This research article uses the theoretical framework of doctrine as believer’s security to critique the theological framework behind the controversial activities reported amongst some South African neo-Pentecostal prophets (NPPs), which include feeding congregants with grass, spraying them with insecticides and sexual violation of women congregants. The framework of the article falls within the discipline of systematic theology by raising the importance for South African Christians to develop a critical doctrinal framework for protecting themselves from controversial NPPs. The following main question is answered by the article: from a systematic theological perspective, how can we evaluate the theological framework, which leads to the recent controversial activities reported amongst some NPPs in South Africa? Consequently, the article, firstly, describes the critical theological framework of the protective role of Christian doctrine. Secondly, it describes the South African NPPs and their controversial practices. Thirdly, this article analyses some of the theological problems in the current operative framework of NPPs. Fourthly, it argues for the need for doctrinally informed critical thinking as a safety measure against controversial NPPs. Finally, some steps that must be taken by NPPs to develop critical theological thinking in order to overcome doctrinally vacuous experientialism that promotes controversial religious activities are provided.
From a systematic theological approach, this article attempts to demonstrate the importance of critical doctrinal thinking as a defence mechanism for protecting Christians from falling prey to harmful religious practices, such as those recently reported amongst some NPPs in South Africa.
The focus of this research article is the operational theological framework that prompts South African neo-Pentecostal prophets (NPPs) to carry out the questionable practices that are widely reported in the media. Previous studies have critiqued these NPPs from various theoretical and theological perspectives, such as the religious nature of their controversial practices (Resane
In order to answer the above-stated research question, the following steps are observed: firstly, the critical theological framework of the protective role of Christian doctrine is described. Secondly, the South African NPPs and their controversial practices are briefly described. Thirdly, some theological problems in the current operative framework of NPPs are presented and analysed. Fourthly, an argument is made on the need for doctrinally informed critical thinking as a safety measure against controversial NPPs. This article concludes by presenting some steps that NPPs must take to develop critical theological thinking in order to overcome doctrinally vacuous experientialism that promotes controversial religious activities. Although the article does not attempt to exposit in detail any doctrines, it falls within the field of systematic theology, because it wrestles with the value of doctrinally informed reasoning in Christian life. Although this study concentrates on the neo-prophetic scene in South Africa, it raises issues that have been witnessed across the African continent.
The theoretical framework used to critique the controversial practices of the NPPs is from a systematic theological perspective that views doctrines as the church’s protective mechanism against errors and harmful religious teachings and practices. Some Christians regard doctrines as unnecessary human-made burdens that stand in the way of true spiritual life guided by the Holy Spirit. The critical systematic theological framework challenges believers to consider the protective value of doctrines in ordinary Christian life, as it grounds them on the truth and prevents them from becoming victims of unhealthy spiritual teachings (Eph 4:14–16). Paul shows the protective role of doctrines by warning Timothy that if he watches his doctrine closely, he will save both himself and his followers (Tm 1 4:16).
According to Horton (
It is argued that the neglect and anathematisation of theological thinking are some of the causes of the controversial religious activities, abuse of religion and congregants, as witnessed in the recent controversial NPPs. This framework recognises that our doctrinal formulations are human acts, resulting from the (De Gruchy
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Although all doctrines are humanly constructed, their absence robs Christians the protection they need from abusive manipulation by their leaders and of an objective standard by which these leaders can be held accountable for their actions. This critical theological approach will be used to critique the theological logic of the disturbing and distressing activities reported in some NPPs.
As reported in the media, the questionable practices of the NPPs include the open display of sex-related matters in public church worship (Makhoba
Although NPPs belong to the broader Pentecostal tradition that traces its origins from the 1906 Azusa Street Revival, they are remarkably different from the classical conservative Pentecostals. Some scholars (Kgatle
Whilst the prophetic element is not new in African Christianity having been the backbone of many African Independent Churches (AICs) who broke away from mission churches in early 1900s (Tsekpoe
The controversial nature of the neo-Pentecostal prophetic practices is demonstrated by the wide range of the attention they have attracted in South Africa having received criticism from the state president, Cyril Ramaphosa (Shange & Gous
This section describes some theological problems in the operational framework of controversial South African NPPs that seems to provide an opportunity for the questionable activities reported among them.
