Taking Up the Cudgels Against Gay Rights? Trends and Trajectories in African Christian Theologies on Homosexuality

Against the background of the HIV epidemic and the intense public controversy on homosexuality in African societies, this article investigates the discourses of academic African Christian theologians on homosexuality. Distinguishing some major strands in African theology, that is, inculturation, lib...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of homosexuality 2012-01, Vol.59 (1), p.114-138
Main Authors: van Klinken, Adriaan S., Gunda, Masiiwa Ragies
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Africa
AIDS
Black people
Christianity
Christians
Culture
Discourse
Epidemics
Gays & lesbians
HIV
HIV Infections - psychology
Homosexuality
Homosexuality - ethics
Homosexuals
Human immunodeficiency virus
Human rights
Human Rights - trends
Humans
Identity
Identity politics
Justice
LGBTQ rights movements
Liberation
postcolonial identity politics
Postcolonial societies
Prejudice
Religion and Sex
Rights
Silence
Social Acceptance
Taboos
Theology
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Summary:Against the background of the HIV epidemic and the intense public controversy on homosexuality in African societies, this article investigates the discourses of academic African Christian theologians on homosexuality. Distinguishing some major strands in African theology, that is, inculturation, liberation, women's and reconstruction theology, the article examines how the central concepts of culture, liberation, justice, and human rights function in these discourses. On the basis of a qualitative analysis of a large number of publications, the article shows that stances of African theologians are varying from silence and rejection to acceptance. Although many African theologians have taken up the cudgels against gay rights, some "dissident voices" break the taboo and develop more inclusive concepts of African identity and African Christianity.
ISSN:0091-8369
1540-3602
DOI:10.1080/00918369.2012.638549