The recent statistics on the prevalence of HIV and AIDS shows that the number of people living with the virus keep on increasing amidst government’s interventions to deal with the epidemic. Pentecostal churches have a potential to deal with the problem, given their theology of experience, but are hindered by some myths about the factors associated with the epidemic highlighted in this article, such as the demonisation of sex and HIV and AIDS, judgemental views, denominationalism and condemnation of condoms. Many scholars interested in the study of HIV and AIDS have researched these myths. The unique contribution that this article makes is a proposal for a strategy of demythologisation of the factors associated with the epidemic among Pentecostals. The article uses a literary analysis to discuss effective ways of dealing with the epidemic in South Africa, such as to talk openly about sex, encourage safer sex, adopt a tolerant approach, embrace a holistic view and reconstruct a theology of HIV and AIDS.
The premise of this article is the persistent spread and increase in the number of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The numbers keep on growing despite the intervention of government to deal with the challenge. In the midst of these challenges, the government could be relying on the religious sector, especially Pentecostal churches, because of their growth and their hermeneutics of experience. In addition, Pentecostal churches can have a positive role in facilitating behaviour change with a large constituency on a weekly basis, affording opportunities for information sharing and teaching.
Like most other churches, Pentecostal churches uphold the principles surrounding family, marriage and sexuality; promoting abstinence outside of marriage; and fidelity within marriage. Therefore, they have the potential to be key role-players in combating the HIV pandemic (see Mash
The importance of this article is not only to highlight these myths like demonisation of sex and HIV and AIDS, judgemental views, denominationalism and condemnation of condoms but also to demythologise them. Many publications highlight the myths and weaknesses of the religious sector in handling the issue of HIV and AIDS. One such important publication is a contributed work edited by Musa Dube (
The recent statistics show that HIV and AIDS is an epidemic that continues to spread and steadily rise worldwide. Since the identification of the epidemic, more than 75 million people have contracted HIV and approximately 36 million have died from HIV-related causes. The Foundation for AIDS Research states that more than 35 million people now live with HIV and AIDS, and 3.3 million of them are under the age of 15. In 2012, an estimated 2.3 million new infections of HIV occurred and every day nearly 6300 people contracted HIV. In 2012, 1.6 million people died from AIDS (see Ballard
There is a connection between unprotected sex and HIV and AIDS. Although there are other ways in which infections of HIV and AIDS can occur, the fact remains that HIV and AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease. This alone makes unprotected sex to be at the centre of the spread and the rise of HIV and AIDS. The problem among some Pentecostals is the demonisation of sex for a long time. In the words of Atanassi (
First, HIV and AIDS discourses and perceptions evoke sentiments around religious and social ethics, morality/immorality, sexual promiscuity and infidelity: these are issues, which Pentecostals may not wish to identify with. (p. 476)
Pentecostals, especially in South Africa, are not at ease to talk about sex or even to write about it. In highlighting the reasons for this silence on issues of sex, Khathide (
Other factors on the silence of Pentecostals on sex have to do with the fact that sexuality issues among Pentecostals are regarded as private matters, so those who speak about sexuality issues are regarded as naive and impolite (Mudau
The researcher has observed many Pentecostal pastors when praying for people infected with HIV and AIDS addressing HIV and AIDS a demon. This assertion by some Pentecostals makes them not to look at the factors that lead to the spread and the rise of HIV and AIDS because they see HIV and AIDS as a demon that needs exorcism. The fact that HIV and AIDS is still part of us means that it is not a demon but a sexually transmitted disease. Moreover, according to Adogame (
Given that the topics related to HIV often go unmentioned in churches (e.g. sexual intercourse, gender inequality, stigma and condoms), talking about HIV therefore is not an easy task (Atanassi
Furthermore, when HIV and AIDS is perceived as a demon, it means that it becomes a spiritual disease and not a biological and/or physical disease. Therefore, when Pentecostals are required to deal with its difficulty, they simply dismiss it as a demon and do not take responsibility for it. In most cases, the avoidance of medications leads to death and other consequences. Thus, Pentecostals need to un-demonise HIV and AIDS the same way they have to un-demonise sex. If one cannot deal with a matter, it does not mean that it is a demon.
