Globalized Africa spirituality

 'The dominant globalism of the nineteenth century was colonialism with its dynamics as the conquest, commerce, and sometimes civilization (mission)' (Myers 2017:56). In this section, globalization and its influence will be discussed with a focus on Africa from the perspectives of Myers (2017) in his book, Engaging globalization.

Globalization is known as colonialism in the third world for several centuries and is even today seen 'as a globalization by a minority' (Myers 2017:40). Bosch (1991:305-306) reflects on the relationship between colonialism and mission, quoting statements such as: 'To colonize is to missionize', and referring to the three 'C's' of colonialism, namely Christianity, commerce and civilization. It is clear that, within our previously stated understanding of spirituality, we may speak of globalization as a form of spirituality to be found also in the specific context of Africa. Many white and black people in Southern Africa view globalization as 'the way to the promised land of material progress for the poor, democracy, human rights, and eventual peace' (Myers 2017:35). Contributing to this thinking is some of the domains of globalization such as technology, a new culture of consumerism and large numbers of human beings. Especially the 'emerging adults' in Africa are 'captured' by these dynamics. This is noticed in the way technology is changing, for example, the traditional African and Christian culture as well as the functioning of families. This was dealt with by Knoetze (2017) in an article titled, 'Who are the disciples? Identity perceptions about millennials and the church'.

Influenced by a modern worldview, people from the West have assumed that they were improving the human conditions in Africa by the belief that 'people with enough intelligence, money, and technology can and will refine and recreate our world for the better' (Myers 2017:54). However, even more than before, Africa is realizing that the international community is not able to create the promised land of peace and wealth, and that all is not well with modernity (Nürnberger 2007:212). If lingering poverty is to be eliminated and all people must have the same human rights, and other so-called social ills in Africa must be sorted out, it is increasing normative for African people 'to understand themselves as actors who can and should do something about their futures and the world they live in' (Myers 2017:51). It needs to be realized that no one is in control of globalization, and no one knows the outcomes of globalization. In Africa, the influence of globalization on economics and governance is indeed questionable, because it seems to contribute to increase social ills, for example financial and spiritual poverty. The gap between the rich and the poor countries and individuals are increasing as well as the gap between the poor and the governments. However, it needs to be realized that, although no one is in control of globalization, globalization 'can be shaped by a widely held ideological or theological set of beliefs, or what some call "globalisms"' (Myers 2017:53). 'Globalisms' are human concepts clarifying connotations, and changing as the world changes.

Modernity

When modernity is understood as part and parcel of globalization, Nürnberger (2007) gives the following critique:

… modernity has often been the 'misdeeds' of the past: it was the force behind colonialism and imperialism; it was oppressive and exploitive; it looked down upon other cultures; it dismantled the foundations of the indigenous cultures and belief systems; it had an unrealistic perception of progress; it was based on restrained greed, and so on. (p. 212)

What follows are two examples of how globalized Africa spirituality influenced families. The direct and indirect impact of globalization on the breakdown of the traditional family structures and culture has been massive. In 2015, it was reported in a local newspaper, Beeld, that 61% (886 202) of birth registrations had no information about the father (October 2015:1). The Daily Maverick of 14 August 2018 reported that 'In the age group between 15 and 24 the unemployment rate is 67% and 43% for those from 25 to 34' (Bagraim 2018). Bagraim discusses this in line with the influence of labor legislation, especially on the farms and in the mining industry as well as technology used in the mines and farms decreasing labor opportunities. His argument is that good intentions had bad consequences in practice. Linking labor legislation and technology back to globalization, the influence of globalization's dynamic domains of economy and governance has a direct influence on Africa's families. Fathers, as role models, have disappeared in many instances. Except for those children who grow up without fathers, a large group of children grow up in child-headed households for different reasons. Some are by choice; others had no choice, and they do it to survive. Within a context where 1.6 million people died of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 2007 (Tsegaye 2009:8), children are socialized powerfully through peer-influences - many by means of their cell phones. Instead of belonging to a family, youth create their own family in the form of gangs. Instead of going to school, they become teachers in the street schools. Especially youth who grow up without fathers, no longer respect authority. Traditional values and constraints (e.g. on sexual behavior) disappear. Young women emancipate themselves and outperform men. Men get into an identity crisis, because their traditional role collapses. They often simply abscond, begin to drink and turn to violence.

Ukuthwala: Cultural practices misused

It seems as if the idea of an African Renaissance is fostered by westernized African academics who try to regain an African identity that integrates modern aspects, but holds its own against the dominance of Western culture. A second example of how globalization influences African families is when old traditions are turned into unhumanitarian actions. Popular postmodernity has created the freedom and the space for traditional cultural patterns to express themselves in un-ethical ways. One such an example would be the traditional bride abduction, known in the Zulu language and culture as 'ukuthwala'. Bride kidnapping is known in at least 17 countries from the eastern world (China) to America (Mexico) to Russia and Southern Africa. In this, 'custom' girls from as young as 10 years of age are taken to be married to older men (Modisaotsile 2013):

However, the way it is practiced currently is illegal and harmful to the wellbeing of young girls. Young girls usually suffer physically due to their bodies' response to premature sex, including pregnancy. They are also at risk of sexually transmitted infections and emotional disturbance and in some cases their educational development is disturbed too. (p. 1)

Although the South African government has passed a law to protect children from harmful practices, the 'ukuthwala' is still evident in some parts of South Africa such as in KwaZulu-Natal. The dangers of postmodern emancipation are that detrimental aspects (such as sorcery, spurious divination, the abuse of magadi or ilobolo, the violence of initiation schools, etc.) regain their legitimacy, and that the rigour of the modern economy is discarded.

