Research

Research in the Department focuses particularly on the analysis, description and relevance of the world religions and the Christian church, and how they, together with the sciences and indigenous knowledge systems, can play a role (positively or negatively) in a Christian missiology of life. It is conducted on the nexus of religion, Christian faith and the daily lives of people in households and communities as situated within the broader context of the 21^st century Southern Africa and Africa.

Research projects in this field are dovetailed into four areas:

1. studies on the world religions and inter-religious dialogue;
2. studies in missional theology, ecclesiology and leadership;
3. studies in African Christianity, the history of mission in Africa, inclusive spirituality (Ubuntu); and
4. studies in improving the quality of life of households and communities.

These areas feed into current investigations on the strategies that can be followed and the resources that are available for churches to promote a better quality of life in a context of poverty, ecological destruction, a growing gap between rich and poor, HIV, urbanisation and local and global cultural and religious tensions. It provides four signposts for a missiology of life which is contextually relevant for African churches and societies, and based on that, for international churches and societies.