A biblical, cultural and missiological critique of traditional circumcision among Xhosa-speaking Christians

Abstract

Among the Xhosa of South Africa, male circumcision remains a very important ritual. The question as to whether Christians should accept these rites and continue to send their children to traditional schools practising it is very important. In this article the implications of the ritual and the way in which proponents use the Bible are evaluated. It is argued that there should be an honest encounter with the rite from a biblical perspective. Solutions should be evaluated and explained. From a Christian perspective total rejection is not possible, but the church should remain faithful to the truth of the gospel. 110). Circumcision is one such difficult aspect of African life. Circumcision is accepted as a principal form of initiation by the Xhosa-speaking people (Magubane 1998:33). In spite of the increasing reports of initiates who suffer medical complications, and even death, this traditional practice does not show any signs of abating. The Xhosaspeaking people still practise the ritual in its attenuated form and every aspect and phase in it is rich in meaning (Magubane 1998:33). Acta Theologica 2006:2 1 This article is based on the M.A. Dissertation of J. Papu. It was written from the perspective of Adventists, but the conclusions are relevant for all Christian communities.

Rights of ‘passage’ and contested land use: Gendered conflict over urban space during ritual performance in South Africa

“…Both the surgeon and the guardian/nurse are also responsible for teaching the initiate about being a man ). Most importantly, in terms of the focus of this paper, there is a cultural requirement that the male initiate be in seclusion, far away from human settlements and their inhabitants (Papu & Vester, 2006). While in seclusion, a temporary dwelling known as ithonto or ibhoma is built for the initiate, using anything from tree branches and grass to cardboard and plastic.…”

Cultural religion and infertility in South Africa with particular focus on amaXhosa

“…Within the amaXhosa cultural group, the concept of procreation holds immense significance and is deeply ingrained in societal values (Taylor et al 2013). This suggests that having children is recurrently considered not just a personal desire but also a critical duty and responsibility (Papu & Verster 2006). Thus, procreation within the ethnological setting of amaXhosa is viewed as a means of ensuring family continuity, carrying forward the ancestry and securing the future of the community.…”

Use of herbal formulations for the treatment of circumcision wounds in Eastern and Southern Africa

“…Male circumcision is one of the oldest surgical procedures known, and ritual circumcision is the act of severance of the foreskin without anaesthesia (11,(16)(17)(18). Once the foreskin is cut off, the wound is not stitched but bound in traditional medicines to help in the healing process (19)(20)(21)(22)(23). Therefore, traditional male circumcision procedure relies heavily on traditional medicines to Research into medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of medicinal plants used to treat and manage circumcision wounds offers tremendous potential for developing new pharmaceutical health products and drugs.…”