Modelos de valoración de opciones

This programme did not have Polity as part of the subjects taught to students, as clearly demonstrated from a comparative analysis of the minutes of Conference reports on the Ministerial Training Committee from 2004 to 2016. For example, in 2014, students in the TEE model were doing the following subjects, first, second, third and fourth years:

Church History 1, Christian Proclamation, New Testament 1, Old Testament 1, Healing and Counselling, Old Testament 2, Systematic Theology 1, Principles of Research, Church History 2, Theology Approach to HIV and AIDS, Systematic Theology 2, Introduction to Computers, Christian Ethics, Christianity in Africa and Project/ Dissertation (MCZ 2014:22- 24).

On the other hand, those using the conventional model at UTC were doing the following subjects:

Academic Writing, Christian Education, Pastoral Care, Homiletics, Worship, Polity, Phenomenology, Old Testament, New Testament, Philosophy, Sociology, Christian History and Thought, Psychology, Theology, Old Testament Theology, New Testament Theology, Contextual Theologies, Church Administration, Pastoral Counselling, Religion Democracy and Governance, Christian Ethics, World Religions and Theology of Development (MCZ 2014:22-24).

From the above list of subjects, the interest of this study is on polity. It is only seen in the UTC conventional model and it is done by all classes, but as reflected in the UTC Polity course above, the depth at which it is done is the focus of the study. For students in the TEE programme, there was nothing covered of polity during their four years of study using this model.

4.5 Conclusion

The chapter has discussed models of training used by the MCZ, beginning from in-service training to conventional training at UTC, which had also a parallel programme of distance education with TEE. The focus of the study is to find out to what extent Wesleyan teachings

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are taught in these models of training, with particular emphasis on health and wealth as themes dominant in the doctrine of salvation. It was noted in the chapter that UTC, since 2016, has introduced a course in polity that covers Wesleyan teachings and includes an element of Ordo Salutis. The TEE programme, however, has no element of polity in its curriculum. The church has other programmes that are used to mitigate the gaps left by conventional and TEE models.

As indicated in the interviews carried out, and supported by the Minutes of Conference (2013b:44), each year, the church has a ―Wesley Week and a mission month,‖ as well as clergy retreats. All these are held to deal with theological challenges faced by the church, such as the prosperity gospel, and to emphasise Wesleyan theology, particularly during Wesley Week (MCZ 2013:44-45). The Wesley Week is also a platform where clergy teach congregants on the theology of Methodism. The church also holds a minister‘s training seminar on Methodism at Africa University (AU), together with other denominations who share the same roots of Methodism (MCZ 2013:44).

A critical theological reflection and analysis of the chapter shows that the history of Methodism was a subject taught separately from church history at Waddilove until 1953 with course content covering the theology of John Wesley inclusive of Ordo Salutis. It has also been shown that graduates from college were to do a further five-year probationers period after training before ordination where they had to pass an examination in Methodism. It has been noted that it was after 1970 that the curriculum drastically changed to have an academic flavour at the expense of spiritual formation, when the college became ecumenical. This was done to meet the standards required by the UZ for its accreditation as an affiliate college. The curriculum eliminated History of Methodism and created Polity as a remedy for doctrinal teachings by sending churches. This point is supported by the 1998 evaluation where respondents indicated the bias of lecturers towards academic subjects at the expense of formation.

The chapter clearly demonstrates that only those with an appetite for Methodism would continue with seeking knowledge through further studies. It has been proven that those going for further studies acquired much knowledge in Methodism, and are able to meet the challenges and prospects of the prosperity gospel. This is seen with Kadenge, who, in 1977, was a candidate together with James. Kadenge went to UTC where he graduated with a Diploma in Theology and James went to UNISA where she graduated with a Bachelor of

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Theology. James was able to acquire knowledge in Wesley‘s teachings on Ordo Salutis, hence she was able to paraphrase Wesley‘s sermons, while Kadenge at that time had not done Wesley theology at UTC, until he had to do further studies. Currently, those that are doing further studies and those that have completed are able to respond to the phenomenon of the prosperity gospel with the intention to maximise the opportunities and the challenges using Wesleyan teachings on health and wealth as resources available to teach members.

