Abstract:
“Viva, away with colonised education away…!” This slogan and others similar to it
became common in South Africa recently. Protest marches were seen at tertiary
institutions crying out loud against what is called a colonised education and curriculum. Debates from various academic spaces were triggered in search for what could
be a decolonised education in Africa, South Africa in particular. There was a need for
a decolonised education based on a relevant curriculum as a solution to the problem
at hand. Theological education is not immune to this problem because it is also a
product of the apartheid and colonial project. The answer to the question as to what
is a relevant theological education today, that is decolonised based on a ‘peoples’
curriculum still stands unanswered. This article seeks to present a contribution
from the ignored or rather despised voices on this debate, the African Initiated
Churches. It proposes a solution from the African Initiated Churches’ perspective
where they speak by themselves, hence the title of this article; “We want to speak for
ourselves…!” The author regards the African Initiated Churches as “church groups
related to colonial resistance” (Molobi 2000:11).
Thus, the author will approach this project by outlining the background information
in investigating who the African Initiated Churches are, the reasons for their birth,
etc. He will further investigate their ecclesiology, theology and ecumenical mission
praxis. The position of women and the youth will also be embraced. On ecumenism, focus will be on African Initiated Church bodies like the Organisation of African
Initiated Churches though their ecumenical partners will be acknowledged. The
African Initiated Church position on social justice as a means of understanding the
strength behind their anti-colonial drive will also be addressed. The article will also
outline debate on theological education. In the end, a relevant theological education curriculum will be proposed from the voices of the African Initiated Churches as
gathered in this article.
