Original Research - Special Collection: VukaniBantuTsohangBatho - Spirituality of Black Liberation

Positioning LGBTIQ as the human sexuality agenda for black theology of liberation – Reflection on Vuyani Vellem’s black theology of liberation

Graham A. Duncan
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 76, No 3 | a6123 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v76i3.6123 | © 2020 Graham A. Duncan | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 14 May 2020 | Published: 15 December 2020

About the author(s)

Graham A. Duncan, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa; and, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Vuyani Vellem was an outstanding Black Theologian of Liberation (BTL), who was approaching the zenith of his career when he died at the age of 50 years in 2019. This paper begins with a personal memoir to Prof. Vellem and a recognition that there is a lacuna in BTL relative to human sexuality issues. The contemporary global context of the human sexuality debate is discussed before the task of BTL in Vellem’s thinking is outlined. This is followed by an examination of the situation in Africa and South Africa. Following this, the article proceeds to introduce the issue of human sexuality as a potential field of research in BTL and argues that the subject of human sexuality in the black community is a valid and appropriate topic for study and research by BTL.

Contribution: This article raises pertinent issues regarding the development of a Black Theology of Liberation (BTL) which includes a proposal for the inclusion of LGBTI+ issues. It seeks to expand the understanding of the oppressed to include those who are oppressed as the result of gender issues.


Keywords

black theology of liberation; homophobia; human sexuality; LGBTI; oppression; Vuyani Vellem

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Crossref Citations

1. Ubufundisi bonyana womgquba: In memoriam of Vuyani Shadrack Vellem
Wonke Buqa
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies  vol: 78  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4102/hts.v78i1.7969