It has also been noted that Wesleyan teachings on salvation as part of polity is the creedal part of the mission of the church that ―exists to transform lives through biblical teaching, witnessing and nurturing believers into true worshipers of God‖ (MCZ 2016:2). This emphasis of Wesleyan heritage and teachings is seen to be the thrust of the church as indicated from addresses by the leaders of this church. In the Mission Director‘s report to Conference 2014, he observed that:

…the Zimbabwean theological landscape has shifted in a remarkable way. It is a given that the mainline Christianity has an unquestionable history in the service of the Zimbabwean people. However the dominance of the same in the new dispensation is highly interrogated. In the event that the situation continues to be unabated, it means the future of mainline Christianity is bleak. This calls for us to be resolute in the implementation of our strategies and to be open to change as we do our mission. More so it calls us to be very judicial as we preserve our heritage, particularly those aspects of our being that make us Wesleyans first and Methodists second (MCZ 2014:39).

Theologically reflecting the above statement shows that the church is facing some challenges that are threatening its identity, its existence, as well as prospects. Hence, there is the call to realign with caution in order not to dilute the identity of the church and to be derailed in terms of its teachings, especially by the challenges posed by the prosperity gospel. Generally, the chapter has shown that clergy agreed that there is not much done in terms of equipping clergy with Wesleyan traditions at colleges. It has also been noted that the church, by encouraging its clergy to do further studies, is equipping them to be informed and skilled in dealing with prosperity challenges and opportunities. The researcher, in this chapter, also concludes that education was a central arm of the evangelisation of Zimbabwe. It formed the firm foundation of the missionary enterprise in most parts of Zimbabwe. However, it is evident that it was to a large extent foreign and insensitive to the needs of the African people. It produced an elite and professional clergy who sometimes may fail to close the gap between

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him/her and the congregants in terms of socialization. And it creates a superiority complex rather than a servant hood model of a clergy.

The Polity curriculum was not only non-indigenous but it also created patterns of ministry not fit for the Church in Africa. This was seen especially on the aspect of salvation of the soul – that is, for the afterlife, rather than here and now – hence the rise of ―African Initiated Churches from most mission or historical churches such as Guta Ra Jehovah, Joanne Masowe, Zion Christian Church, and many others as shown by Matthew Zvimba who formed his church called Shirichena (white bird) because he did not want to work under white missionaries‖ (Zvobgo 1991:82). The research contends that for theological training to be relevant, it should be needs-based. This is indicated by the respondents who said that the college must have ―constant evaluations through engagement with stakeholders like the church because the church is the market place for their product‖ (Zwana 2017).The study therefore questioned whose needs were being addressed by the theological education in the MCZ.

From the beginning of this chapter to this end it is clear that, although there has been teaching on salvation from the Wesleyan perspective, this did not deal in depth with issues around health and wealth. Graduates of UTC are not well grounded with skills of responding to these issues. Therefore the researcher proposes in this study a change of curriculum to the institutions of training of the clergy. Using theological reflection to analyse the curriculum one can deduce that the current curriculum of theology is only concerned with the study of religious experience and expression across all civilisations; ancient and modern within the context of philosophy. Much emphasis has been placed on careful reading of theology‘s primary texts, preferably in the original language and the general belief systems. The curriculum is almost defunct as proved by the low intake at higher learning institution. Therefore a proposal to change the curriculum is suggested as a way forward. Details about new curriculum proposal shall be given in the concluding chapter eight. The next chapter presents the prosperity gospel‘s concept of salvation and its challenges and opportunities for the religio-cultural context of Zimbabwe.

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CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 PROSPERITY GOSPEL AND THE CONCEPT OF SALVATION: ITS