HIV and AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease but that is not the only way one can be infected with the disease.
There are other ways where one can be in contact with the blood of an infected person, for example, an unborn child of an infected mother. Therefore, when a person is infected, it should not be concluded that the person has sinned against God and therefore God is punishing the person with HIV and AIDS.
According to Schau-Larsen (
Since the advent of HIV and AIDS the Pentecostals have showed some reluctance to get involved in the debate about the epidemic and the fight against it. Consequently, HIV and AIDS has been considered as God’s punishment for the immoral corruption of humankind, a judgmental attitude which one hopes is no longer prevalent. (p. 1)
The background of the support to these messages is based on the fact that Pentecostals as a matter of principle forbid sex outside marriage. This means that young people need to abstain from sex until they get married and the married need to be faithful to their partners. Therefore, those who engaged in sexual activities outside marriage were considered to be breaking the rules and principles of purity. When a church member is infected with HIV, people in the church will begin to ostracise him or her for being a sinner. As a result, the epidemic is interpreted by some Pentecostals as a punishment from God for sexual transgressions or as a divine curse for immoral acts, namely, having premarital sex, being unfaithful to one’s partner or behaving in ways that are contrary to certain religious teachings. They are too judgemental of people suffering from HIV and AIDS (see Mudau
There is nothing wrong with belonging to/being loyal to a denomination. There is equally nothing wrong with the support of one’s denomination by any means that one sees fit. The problem is the exaltation of one’s denomination at the expense of other denominations. The other problem is to see one’s denomination as being above other denominations. Thus, denominationalism is the assertion that one’s denomination is not affected by the problem of HIV and AIDS but other denominations. Most church goers, according to Atanassi (
Research conducted by Kolawole (
The researcher remembers in his high school days when busy with Grade 12, the government in Limpopo had just started its campaign on educating young people on the so-called ABC method, where A stands for Abstain, B for Be faithful and C for Condomise. One morning, a Limpopo government health representative had come to our school to teach about the use of condoms. The health representative had to illustrate the use of condom in front of all learners. The researcher was very much embarrassed that day and many of the School Christian Organisation (SCO) representatives shared the feeling. However, the reality is that many young people that morning needed that illustration and benefited from it because they were sexually active and the researcher was not. If someone is sexually active, they would rather use a condom than to engage in unprotected sexual intercourse. The message of abstinence and faithfulness will not assist them against HIV and AIDS but will leave them vulnerable to the virus.
Closer to the researcher’s story, Stiebert (
However, the young woman’s pastor is not alone in this condemnation of condoms. So many Pentecostal churches keep on saying ‘you need to abstain’ and ‘you need to be faithful’; they condemn the use of condoms (see Woldehanna et al.
It is good to minister faith-oriented concepts of sexual abstinence until marriage, and monogamous marriage with sexual fidelity relates closely to the first two components of the ABC approach to HIV prevention.
However, those whose faith is very weak need to hear an emphasis on condom use as they cannot abstain from sex or be faithful to their partners (see Mpofu et al.
