Rhodian G. Munyenyembe, Christianity And Socio Cultural Issues The Charismatic Movement And Contextualization In Malawi (Mzuzu, Malawi Mzuni Press, 2011). Vi + 145 Pp., $26.95 Paperback.

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Book Reviews / Pneuma 35 (2013) 87-156

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Rhodian G. Munyenyembe, Christianity and Socio-Cultural Issues: The Charismatic Move- ment and Contextualization in Malawi (Mzuzu, Malawi: Mzuni Press, 2011). vi + 145 pp., $26.95 paperback.

Stressing the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in modern Christian communities, the Charismatic Movement has resonated with numerous people throughout Africa in gen- eral and in Malawi in particular. Rhodian G. Munyenyembe’s thesis is that many Malawians have left non-Charismatic churches and joined the Charismatic churches because they have been more effective at “contextualization,” which is “making the Christian faith more rele- vant to [the Malawian context]” (65). Using theological analysis as well as data from his anthropological field research in Malawian churches, the author argues that the success of the Charismatic churches in Malawi stems from their “incarnational theology” that connects the Gospel to Malawian’s socio-cultural realities and specifically appeals to Malawian Chris- tians traditional and modern cultural perspectives.

Although mainline churches have made conscious efforts to contextualize the gospel, they have generally failed to attract large numbers of members because they have ineffec- tively responded to people’s socio-cultural contexts. Mission churches responded to Malawi- ans’ culture in problematic ways because they tended to disregard African cultural traditions when presenting the Christian message to Malawians. Mainline evangelical denominational churches also reflected cultural insensitivity because theologians presented “polished ideas based on what the theologians think would be appropriate ways” of relating the gospel to people’s socio-cultural realities (3). Designing their systematic theology appeal to intellectu- als, many mainline evangelical presentations of the Christian faith did not connect with the hearts and souls of many Malawians, and their theology did not consider how Malawian’s social and cultural contexts affect their reception of the gospel. Furthermore, Munyenyembe argues that many Malawians have also found African Independent Churches (AICs) to be less attractive than the Charismatic churches because the AICs have also failed at appropri- ately contextualize the gospel for Malawian Christians. In attempting to preserve traditional cultural traits, many AICS clutched traditional cultural realities so tightly until they failed to respect “cultural dynamism” and acknowledge ways in which African culture has changed as Africans have interacted with modernity. In sum, many of the various non-charismatic denominational churches (Mission, Evangelical, and AICs) in Malawi have unproductively attended to the spiritual and socio-cultural needs of Malawian Christians.

In contrast, the Charismatic churches have had more success in connecting the gospel to Malawian’s distinct socio-cultural realities and spiritual needs, including their traditional African and modern worldviews. These churches have advanced an “incarnational theology,” a theology that makes Christ and the gospel message accessible to the people by respecting their traditional cultural heritage and modern cultural views (64). Munyenyembe refers to the special ability of the Charismatic Movement to respond to both Malawian’s past and present contexts as the “bipolarity of the Charismatic Movement” (72). Discussing one end of the Malawian cultural spectrum, the author argues that the anxieties and longings that accompany traditional African worldviews are very much alive among many Malawian Christians. For example, many Malawian Christians fear that witchcraft and sorcery are spiritual realities that can be used against them in malicious and harmful ways. Many

© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2013 DOI: 10.1163/15700747-12341302

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Book Reviews / Pneuma 35 (2013) 87-156

non-Charismatic churches, especially the mission and evangelical churches, do not engage Christian Malawians’ fears about witchcraft. However, Charismatic churches directly engage this cultural reality through teaching members to oppose witchcraft with the Scriptures and through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Charismatic churches acknowledge that Malawian Christians continue to maintain their traditional African cultural perspectives.

On the other side of the cultural spectrum, many Africans have embraced modern cul- tural worldviews. For instance, many Malawians have aspirations for higher education, desire to live in urban locations, and speak English and engage European Enlightenment cultural ideals. In primarily focusing on preserving traditional African worldviews, many of the AICs and Pentecostal churches do not permit many Malawians Christians to engage fully modern cultural realities. However, the Charismatic Movement appeals to many Malawian Christians because it recognizes and accepts modern cultural perspectives. This special bipolarity of the Charismatic Movement, which makes the Gospel of Christ relevant to both Malawians’ traditional and modern cultural sensibilities is what has influenced numerous Malawians to join Charismatic churches.

Munyenyembe’s research helps explain the growth of the Charismatic Movement in Africa, especially in Malawi, and precisely pinpoints important distinctions between Char- ismatic churches and non-Charismatic churches. My main critique of the author’s argument is with his contention that the Charismatic churches’ response to contextualization is “suc- cessful” (62). While Munyenyembe bases this claim largely on the growth in membership of Charismatic churches as compared to other non-Charismatic churches in Malawi, there are some ways in which the Charismatic churches are failing to respond to the socio-cultural needs of many Malawians. The author pinpoints and acknowledges that the Charismatic Movement in Malawi is by and large a “middle and upper class phenomenon” that is appeal- ing to the educated and elite and those in urban areas (115). He argues that poor persons from lower classes do not feel comfortable fellowshipping with people from a different class who come to church showcasing their expensive suits and luxury cars. Finding this repug- nant, many poor Pentecostals attend church elsewhere. Rather than wrestling with this issue, the author states, “Obviously such people are not against Charismatic spirituality but are ‘victims’ of the Charismatic Movement’s sociology” (115). He does not interrogate the ostensible classism and elitism within the ranks of the Charismatic Movement. If the Char- ismatic churches are not creating an inclusive worship atmosphere where the poor feel wel- come, are they truly the masters of contextualization that Munyenyembe make them out to be? Although many middle-class and upper class Malawians attend Charismatic churches, the Charismatic Movement’s failure to by and large attract lower class Malawians is a sig- nificant concern as it relates to the Movement’s effective contextualization of the gospel in Malawi.

Reviewed by Jonathan Chism PhD Student

Rice University, Houston, Texas [email protected]

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