A notable problem reported amongst the controversial NPPs is the absence of a fixed central doctrinal structure constructed through rigorous theological processes to uphold and guide beliefs and practices (Kgatle & Mofokeng
The disregard for the historical doctrines of the church is demonstrated by preaching that does not really focus on repentance, holiness and sanctification, but focuses on healing, deliverance, attaining material prosperity and extraordinary miracles such as revealing a person’s home address or the colour of their car (Kgatle
There is a tendency amongst the NPPs to treat God as an ‘impersonal deity’ by presenting him as a deity, force or power that can only be accessed through prophets as if he is unable to personally relate with his people and independently bless them without the mediation of prophets (Banda
The idea of salvation is taken from the Christian faith, but is changed. New conditions for salvation are given, such as purchase of anointed products, allegiance, the use of certain sacraments and commitment to the organization. Members are thus obliged to fulfil these claims before they can be sure of salvation. Anointed towels, anointed bangles, anointed grass, anointed rings, anointed portraits of the prophets, talismans, oils and all forms of objects have become a common feature in Pentecostalism and African Christianity. (p. 7)
In short, the controversial NPPs do not have a sound biblical understanding and expression of the doctrine of salvation. These practices hardly reflect salvation based on Christ and his work on the cross. For, if one can receive God’s blessing by giving money to the prophet, what emerges is a doctrine of salvation by works where the biblical elements of faith, repentance, confession and baptism (depending on whether one see baptism as a soteriological or ecclesiological rite) are marginalised. The lack of a regard for traditional doctrines of the church leads to a Christian faith that is wholly depended on the machinations of the prophet, which allows the abuse of congregants to thrive without an instrument for theological recourse.
The lack of care for sound doctrines in the controversial NPPs can be linked to a Christian faith that is built on the personal spiritual stature and personal vision of the prophets than on Christ. This is a form of cultism because the entire religious experience is wholly dependent on the person of the prophet than on Christ (Kgatle
Paradoxically, this deep prioritisation of prophecy demonstrates a fundamentalist commitment to the Bible, however at the same time it shows a denial of the full authority of the Bible. On one hand, the NPPs have a fundamentalist view of the Bible, treating it as ‘the be-all in terms of deciding what they should do as Christians, if not in their actual daily lives then at least in public discussions’ (Gunda & Machingura
However, on the other hand, this prioritisation of the prophets by the NPPs is also a denial of the finality of the Bible in religious matters because they effectively deny the traditional Christian belief that the inspiration of the Bible has ended (Rukwati
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From this excerpt, we see that the prophets use the Bible to construct their authority as men and women of God but then begin to speak and operate according to new revelation, which is extra-textual and treated as more authentic and authoritative (Resane
Instead of a faith based on sound doctrines formulated through vigorous biblical and theological processes, NPPs promote a religion based on experientialism. For example, when Lethebo Rabalago sprayed congregants with a household insecticide, he said he had been instructed by the Holy Spirit to do so (DailySun
‘Do you believe in the Father?’ Daniel asked the congregation. ‘Can you imagine not being able to have a baby and you come here, drink petrol and tomorrow the doctor says, “No more barrenness, you are pregnant because you drank petrol”’. (n.p.)
