Biblical Ethics, HIV/AIDS, and South African Pentecostal Women: Constructing an A-B-C-D Prevention Strategy (Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, 2013) (original) (raw)
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Sexuality, Marriage and Singleness Among Pentecostal Indian Women in South Africa
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The chapter argues that South African Pentecostal leaders have immense moral power over congregants and play a significant role in regulating the social meaning of sexualities, singleness and marriage amongst them. The nuclear family is often held up as a symbol of success, blessings and the favour of God. This chapter explores sexuality, marriage and singleness amongst Indian Pentecostal women and seeks to understand whether they find practices in the church life denying or life affirming.
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The recent statistics on the prevalence of HIV and AIDS shows that the number of people living with the virus keep on increasing amidst government’s interventions to deal with the epidemic. Pentecostal churches have a potential to deal with the problem, given their theology of experience, but are hindered by some myths about the factors associated with the epidemic highlighted in this article, such as the demonisation of sex and HIV and AIDS, judgemental views, denominationalism and condemnation of condoms. Many scholars interested in the study of HIV and AIDS have researched these myths. The unique contribution that this article makes is a proposal for a strategy of demythologisation of the factors associated with the epidemic among Pentecostals. The article uses a literary analysis to discuss effective ways of dealing with the epidemic in South Africa, such as to talk openly about sex, encourage safer sex, adopt a tolerant approach, embrace a holistic view and reconstruct a theology of HIV and AIDS.
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This article explored the rising trends of cohabitation and premarital sex amongst Christian and non-Christian youth in South Africa that is becoming more socially acceptable. Moving from a premise of engaging in these practices, which is not biblically justified, to what a missional Christian church can do, this article sought to bring the numbers of those who cohabit and engage in premarital sex down. The thesis of this article was that a missional church should view cohabitation and premarital sex as frontiers that need to be crossed to save the lives of our youth by minimising premarital pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (the Human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] and Acquired immune deficiency syndrome [AIDS] pandemic included). This will also go a long way in saving the sinking image of marriage. It is the presupposition of this article that cohabitation and premarital sex are great threats to the institution of marriage.
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Since religious messages on life style have a strong impact in South Africa, it is important to assess how they relate to the situation for young people at risk of HIV infection. Nine focus group discussions were conducted with youth (n = 62), aged 13–20 years, from the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Assemblies of God. Young people were ambivalent toward sexual contacts since these generally were expected to be part of a relationship even though the church condemns premarital sex. Girls perceived the moral norms to concern them more than the boys for whom sexual needs were more accepted. These moral barriers lead to lack of information about protection and may increase the risk of HIV. The realities young people facing should be a major concern for the faith communities.
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Christian Faith and Sexual Orientation in the Context of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe
Nowadays insightful information about the causes, meaning, prevention and management of HIV and AIDS is available. Statistics show new infections especially in areas not penetrated by the church because of different perceptions about sexuality. As such, not much literature exists about the church queer studies and theology in the context of HIV and AIDS. Discourses about sexual orientation in the church have triggered complex debate. The tension includes the inclusion of homosexuals within worship, as well as their identity and space in the worship experience. As such, this raises questions about the compatibility of Christian faith, rituals, and practices. The demise of families, shifting identities of marriages, including marrying and ordaining gays, human rights and religious freedom are fundamentals in this article. Somewhat, there is relegation of the lesbians, bisexuals, and gays, while it is a contributor to issues of HIV and AIDS. Thus, this article seeks to understand the extent to which the Pentecostal faith, practices, and rituals can dialogue with homosexuals in the context of HIV and AIDS. This article utilizes Queer theology, and data collection is through in-depth interviews and sermonic discourse analysis. This article concludes that reaching out to lesbigays in Pentecostalism create space for the church to mitigate the widespread of HIV and AIDS. This article constructively contributes to the understanding of HIV and AIDS, sex, and sexuality in Africa.