Missions, Theology and Christian leadership: A case of three Titi / Oukasie - Mohlakeng (Randfontein) male African Christian leaders

Abstract

In his work Bantu Prophets, Bengt Sundkler, a missionary, bishop, and academic, who pioneered the study of independent churches in Africa, mentions that one African Independent Church existed in Randfontein, a town that now forms part of the current Rand West City Local Municipality in the West Rand District Municipality of Gauteng, South Africa. This article contributes to Sundkler’s work by tracing the work of three Christian leaders from the same area. It also leans on John Mbiti’s work (the Kenyan-born Christian philosopher and writer who was an ordained Anglican priest) that popularised an African proverb, through his work titled African Religions and Philosophy, that “It takes a village to raise a child.” Additionally, Shutte’s emphasis that the community is the centre of Ubuntu resonates with the above Africa proverb Shutte argues that it complements the core European ethical notion of individual freedom which according to Nicolaides has Aristotelian overtones and shows how the two notions can be amalgamated to form an ethic based on a better understanding of our humanity. Mbiti’s proverb underscores the sentiments of this article by celebrating the association of Alson Nene, Buti Tlhagale, and Moss Ntlha with Titi/Oukasie–Mohlakeng (part of Randfontein). From an Ubuntu perspective (ka Setho/ngeSintu) these leaders upheld seriti/isithunzi sa (the moral force of) Titi/Oukasie–Mohlakeng (Randfontein) in the same way as other community leaders and members associated with this area. The article uses literature analysis and some personal communications with some informants associated with Titi/Oukasie–Mohlakeng (Randfontein) to demonstrate how Alson Nene, Buti Tlhagale, and Moss Ntlha, three male Christian leaders associated with the same area, contributed, and continued to missions, theological development and Christian leadership.