Prophets and Political Interference 6.3 Prophecy, Politics and Justice 6.4 Prophetic Voice and Politics in South Africa 6.5 Prophecy, Media and Politics in the Public Sphere 6.6 Prophetic Witness and Politics 6.7 Ethics, Prophecy and Politics 6.8 Prophecy, Politics and Societal Challenges 6.9 Conclusion Part II: Development of a Pentecostal Political Theology of Prophecy Chapter 7: Pentecostal Prophetic Imagination in Post-colonial Africa 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Walter Brueggemann’s Theory of Prophetic Imagination 7.3 Prophetic Freedom, Justice and Pentecostalism 7.4 Prophetic Criticism and Pentecostalism 7.5 Radical Criticism and Radical Delegitimisation of the Empire in Pentecostalism 7.6 Prophetic Energising and Pentecostalism 7.7 Prophetic Consciousness and Royal Consciousness in Pentecostalism 7.8 New Reality, Alternative Community and Pentecostalism 7.9 Conclusion Chapter 8: Pneumatological Imagination: A Pentecostal Approach to the Political Theology of Prophecy 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Amos Yong’s Theory of Pneumatological Imagination 8.3 Pneumatological Imagination as the Convergence of God and Humanity 8.4 God as Present and Active in the World 8.5 Spirit-Oriented Imagination 8.6 Pneumatological Imagination and Spiritual Empowerment 8.7 Pneumatic Prophetic Witness 8.8 Pneumatological Imagination: The Foundation of Pentecostal Political Theology 8.9 Conclusion Chapter 9: Pentecostal Political Theology of Sovereignty in Post-colonial Africa 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Nimi Wariboko’s Alternative Sovereignty 9.3 Prophecy and Politics: Two Centres of Sovereignty 9.4 Prophecy and the Sovereign God 9.5 Prophecy and the Sovereignty of the Pentecostal Movement 9.6 Prophecy and the Sovereignty of the Biblical Text 9.7 Prophecy and the Sovereign State 9.8 Sovereignty, Prophecy and Politics in Pentecostalism 9.9 Conclusion Chapter 10: Towards a Pentecostal Political Theology of Prophecy in Post-colonial Africa 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Pentecostal Prophetic Ethos 10.3 Pentecostal Prophetic Alternative Sovereignty 10.4 Pentecostal Outward-Looking Imagination 10.5 Pentecostal Political Theology of Engagement 10.6 Pentecostal Political Theology of Speaking Truth to Power 10.7 Pentecostal Prophethood of All the Believers 10.8 Conclusion References Index