Church, state and the ethical imagination : a phenomenological study of Christian, cultural and constitutional value clashes in South Sudan
| dc.contributor.advisor | Forster, Dion Angus | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Sugden, Christopher | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Manyok, Zechariah | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-10-06T07:58:13Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-22T14:15:25Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-10-06T07:58:13Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-22T14:15:25Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-10-06 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The implementation of Article 8 in South Sudan’s Constitution is inconsistent. It stipulates the separation of religion and state and the equal treatment of all religions. Yet, the state provides special treatment to Islam by giving it funds for the building of Islamic schools and annual financial facilitation of pilgrimages to Mecca. Other religions do not get the same treatment, as stipulated in the Constitution. However, the political leaders providing special treatment to Islam are Christians who fought against the former Sudanese government for two decades for mixing Islamic religion with the state. This study aims at determining the reasons behind irregularities in the implementation of Article 8. It examines the roles that central value systems play in implementation discrepancies. The notion of a central value system is a new concept formulated in this study. It is a conservation value composed of conformity, security and tradition. The study employs the phenomenology of religion to explore religious and cultural value-orientations that influence the decision-making of policy implementers of constitutional provisions in South Sudan. The analysis shows that central value systems contribute to inconsistencies in the implementation of Article 8. Although politicians appear inconsistent by favouring one religion in violation of Article 8, they are consistent in their protection of power. This is what brings them together with Muslims who rarely condemn bad governance. The study further shows that whenever value clashes occur between religious values and values of governance, South Sudanese prioritise harmony at the local level. The same is missing at the national level. Religious leaders make use of the value of harmony at the local level to unite communities. However, they rarely succeed in doing the same at the national level. Generally, the study exhibits that central value systems protect values cherished by any group. They are conservation values that resist penetration from new values trying to change cherished values. In South Sudan, central value systems protect power value and harmony. Article 8 and the love for harmony indicate that South Sudan is a secular and non-liberal state (similar to Singapore). Theology in the context of South Sudan is thus a theology of harmony. Its base is the Trinitarian God, eschatological in orientation and secular in responsibility. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die implementering van artikel 8 van Suid-Soedan se grondwet, is inkonsekwent. Dit bepaal dat godsdiens en staat geskei moet wees, en dat alle godsdienste gelyke behandeling moet ontvang. Die staat bied egter spesiale behandeling aan Islam deur fondse te gee vir die bou van Islamitiese skole en jaarlikse finansiële fasilitering van pelgrimstogte na Mekka. Ander godsdienste kry nie dieselfde behandeling, soos in die grondwet bepaal nie. Die politieke leiers wat Islam spesiaal behandel, is egter Christene, wat twee dekades lank teen die voormalige Soedanse regering geveg het omdat hulle Islamitiese godsdiens met die staat vermeng het. Hierdie studie het ten doel om die redes vir onreëlmatighede in die implementering van artikel 8 te bepaal. Dit ondersoek die rol wat sentrale waardestelsels speel in die implementerings-diskrepansies. Die begrip van 'n sentrale waardesisteem is 'n nuwe konsep wat in hierdie studie geformuleer word. Dit is 'n behoudende waardes wat bestaan uit ooreenstemming, veiligheid en tradisie. Die studie maak gebruik van die fenomenologie van godsdiens om godsdienstige en kulturele waarde-oriëntasies te ondersoek wat die besluitneming van beleidsuitvoerders van grondwetlike bepalings in Suid-Soedan beïnvloed. Die ontleding toon dat sentrale waardestelsels bydra tot teenstrydighede in die implementering van artikel 8. Alhoewel die voorkom dat politici teenstrydig optree deur een godsdiens te bevoordeel in stryd met artikel 8, is hulle konsekwent in hul beskerming van mag. Dít is wat hulle verenig met Moslems, wat selde swak regering veroordeel. Die studie toon verder dat, wanneer daar botsings tussen godsdienstige waardes en regeringswaardes is, prioritiseer Suid-Soedanese harmonie op plaaslike vlak. Dit ontbreek egter op nasionale vlak. Godsdienstige leiers gebruik die waarde van harmonie op plaaslike vlak om gemeenskappe te verenig. Hulle slaag egter selde daarin om dieselfde op nasionale vlak te doen. Die studie toon dat sentrale waardesisteme dié waardes wat deur enige groep gekoester word, beskerm. Dit is bewaringswaardes wat die indringing van nuwe waardes wat gekoesterde waardes probeer verander, weerstaan. In Suid-Soedan beskerm sentrale waardestelsels die waarde en harmonie van mag. Artikel 8 en die liefde vir harmonie dui aan dat Suid-Soedan 'n sekulêre en nie-liberale staat is (soortgelyk aan Singapoer). Teologie in die konteks van Suid-Soedan is dus 'n teologie van harmonie. Die basis daarvan is die Trinitariese God, eskatologies van oriëntasie en sekulêr in verantwoordelikheid. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | ix, 265 leaves | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123677 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Imagination -- Moral and ethical aspects | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Church and state | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | State, The -- Biblical teaching | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | State, The -- Moral and ethical aspects | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Cultural pluralism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Constitutional law | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Church, state and the ethical imagination : a phenomenological study of Christian, cultural and constitutional value clashes in South Sudan | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |