Original Research - Special Collection: Theology disrupted - doing theology with children in African contexts

Doing theology with children in a South African context: Children as collaborators in intergenerational ministry

Shantelle Weber, Stephan de Beer
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 72, No 1 | a3572 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i1.3572 | © 2016 Shantelle Weber, Stephan de Beer | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 22 June 2016 | Published: 25 November 2016

About the author(s)

Shantelle Weber, Centre for Contextual Ministry, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Practical Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Stephan de Beer, Department Practical Theology and Missiology, Faculty of Theology, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

Abstract

The vision of Child Theology Africa is to advance a child-friendly continent by doing theology with, for, about and through African children. In this article we would like to explore the voice, role and position of the child in church and society, as important and integral to authentic intergenerational church praxis. This is based on the presuppositions that children should be regarded as collaborators in doing theology; children should be engaged not merely as objects but as subjects of research and knowledge generation; children articulate their own experiences with God; and the biblical imperatives to listen carefully to and engage with children.

Keywords

doing theology with children; agency of children; children’s spirituality; child theology; intergenerational; praxis-approach

Metrics

Total abstract views: 4241
Total article views: 4648

 

Crossref Citations

1. Multidisciplinary meetings: Listening to the experiences of children in a child and youth care centre
Jessica C. Johannisen, Hannelie Yates, Carlien van Wyk
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 75  issue: 1  year: 2019  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v75i1.5493