What can be seen in these controversial activities is the promise of a unique spiritual experience instead of challenging Christians to think theologically about their faith and their situations. An even more serious problem is that the expectation of miracles is not based on God’s unlimited power
It is important, however, to realise that at a general level, the neo-Pentecostal prophetic quest for experience is rooted in classical conservative Pentecostalism. In its classical form, Pentecostalism originally began as a religion of experience and was suspicious of critical reasoning as an enemy of true spirituality. Pentecostals were inspired by the early church of the Apostles that was full of life, and therefore, ‘never envisaged to theorise their ecclesiology or the way the church needs to conduct herself with regard to theology’ Kgatle (
It is not true that many people who attend the controversial neo-Pentecostal prophetic churches are simple-minded people who are being taken advantage by sweet-talking religious charlatans. Some are educated and well to do people, and some even hold high offices in the private and public economic sectors. Rather, the problem lies in the quest for experience that defies logical explanations. As noted by Kgatle and Mofokeng (
Biblically, there is an inseparable link between doctrine and morality (Tt 1:1), which means that systematic theology and theological ethics belong together. Therefore, when controversial NPPs disregard the traditional doctrines of the church, it opens avenues for the abuse of congregants. The disregard for historical church doctrines, the elevation of the prophets of over Christ and the promotion of experientialism over critical thinking lead to the perception of spiritual freedom that is not governed by biblical moral codes. Neo-Pentecostal prophets show a disconnect between theology and ethics, in that the prophets preach about God, and yet, their religious activities break God’s moral laws. It is as if believers transcend into an amoral spiritual realm where anything is possible and can be carried out through God’s power (Resane
Furthermore, the reported unusual events show a religion that suspends the laws of science by performing dangerous things, such as consuming toxic substances. Thus, it can also be said that some congregants endure being subjected to all these abusive activities by their prophets because they believe that, regardless of their unwholesome nature, these activities are carried out by the ‘the man of God’, and will, therefore, still heal and bless them. Furthermore, as has been reported in several news reports, many congregants yield to the undesirable treatment from their prophets out of fear because the prophet would have told them that bad things will happen if they refuse to do as the man of God has directed (Agazue
This section attempted to show that it is possible for people claiming to be Christian to carry out ungodly things in the name of Christ when, amongst other things, religious life is no longer informed by critical theological thinking but is informed by experientialism that has no sound biblical and theological basis.
There is a need for Christians in South Africa to protect themselves from the controversial NPPs by developing critical theological thinking informed by sound biblical doctrines.
Critical thinking is the use of cognitive rational analytical skills for understanding reality. Biblically informed critical thinking is a necessary tool for addressing the controversial activities of the neo-Pentecostal prophetic churches. When used appropriately, critical theological thinking is not an enemy of faith but an important ally, which can make faith substantive and meaningful. According to van den Berg (
When we follow the instructions of others thoughtlessly, accept the authority of others without question, or take things for granted, we are not thinking critically. To reason critically is to think for yourself by challenging authority and critically examining dogma, that is, unquestioned knowledge claims. (p. 2)
Critical thinking essentially means that people do not blindly submit to religious teachings without understanding and rationally analysing them for themselves.
From a systematic theological perspective, it can be stated that critical thinking is analytical reasoning informed by the teachings of Scripture, which function as the authoritative source for all Christian doctrine and living (Tm 2 3:15–16). As Scripture is a product of the Holy Spirit, it can be said that Christian critical reflection on faith is a spiritual exercise. Christian critical thinking requires a hermeneutical system that allows believers to read and apply Scripture in an analytical manner and not a simplistic biblicism that does not follow the basic rules of interpretation.
It must also be noted that critical theological thinking does not mean that believers will necessarily agree on all theological points or that their reached theological position will be the correct one. However, critical theological thinking means that a theological or doctrinal position will be arrived at carefully using a systematic method, which follows a rigorous study and interpretation of biblical texts. This means that in cases of disagreement or when a change is needed, we will be able to see how the position was reached and what makes it different from the other positions held by other believers and what must be carried out to change the theological position.
