The English Church Women's Association (ECWA) : Empowering towards partnership in mission or entrenching gender inequality? : The case of St Mary's Anglican Church on-the-Braak, Stellenbosch 1875-2015

Date
2017-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study discussed how the fundraising role of the Anglican Church Women's Association helped empower women to develop self-esteem, self-confidence and solidarity. It explores how women's fundraising role influences the relationship between men and women and participated as equal agents in mission at St. Mary's Anglican Church in Stellenbosch between 1875 and 2015. The study explains how paternal attitudes and patriarchy in the church have women's supporting roles, leadership roles to support roles and deny their theological rightful roles in the mission of God for his people and his world. The study also examines issues of partnership and empowerment given the established gender perceptions and role-instruction present in the church and society. These perceptions and attitudes are built on the basis of ancestor's traditional cultural values and beliefs. Important in this discussion is the colonial paternal attitude toward some, if not all the traditional values and beliefs of both men and women in the new evangelized areas. Similarly, the study discusses Christian practices as they are literally passed by biblical Jewish traditions. In other words, the study explores the development and importance of mutual cooperation, empowerment of women and how it motivated women to raise funds for the Stellenbosch University from 1875 to 2015. The study seeks to investigate the socio-economic goals in women's fundraising role in order to determine whether there is a well-known relationship that women relate to as effective fundraisers and to determine whether women are successful in fundraising because of their experience of poverty and marginalization? Can the fundraising role of women possibly inspire new generations in South Afr ica and the region of equality and encourage inclusive participation? To what extent can fundraising help the Southern Poverty-stricken Church in the development of mutual cooperation, partnership and empowerment between women and men as equal agents in mission? Is this not an area where the Church and society in developing countries can explore beyond their economic independence for the successful participation in regional and global never-ending transfer of Christianity? The case study is set out in six chapters. The first chapter, introduces the study, presents the main purpose, the focus and an overview of the study. The second discusses the conceptual framework, with emphasis on the theoretical concepts of partnerships, empowerment, patriarchy and gender. The third chapter explores the historical context / landscape of St Mary's Anglican Church in Stellenbosch in South Africa. The fourth chapter discusses the birth and activities of the E.C.W.A. Chapter Five provides data analysis and a summary of the research findings. The sixth and final chapter contemplates the future Church and the future of the Church and draws conclusions and makes recommendations. In all six chapters, the study aims to cultivate, develop and promote a sense of equality and unity in diversity amongst Christian men and women in the Church and society. It maintains that the creativity and skills of both men and women can be used for effective communication of the Gospel. Through six chapters, the study indicates that funds or money are an important aspect in effective mission. If men and women work together as equal agents in mission, the socio-economic story of the Southern Church and society will be different. And the fundraising role of women at St Mary's Anglican in Stellenbosch can be used as an example for the development of mutual cooperation and empowerment of women in fast-growing but poor Southern Christianity.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie bespreek hoe die fondsinsamelingsrol van die Anglikaanse Kerkvrouevereniging bygestaan het om vroue te bemagtig om selfbeeld, selfvertroue en solidariteit te ontwikkel. Dit ondersoek hoe vroue se fondsinsamelingsrol die verhouding tussen mans en vroue beïnvloed en deelgeneem het as gelyke agente in missie by St.Mary's Anglican Church in Stellenbosch tussen 1875 en 2015. Die studie verduidelik hoe vaderlike houdings en patriargie in die kerk vroue ondersteunende rolle het, Leierskaprolle om rolle te ondersteun en hul teologiese regmatige rolle in die missie van God vir sy mense en sy wêreld te ontken. Die studie ondersoek ook kwessies van vennootskap en bemagtiging gegewe die gevestigde geslagpersepsies en rolle-opdrag wat in die kerk en samelewing teenwoordig is. Hierdie persepsies en houdings word gebou op grond van voorouer tradisionele kulturele waardes en oortuigings. Belangrik in hierdie bespreking is die koloniale vaderlike houding teenoor sommige, indien nie alle tradisionele waardes en oortuigings van beide mans en vroue in die nuwe evangeliseerde gebiede nie. Net so, die studie bespreek Christelike praktyke soos hulle letterlik geslaag word van Bybelse Joodse tradisies. Met ander woorde, die studie ondersoek die ontwikkeling en belangrikheid van wedersydse samewerking, die bemagtiging van vroue en hoe dit vroue gemotiveer het om fondse in te samel vir die Kerk in Stellenbosch vanaf 1875 tot 2015. Die studie poog om die sosio-ekonomiese doelwitte in die fondsinsamelingsrol van vroue te ondersoek om vas te stel of daar 'n bekende verhouding is wat met vroue as effektiewe fondsinsamelings verband hou en om vas te stel of vroue sukses in fondsinsameling aantreklikhede vir hul ervaring van marginalisering het. En armoede? Kan die fondsinsamelingsrol van vroue moontlik nuwe geslagte in Suid-Afrika en die streek van die belangrikheid van gelykheid inspireer en inklusiewe deelname aanmoedig? In watter mate kan fondsinsameling die suidelike armoede-getroude Kerk help in die ontwikkeling van wedersydse samewerking en bemagtiging tussen vroue en mans as gelyke agente van missie? Is dit nie 'n gebied waar die Kerk en die samelewing in ontwikkelende lande buite hul ekonomiese onafhanklikheid kan ondersoek na die suksesvolle deelname aan streeks- en globale oordrag van die Christendom nie? Die gevallestudie word in ses hoofstukke uiteengesit. Die eerste hoofstuk, stel die studie voor, bied die hoofdoel, die fokus en 'n oorsig van die studie. Die tweede bespreek die konseptuele raamwerk, met die klem op die teoretiese konsepte van vennootskappe, bemagtiging, patriargie en geslag. Die derde hoofstuk ondersoek die historiese konteks / landskap van St Mary's Anglican Church in Stellenbosch in Suid-Afrika. Die vierde hoofstuk bespreek die geboorte en aktiwiteite van die E.C.W.A. Hoofstuk vyf bied data-analise en 'n opsomming van die navorsingsbevindinge. Die sesde en laaste hoofstuk beoog die toekomstige kerk en die toekoms van die kerk en maak gevolgtrekkings en maak aanbevelings. In al ses hoofstukke beoog die studie om 'n gevoel van gelykheid en eenheid in diversiteit onder Christelike mans en vroue in die kerk en samelewing te kweek, ontwikkel en bevorder. Dit handhaaf dat die kreatiwiteit en vaardighede van beide mans en vroue aangewend kan word vir effektiewe kommunikasie van die Evangelie. Deur ses hoofstukke dui die studie daarop dat fondse of geld 'n belangrike aspek in effektiewe missie is. As mans en vroue saamwerk as gelyke agente in missie, sal die sosio-ekonomiese verhaal van die Suidelike Kerk en die samelewing anders wees. En die fondsinsamelingsrol van vroue by St Mary's Anglican op Stellenbosch, kan gebruik word as 'n voorbeeld vir die ontwikkeling van wedersydse samewerking en bemagtiging van vroue in die vinnig groeiende maar arm Suid-Christendom.
Description
Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Women in Christianity, St. Mary's Anglican Church (Stellenbosch, South Africa), Stellenbosch 1875-2015, UCTD
Citation