Whiteness in Christianity and Decoloniality of the African Experience: Developing a Political Theology for ‘Shalom’ in Kenya

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I was thrilled by many of the ideas in this paper and think it worth continuing to workshop this particular paper. However, the current version is plagued by a few significant issues:
- it makes huge claims and critiques, most fair, but that would be helped with some nuance
- some sections (i.e. the land section) are very poorly integrated with the paper so that it loses its coherence
- the solution being offered is poorly explained, underdeveloped, and severely lacking in any critical engagement with the earlier materials of the paper, let alone scholarship more broadly.

I have provided notes throughout a pdf of the essay.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Page 1, 7, "Comfortably," 8 and throughout: colonialism, 14, tempered Page 2, 48, italics, 54, as?, 68, colonialism, 126, fragmental? 145, collectivistic? Page 5, 207, is fundamental, 224, Kenyan, 227, "one finds" Page 6, 306, who Page 7, 339 A Political Theology, 345, needs Page 8, 378, forefront of?, 368: to? 406, missing word? Page 9, 412 (,), otherwise, 417, without, 425, "The"

Author Response

Please see attachement 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Brief Summary

The author's thesis is that the church in Kenya must "decolonize its theological identity" and abandon the oppressive theology introduced by white colonial missionaries. The Kenyan church must develop a political African theology that draws on the African experience.  To support the thesis, the author explicates problematic areas with colonial white theology. First, white missionaries' doctrine of sin primarily focuses on the actions of individuals instead of their character and primarily considers the impact that sinful actions have on individuals. In the African context, sin is a "disruption" of the community.  Africans do not separate the soul and the body and view sin as communal rather than merely personal. Second, white missionaries' theology of salvation disconnected soul and body and focused on the saving of Africans' souls, disregarding the social oppression Africans experienced at the hands of colonizers. White missionaries encouraged missionaries to focus on saving souls and failed to demonstrate ways the gospel encourages political liberation, financial security, and good health. The author also provides a historical discussion of how white colonizers allied with missionaries to seize control of Kenyans' land to serve their own agendas. Despite establishing schools, churches, and hospitals in Kenya, white missionaries viewed themselves as culturally superior to Kenyans, encouraged Kenyans to abandon their culture, and used their religion to motivate Kenyans to acquiesce to their oppressive colonial situation.  Lastly, the author argues that the church in Kenya must detach itself from the white missionary Christianity that does not address the social challenges of Kenyans in particular and Africans in general. Churches in Africa and Kenya must develop a theology that prophetically challenges hegemonic and "neo-colonial" political systems of domination.

Broad Comments

• The methodology guiding the paper needs to be more clearly articulated in the introduction. Is the paper primarily guided by a historical or a theological methodology? Or both?
• The paper could benefit from a more expansive literature review. I am hard-pressed to believe that African theologians have not developed numerous liberation theologies. See Jonathan Gichaara’s “Issues in African Liberation Theology” in Black Theology: An International Journal, Vol 3, Issue 1 (2005). Also see Peter Walshe’s “The Evolution of Liberation Theology in South Africa” in Journal of Law and Religion, Vol 5, No 2 (1987). See Gerald West’s “Africa’s Liberation Theologies: An Historical-Hermeneutical Analysis”  in The Changing World Religion Map, Springer, 2015.  These works and others should be consulted to consider what a political theology might look like specifically for the Kenyan context.
• At points, the author speaks about the need for an African liberation theology based on the African experience. Is the paper calling for a Kenyan theology of liberation or an African theology of liberation? As noted with the references cited above, several authors have offered theologies of liberation based on the African context. The author might choose to focus on Kenya as opposed to Africa at large given the diversity that exists in the region.
• The author also stresses that the church must decolonize its theology. The author might also discuss theological education in Kenya. Are there theological schools of learning that are equipping pastors with the critical tools needed to construct political theologies?
• Section 3.2 needs more development. Is the author proposing a political theology or calling for theologians to construct a political theology for the African context? It seems that the paper aims to “propose a political theology.” If this is the case, this section needs significant expansion.   There are a lot of details missing. It seems that this aspect of the paper could become a part of the paper’s conclusion. The author could focus on exposing the problems with whiteness in missionary outreach in Kenya.
• Given the interest in political theology, the author might also consult theologians who have researched the social gospel. See some of the various writings of Gary Dorrien—Social Democracy in the Making (2019) and Breaking White Supremacy (2018).
• There are areas of the papers where the prose and grammar need to be polished and revised. See sentence 130-132; See lines 230-242; See lines 250-252. Careful editing and proofreading are needed.
• The conclusion needs additional work. Say more to explain your arguments. For example, the author states, “Shalom is realized when people are in harmony with their land. For Kenya, this needs to be restored.” Is this the only precondition for Shalom? Will this eliminate political corruption and other causes for disharmony, inequity, and injustice?

 

Specific Comments

• The abstract needs to be more concise. Per the guidelines, the abstract should be 200 words maximum.
• The title of the paper seems too general. As it relates to the subtitle, the emphasis on “shalom” does not occur until the conclusion of the paper. The subtitle could be sharpened to tie to the paper’s thesis.
• Perhaps early in the paper, you might explain that you are primarily focusing on Kenya. Consider discussing how the Kenyan context compares to other parts of Africa where colonialism has been strong. 
• On line 102, the writer states, “Whiteness interacts with other cultures, alters their DNA, yet it is left unscathed by the cultures it comes into contact with.” This point is also emphasized again in the conclusion. The American context disproves this claim. African experience has had a strong impact on American culture, especially in the realm of music—the blues, Black gospel, Hip Hop, etc. Also note the missionary work of Moravian missionaries who were effective at converting Native Americans and who respected the culture of Native Americans during the conversion process. See Fries, Adelaide L., Customs and Practices of the Moravian Church, Bethlehem, Pa., fourth revised edition, 2003,
• Line 351-352 sounds contradictory. Is it a radical detachment from politics or a radical engagement in the world of politics? Is it possible to be detached from politics and to be engaged in politics? Use more specific language. Are you calling for detachment from the politics of white colonizers?

 

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

With another careful edit, I think this can be published. I am not sure that it is strong in originality, but I think it reiterates important points and somehow manages to engage with the relevant scholarship in a much more succinct and expansive way. It is greatly improved from the first draft. 

Reviewer 3 Report

I think the author has significantly enhanced the paper. I appreciate the new section on Decolonial Hermeneutics and Reconstructive Theology.  The engagement of more work from various African biblical scholars and theologians enhances the article.