Some influences of spiritualities

The influence of spirituality on African families will be discussed from a Christian point of view. It is, however, important to realize that religions and spirituality are not fixed systems of meaning, but subject to internal transformation and external impact. Important for the purpose of this article is 'not the ostensibly "original" form of an African spirituality, which may or may not have been practiced centuries ago, but its present, living form' (Nürnberger 2007:35).

The Bible introduces us to different compositions of families and spiritualities. This relates with many of the compositions of African traditional families, for example the extended family, the nucleus family, the single mother, et cetera. In this regard, it may be said that African traditional spirituality has not influenced the composition of families as negatively as spirituality associated with globalization has done. Globalization has contributed in different ways to influence the composition and functioning of African families, for example to become more individualistic and forsake their previously accepted social roles as determined by their culture. The important role of community, or if you wish, Ubuntu, has been depleted by globalization, for example in South Africa, 5% of the population have a prevalence for pathological internet use (Ogachi, Karega & Oteyo 2018:202). However, globalization also contributed to the migration of Africa families and individual parents from rural areas to cities where many of them ended up in informal settlements, living in poverty with little or no support system. 'Gone is the value of stable sexual relationships, marital faithfulness and the family as protective and formative nest for the new generation' (Nürnberger 2007:227). The technological domain of globalization such as mobile phones and television screen may 'undermines the health, creativity, community and spirituality of entire families including children' (Nürnberger 2007:227). On the other hand research in 'sub-Saharan Africa indicates that mobile phones may be very important tools for social connection, banking, for accessing help and health care, income generation, safety and even resistance and activism' (Pearson et al. 2017:1).

Globalization also contributed to the fact that (African) people shop around in the religious market place. This leads to taking elements from different 'religious places', try it out, and when they get bored they dispose of it. Although there might also be positive aspects to this, the main problem is that, in the postmodern globalization, there are no evaluation criteria - everything goes. This is even truer within some of the current forms of spirituality in South Africa where pastors would ask money for prayers and let people participate in activities such as drinking petrol and spraying them with insect repellents. Spiritual influences from traditional Africa, which are problematic to African families, are aspects of spiritism, magic, fear of sorcery and suspicion of witchcraft. A globalized African modernist and postmodernist do not believe in these things but 'where such phenomena seem to be oppressive they should be subjected to deconstruction' (Nürnberger 2007:229). Traditional Africa spirituality in the form of dynamistic - magical beliefs - destroys human relationships in communities and families. People who are assumed to participate in sorcery may be ostracized, tortured or killed. It is not uncommon in (South) Africa to read of ritual killings to obtain potent body parts for 'therapeutic purposes'. For the same reason, babies and virgins are raped to be cured from HIV. Turaki (2006:89-96) clearly relate spiritual and power phenomena to each other, and it is in their acquisition for power that many Africans are exploited by some diviners and so-called 'prophets'.

It must thus be concluded that traditional as well as globalized Africa spirituality may have the following influences on African families: Traditional African spirituality may create fear in African families (Nürnberger 2007:25; Oduro et al. 2008:21); traditional African and globalized African spirituality may physically impoverish the African family; globalized African spirituality may destroy the community within the African family through, for example, technology that creates an idealistic cyber world in which young people live; fathers and/or siblings migrate to cities or other countries for economic reasons and thus weaken the whole family concept, while African traditional spirituality may encourage good family relations and strengthen families; and initiation rites in traditional African spirituality may harm and cripple a young African in a spiritual and physical way and determine the future of their family life.

These are only some of the influences of Africa spirituality on African families. The most important is to recognize that not any of these spiritualities brings salvation into the family as biblically understood. Oduro et al. (2008:27) indicates that, in African religion, salvation has to do with protection against all evil in the here and the now, and although this is biblically sound, biblical salvation also includes salvation from sin, which is missing in the ATR. Turaki (2012:xiii) states that many African Christians have an understanding of sin made up by popular opinions mixed with traditional views and guesswork, and as such, they 'cannot explain what sin is, [and] how it affects humans and society'. The implications and challenge of these spiritualities for the missional church in Africa are not dealt with in this article, but need to be worked out.

 

Conclusion

When talking of spirituality from a Christian point of departure, spirituality is primarily a religious term with a focus on salvation. The understanding of salvation includes the characteristics of spirituality as mentioned by Amanze (2011). It includes a contemplative awareness to listen to God, to the culture and to the people. Spirituality, which focuses on salvation, does not withdraw us from the world, but helps us to live with hope in this world and gives meaning to our lives. Christian salvation may no longer only be viewed in individualistic terms, but must help us to live within broken communities. 'Salvation does not [only] come through change in individuals but through the termination of perverted and unjust structures' (Bosch 1991:396). A spirituality that focuses on salvation has a disposition to openness, because it is not afraid or focused on the self, but on the kingdom of God. Salvation may never again only be spiritual; it is non-dualistic, it is holistic and it is redemptive. It is not only about 'where do I find a merciful God', but also about 'How can we be merciful neighbors to each other' (Bosch 1991:396). Salvation and redemption is about living the grace, righteousness and internal life in Jesus Christ (Turaki 2012:105). When spirituality is focused on salvation, it includes discernment 'It is Jesus Christ who "accomplishes all salvation". No one can complete his work if he does not achieve it himself' (Bosch 1991:398). It is concluded that there are no one African spirituality that influences African families, but rather different spiritual phenomena in Africa that influence African families in different ways. Spirituality does not only influence families spiritually, but also physically.