Atanassi (
The condemnation of condoms is not only a problem with Pentecostal pastors but also a general problem among many religious leaders across the world. Despite an avalanche of evidence in favour of sex education, some religious faiths, according to Oluduro (
The researcher is very passionate about teaching young people the issues of sexuality by presenting biblical principles that are related to sexuality and allowing the young people to ask questions thereafter. This method works especially in rural areas where young people still need more information on these issues. It does not really help to be silent on these issues. The fact is that even if pastors do not talk about these issues, somebody will talk about them. Oluduro hopes for a day when every church will engage in open dialogue on issues of sexuality and gender difference and where young people will learn about the facts of HIV and AIDS, when every synagogue will mobilise as advocates for a global response to fight against AIDS and when every temple will fully welcome people living with HIV. When that will happen, Oluduro is convinced that nothing will stop our success in the fight against AIDS (Oluduro
In order for Oluduro’ s hopes to become a possibility, sex does not have to be seen as an evil act that should be punished, but as something created by God and also one that is natural. HIV and AIDS is a topic that is often rejected by churches and ignored because of the relationship it has with sexuality. Therefore, in order to deal with HIV and AIDS, there is a need to address issues of sexuality openly, that is, without fear and favour. This must be done in order to try to prevent further infections (Ballard
Unless this attitude changes, our fight against HIV and AIDS will become increasingly difficult (Khathide
The other issue that is very much close to issues of sexuality discussed above is the issue of condoms. It has been established above that many Pentecostal pastors shy away from talking about condoms because they feel like they will be supporting sexual immorality. This myth must be done away with in Pentecostal Christianity. Pentecostal pastors need to continue to preach the gospel of abstinence and faithfulness.
However, this gospel should be combined with the message of safer sex for those who are sexually active. It does not mean that the pastors will be compromising the truth but they will be facing reality and helping those with HIV-negative status to remain negative. Ballard (
People do not practise abstinence and faithfulness because they do not know about condoms. They do so because they are convicted of sin and are convinced to live a holy life in the name of the Lord. Equally so those involved in extramarital affairs and in pre-marital sex know that what they are doing is wrong. Therefore, encouraging safer sex is not to encourage immorality. After all, according to Schau-Larsen (
Therefore, organisations should not disparage condoms but advocate for their use by discordant couples, people having extramarital sex and couples in which one partner may be unfaithful. By educating families on the possibilities of Christian divorce and describing what Christian marriage entails, organisations can better address deep-seated beliefs about women’s inferiority (Atanassi
The Pentecostal church in general should not be judgemental of people who are infected with the HIV virus. They need to be flexible and not see people living with HIV and AIDS as people who are sinful but as the children of God because HIV and AIDS is a disease like any other disease. It should not be treated differently. The only difference with HIV and AIDS is that in some cases it is transmitted through sex. However, there are other medical reasons HIV infection and AIDS. Therefore, according to Oluduro (
There is a need to understand why some people who abstain from sexual relations, who are faithful and who use condoms still become infected. Thus, to generalise that people have HIV and AIDS because they do not live a faithful life and God is punishing them is wrong in many ways. It is too judgemental and it is too self-righteous. The issue of HIV and AIDS should be handled with care and sensitivity. While it might be true that some people live carelessly and contract the virus, not all people contract HIV and AIDS in a similar way. Moreover, even those who contract the virus through carelessness deserve a second chance in life. They need forgiveness and encouragement that when they take care of their lives they can live longer even if they are HIV-positive.
A tolerant approach needs to be complemented by a holistic view of HIV and AIDS. This should be done for the simple reason that a person encompasses a spirit that lives in a body and contains a soul. Thus, in dealing with HIV and AIDS, one cannot simply talk about the physical part but needs to address the person as a whole. When observing the healing ministry of Jesus, one realises that he dealt with a person as a whole. Sometimes, people are sick psychologically, others are not sick but need food or warmth in their lives, and then they become well. The same is the case with HIV and AIDS – it needs to be addressed holistically. Therefore, it cannot be denominational. It calls for the participation of all stakeholders. A holistic approach to HIV and AIDS ministry, according to House (
Atanassi (
Reconstruction of a theology of HIV and AIDS means that theology needs to be relevant to contextual issues that many of our communities are facing on a day-to-day basis. When theology is reconstructed, it becomes relevant to issues like HIV and AIDS and will heed to the call for decolonisation and Africanisation of the curriculum in the sense that it will be addressing HIV and AIDS in our communities. There is a serious need, according to Mudau (
To address the problem of HIV and AIDS in the church, it should form part of the theological doctrine of the church. In the presence of HIV and AIDS, there is a need to interpret the Bible in a new way.
