Decolonising theological education in urban spaces: A reflection on the “Abantu Book Festival”

The article argues that “Abantu Book Festival” (Abantu) held in Soweto annually signifies a decolonising space for theological education in the urban areas surrounding Soweto. From the perspective of Black theology of liberation (BTL) paradigms, the clear focus on blackness as a methodological frame...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kobe, Sandiswa Lerato (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: University of South Africa 2020
In: Missionalia
Year: 2020, Volume: 48, Issue: 2, Pages: 175-195
IxTheo Classification:CD Christianity and Culture
CH Christianity and Society
FB Theological education
FD Contextual theology
KBN Sub-Saharan Africa
RK Charity work
Further subjects:B Ubuntu
B Spirituality
B Abantu
B Theology Education
B Black
B Liberation
B African
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Summary:The article argues that “Abantu Book Festival” (Abantu) held in Soweto annually signifies a decolonising space for theological education in the urban areas surrounding Soweto. From the perspective of Black theology of liberation (BTL) paradigms, the clear focus on blackness as a methodological framework for the Abantu programme signifies Abantu as a festival reflecting critically on the black experience post-1994. Moreover, Soweto, with its resistance history, relates Abantu to black culture, and urban realities post-1994. In its programme, African Spirituality becomes the source of knowledge for Abantu’s decolonial project, thus, enabling the spirit of Ubuntu as a lived, and a living philosophy at Abantu. This article, therefore argues that Abantu exhibits BTL with a praxis-based spirituality for theological education in urban areas. Abantu’s use of blackness, and Soweto as interlocutors automatically connects Abantu to the Black Consciousness Movements (BCM), Pan Africanist narratives of return, thus enables Black Theology Liberation.
ISSN:2312-878X
Contains:Enthalten in: Missionalia
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.7832/48-2-364