Faith-based agency towards the 'good city' in the Gauteng City-Region : a theological portraiture

Abstract

Population and economic growth in and around Gauteng Province in South Africa gave rise to the Gauteng City-Region. Previous research within the Gauteng City-Region indicates positive correlation between perceived quality of life and participation in faith-based organisations, and yet little research goes on to describe faith-based organisations. This qualitative research employs a variant of portraiture known as theological portraiture through the interdisciplinary notion of the ‘good city’ in order to describe the character and culture of four faith-based organisations in the Gauteng City-Region. In what way, if any, do the selected faith-based organisations animate the ‘good city’ in the Gauteng City-Region?

Whilst thousands of faith-based organisations dot the Gauteng City-Region, this research engages four Christian faith-based organisations within three different municipalities. The faith-based organisations are: Ebenezer Bible Church, the Tshwane Leadership Foundation, Institute for Urban Ministry, and Sandspruit Christian Fellowship. They are community-based within vulnerable people and contexts such as the inner city, townships, and informal settlements.

To engage the main research question through theological portraiture, the researcher traces how four faith-based organisations understand goodness and observes the extent to which goodness is expressed by their lived faith. Integrating empirical study with art-form, the urban theological portraitist is a story-listener, story-weaver, and story-teller. Through six to eight weeks of immersion with each organisation and fifty-six interviews, the researcher crafts a theological portrait of each faith-based organisation and one group theological portrait which coheres the dissertation.

What came to light through the research is that the four faith-based organisations are animating a good city within the Gauteng City-Region. Being activated by faith in Jesus Christ, the faith-based organisations are urban theological animators and servant leaders through inextricable solidarity with the urban poor. In concrete solidarity with the most vulnerable, the faith-based organisations participate in urban planning. Whilst this expression of their faith-based agency is considered good (enough), with opportunity for better engagement, the faith-based organisations identify four interventions to more actively participate in urban planning. A suggested recommendation is to deepen and expand the transdisciplinary Urban Studio within the Gauteng City-Region.