There is a need to reconstruct our theology because, according to Masenya (
From the discussions above, it may be concluded that the minister of religion in Africa has no choice but to face the reality of HIV and AIDS. There is a need for reconstructing the ‘victim theology’ of HIV and AIDS and to be ready to accept, without reservation, that HIV and AIDS is within the household of faith, domestic violence and reckless sexual behaviour are commonplace, and men (as much, if not more so than women) are the ‘bearers’ of HIV and AIDS (Oluduro
The effective way of dealing with the epidemic in southern Africa is to talk openly about sex because the topic of sex and/or sexuality is very much related to the topic of HIV and AIDS given that HIV is sexually transmitted. Therefore, to deal with the problem of HIV and AIDS, Pentecostals need to freely engage with the topic of sex in a liberative way. Talking about sex will help the believers to open up when they face challenges in similar issues because the silence on sex causes believers to make mistakes and wrong life decisions. It is good to tell young people to abstain and to tell married couples to be faithful to each other, but the reality is that young people engage in sexual intercourse. Equally so, married couples engage in extramarital affairs. Without encouraging these practices, Pentecostals need to find a way to bring about a balance and encourage those who cannot abstain and be faithful to condomise. It is better to practise safe sex than to fall in the trap of HIV infection and unwanted pregnancies. Thus, it is important to reconstruct the theology of HIV and AIDS; theology cannot continue to isolate people who are suffering from the virus. People who are sick because of HIV and AIDS need to be ministered to in love and care. Theology must not condemn and judge people, especially those suffering from HIV and AIDS. According to Adogame (
To enhance the lives of HIV-positive people, Pentecostal churches can also counter negative messages on HIV and AIDS by combining teachings about healing and living positively. Pentecostals need to be faithful to Scripture, and Scripture itself provides a counterbalance to abusive messages about people (see Atanassi
Hence, it is important to have a holistic view of HIV and AIDS than to view it in terms of a denominational issue or look at it as either a spiritual or a physical issue. HIV and AIDS affects the body, spirit and soul of an afflicted individual. Pentecostals with their theology of experience have an opportunity to minister to both the spirit and the physical nature of the person. Moreover, the mind of the person suffering from HIV and AIDS very much needs the power of the gospel.
There is also a need to move away from the mentality that church is only there to minister to its own people. The mission of the church is bigger than the people who are in the church. It is actually a mission to those outside the church. In this context, it means the mission of the church is actually to the infected people outside the church. If the mission of the church is seen in this way, the church will be able to preach the message of safe sex not because church people need that message but because the world needs that message. Pastors must not be indifferent to burying young people on a weekly basis but should be able to confront HIV and AIDS. The church must not be selfish but encompassing to reach more lost souls. This cannot be done if the church remains internal; it needs to reach out.
The recent statistics on HIV and AIDS show that the number of people living with the virus keeps on increasing amidst government’s interventions to deal with the epidemic. The numbers show us that the group that suffers the most is young people. It is a sign that more work still needs to be done to educate these young people on issues related to HIV and AIDS. Hence, young people remain very gullible and vulnerable to the epidemic. This article observed that Pentecostal churches have the potential to deal with the problem given their growth and their theology of experience. However, it is found here that these churches are hindered by some myths on the factors associated with HIV and AIDS, such as the demonisation of sex and HIV and AIDS, judgemental views, denominationalism and condemnation of condoms. The conclusion in this article is that the demythologisation of the factors associated with HIV and AIDS among Pentecostals is an effective way of dealing with the epidemic in South Africa. Therefore, Pentecostals have to find a way to talk openly about sex, and encourage safer sex, a tolerant approach and a holistic view and reconstruction of the theology on HIV and AIDS. When this is done, the percentages of those living with the virus will surely decrease.
The author thanks the Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology for support in conducting this study.
The author declares that no competing interest exists.
M.S.K. is the sole author of this article.
This article followed all ethical standards for carrying out research without direct contact with human or animal subjects.
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the author.