HIV and AIDS and its implications for the ministry of healing in some Pentecostal churches in Namibia.
Keywords:
Aids, HIV, christianity, pentecostalism, NamibiaSynopsis
Healing has long been considered part of the Church's pastoral and diaconal calling.
For Christians the ministry of healing is grounded in the Word, sacraments and
prayer. Based on this understanding some of the Pentecostal churches in Namibia
proclaim that HIV and AIDS can be cured through divine healing. It was revealed
through interviews with both the practitioners of healing and recipients of healing that
the claims of healing HIV and AIDS are not conclusive. It bas been established
through this study that the implications of a failed healing for the recipients include;
lost of faith, hatred towards the practitioners, church, substance abuse and attempts at
suicide. A close study of the available literature substantiates the fact that healing of
HIV and AIDS in Namibia remains only a claim.
The logical conclusion derived was that people confuse healing of HIV and AIDS
with spiritual and psychological strength and tranquillity that they receive from
Pentecostal churches through their healing services. This study recognises the
importance of "healing" and "coping" and the need for appropriate theological and
psycho-social support for the recipients of divine healing. This study also reveals that
HIV and AIDS has forced some Pentecostal churches to revisit their approach of
healing. Thus, some of the Pentecostal churches have embarked upon Home Based
Care, feeding schemes and material support for PL WHA.
The interviews could barely establish a definite case of a successful outcome of
healing of someone who was HIV and AIDS positive and was healed through divine
intervention. Thus, with the help of interviews, observant participation, and literature
review, it was established that the implications for the ministry of healing in some
Pentecostal churches in Namibia is real.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Bassett, K., and Davis R.,Quantitative Approach, Cambridge, 1975.
Elements of Spatial Structure, A Cambridge University Press, Berry T.L., Garison W~,Economie Geography, Vol.
"A Note On Central Place Theory",34, 1958, 304-312.
Blalock H.M., Tokyo, 1979.CSA, Agricultural September, 1987.
Sample Survey, 1986/87, Addis Ababa,' Time Series Data On Area, Production And Yield of Major Crops, 1979/80 - No. 56, Addis Ababa, October, 1987.
Average Retail Prices of Cereals, In Addis Ababa For 1979, 1980, 1987 and 1988, by seasons CUnpublished),Addis Ababa 1988.
CSO, Agricultural Sample Survey 1985/86, Addis Ababa, 1987.
CSO Report on the Addis Ababa Household Expenditure Survey for 1975, Statistical Bulletin No., 19, 1979.
Report On Retail Prices Of Goods And Services In Selected Urban Centers, No.41, June 1984.
Report On The Household Energy Consumption Survey of Addis Ababa, No. 40, Addis Ababa, 1984.
Curry L., "The Random Settlement Theory", Geographers, Vol. 54, Spatial Economy: An exploration in Annals Of The Association of American 1964, 130-146.
Dacey M., "Analysis Of Central Place and Point Pattern by a Nearest Neighbor Method", Land Studies in Geography, Series
B. Human Geography, 24, 1962, 55-75 •
Orcier Neighbor Statistics For A Class Of Rapdom Patterns in Multi Demential Space", Annual Of The Association Of American Geographers, Vol.53, 1963, 505-5r5.
Dace y M.F.,Distance",87.
"A Note On Journal Of
The Derivation Of Nearest Neighbor Regional Science, Vol .2, 1960, 81- "The Identification Of Randomness in Point patterns", Journal of Regional Science, Vol. 4, 1963.
David M. Smith, Patterns in Human Geography, Penguit Books Ltd., London, 1975.
Social Statistics, Mcgraw-Hill Kogakusha, Braun J.V and Haen H.ds, The Effects Of Food Price And Subsidy Policies On Egyptian Agriculture, IFPRI, Nov., 1983.
Brush J. E. , "The Western Wisconsin, 402.
Hierarchy of Geographic Central Review, Places in South 43, 1953, PP 380- Chancira R. C., Sidhu M. S., Geography, Kalyani Publishers,
Introduction to Population Ludhiana, New Delhi, 1980.
Charley R. and Haggett Geography, Methuen, London, P., Socio-Economic 1978.
Models in Central National Planning Office,
Mastawesha (Amharic, Unpublished), 1985.
City Council (unpublished),of Addis 1981.
Ababa, Rent Clark P.J. Evans F.C., "Distance to measure of spatial relationships in Vol. 35, 1954, 445-453.
Delinguencv Analysis nearest neighbor as a populations" Ecology, Clark P.J., "Groupinis in Spatial Distribution", Science, Vol. 123, 1956, 373-374.
COPWE, Ethiopian Revolution: lt's present stage of development, Meskerem, Vol .. 2, 1981, 21-24
Downloads
Published
June 26, 2023
Series
Copyright (c) 2023 CODESRIA Books Publication System