There is a tendency amongst Christians to view critical theological thinking as an enemy of true faith. For example, according to Tienou (
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From this point, Wells shows that although the problem of lack of theological thinking may be serious amongst some controversial NPPs, it is also a serious problem within the broader modern Christianity. In fact, it can be said that in the other streams of Christianity, the lack of critical theological thinking presents itself in other set of problems. For example, an analysis of contemporary church worship shows a tendency towards emotionalism and preaching that is more motivational and psychological in its nature, leading to an inward focused spirituality instead of being God centred. This point does not mean that emotions are anti-biblical but that due balance must be made.
Critical theological thinking is a biblically demanded spiritual act. God expects Christians to think critically about him and his ways. For example, when Isaiah asks, ‘[t]o whom then will you liken God?’ or ‘[w]hat likeness will you compare with him?’ (Is 40:18), he expects an answer from a God worshipper who has accurately and critically grasped God’s greatness and uniqueness in relation to other contenders to deity. In the New Testament, the example of Christians who exercised critical theological thinking include the Christians of Berea (Ac 17:10–14) who are praised for their critical attitude towards the gospel received from the apostle Paul. The Bereans received Paul’s teachings with a questioning mind informed by the Scriptures, as they turned to them to verify Paul’s new teachings. An important dimension is how their prior knowledge functioned as security from being misled. They used their previous knowledge to judge and receive the new teachings from Paul.
Furthermore, it is important to note that God commands Christians to love him with not only their heart, soul and their strength but also with their mind (Mk 12:30). This shows that loving God is not only an emotional thing but also relational and rational matter. Furthermore, Christians are commanded to renew their minds (Rm 12:2), to not be deceived with empty words (Eph 5:6), to not be foolish but wisely understand what the Lord’s will is (Eph 5:17), to test everything (Th 1 5:21) and to not believe every spirit but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God (Jn 1 4:1). A detailed exegetical study of these biblical texts and similar verses shows that critical thinking is an essential part of spiritual discernment. These verses show that loving God not only is an emotional exercise but also involves the mental struggle of understanding and applying God’s truth to our different living contexts.
Noll (
Critical theological thinking is a holy act by which we attempt to grasp God’s will for our lives. In addition, it is a necessary defence mechanism, which all Christians must undertake especially when faced with the onslaught of not only heretic teachings but also humanly dangerous practices, such as those reported amongst some NPPs. Critical theological thinking functions as a defence mechanism through which Christians strengthen their grasp of God’s revelation and expectation to them. Vanhoozer (
Against the onslaught of the controversial NPPs, critical theological thinking prevents the privatisation and commodification of religion by the prophets. Privatisation and commodification mean turning religion into a utilitarian tool to accomplish one’s selfish desires, and that God’s truth is only known by the prophets. One of the concerns raised by the CRL Rights Commission (
Indeed, it is a biblical requirement that churches have leaders and teachers (Eph 4:11–14), yet without their own critical theological thinking on doctrines, believers are deprived of religious independence because they must constantly rely on their leaders for religious guidance. Critical theological thinking is a security measure, which protects against commodification of the gospel by deceptive leaders who use their spiritual authority to abuse believers as seen by the controversial NPPs. Critical theological thinking also challenges the sacralisation of leaders and their absolutisation as too spiritual that they are beyond questioning by empowering followers to know the truth, evaluate their belief system and ask the critical questions from their leaders. Critical theological thinking is, therefore, an important security measure against spiritual abuse by controversial NPPs.
From a systematic theological perspective, what should NPPs do in order to develop critical theological thinking, which can, in turn, lead to the halting of controversial activities that are harmful to people and damage the reputation of sound religion? Wells (
A foundational problem in the controversial NPPs is theologically baseless experientialism that cannot pass the scrutiny of sound biblical hermeneutics. Therefore, instead of religion based on dramatic experientialism, NPPs must be challenged towards a religion driven by sound doctrines informed by the whole counsel of scripture and extracted through sound hermeneutical principles. Wells (
Critical theological thinking about the confessional element of the church is one of the catalysts that led to the breakaway of the Protestant Reformation from the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, according to Wells (
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This excerpt emphasises the public nature of God’s revelation that was openly communicated to all people to understand and order their lives around. The public nature of God’s revelation makes the confessional element of the church open, not secretive as neo-Pentecostal prophetic churches.
The open nature of God’s revelation challenges the tendency of controversial NPPs to commodify and privatise God’s revelation by their hierarchical structure through which charismatic leaders monopolise all the answers and only give selected information to chosen people (Frahm-Arp
It is this core of confession that the Church’s identity is preserved across the ages. This is the watchword by which it is known. Without this knowledge, it is bereft of what defines the Church as the people of God, bereft of the means of belief, worship, sustenance, proclamation, and service. Confession must be at the center
In other words, authentic Christian faith is not empty experientialism in the name of Christ. Rather, it has substantive biblical facts, which are publicly known, defined, and protected against being corrupted and abused by evil leaders. In this regard, the controversial NPPs are challenged to give top priority to the content of their confessional substance. Here, the controversial NPPs must ask themselves the following questions: what is the theological basis of our faith? What do we believe about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, humanity, sin, and the whole array of religious and social issues? They must further ask themselves other following questions: how do we derive our beliefs? How do we read and interpret the Bible to formulate our confessional elements? And how do we relate to the beliefs of the historical Christian community and other Christians around us in our times?
Neo-Pentecostal prophets should be challenged to not reduce religion to mere dramatic experientialism but emphasise the importance of critical reflection on the confessed elements of the Christian faith. According to Wells (
Instead of thriving on unusual dramatic religious experientialism, NPPs should be challenged to realise that sound religious faith is ethical. This means that purportedly Christian experiences should not just be judged on their extraordinary and miraculous nature but also on their ethical nature. Whilst Pastor Motsoeneng’s healing ritual of telling women to wave their underwear and place their hands on their private parts in church and Pastor Njohi’s ordering of women to come to church without underwear may achieve the desired results, such actions fail the ethical test of being actions from a holy God. Those questionable activities do not uphold or promote God’s holy and righteous purposes.
According to Wells (
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Essentially, this is ‘spirituality that is centrally moral in its nature because God is centrally holy in his being’ (Wells
This research article has attempted to emphasise that critical theological thinking can assist in addressing the theological framework of the NPPs, which allows them to engage in controversial religious activities harmful to their followers and put Christianity into disrepute. This article attempted to answer the following question: from a systematic theological perspective, what can be said about the theological framework that leads to the recent controversial activities reported amongst some NPP churches? Using the theological critical framework of Christian doctrine as a protective measure, the article argued that a driving force in the controversial NPP churches is the absence of analytical doctrines, which promotes a pre-occupation with empty experientialism. The absence of a sound biblically informed doctrinal framework leaves NPP Christians without a framework for questioning the unconventional activities of their prophets. Furthermore, this leaves them without security from spiritual abuse from their prophets. The article suggested that the NPP churches should be challenged to replace their biblically baseless experientialism with critical theological thinking informed by the whole counsel of Scripture. Another following question may arise: who should challenge NPP prophets and their followers to pay serious attention to critical doctrinal thinking? The answer to this question is that this task should be performed by all Christians, particularly trained theologians, concerned with the harm caused by controversial NPP practices and the lack of critical doctrinal thinking. Neo-Pentecostal prophetic churches should be challenged to realise the protective power in critical Christian doctrine. Neo-Pentecostal prophets should be challenged to consider Wells’ (
The author would like to thank Dr Michael Burgess and Dr Tendesayi Kufa-Chakezha for reading the final draft of the manuscript and assisting with helpful comments for improvement.
The author declares that he has no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced him in writing this article.
C.B. is the sole author of this research article.
This article followed all ethical standards for research without direct contact with any 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.
These charges include 63 accounts in the main charge sheet, and 34 alternative charges for racketeering activities, sexual assault and rape at the church (SANews