Gunda & Kügler, Introductioninformal settlements in South Africa, he also goes on to show how the
Bible has also become a resource, which is giving hope to these people.
Finally, in section three, focus is now on the Bible, gender and politics in
Africa and three contributions occupy this part of the book. Adriaan van
Klinken opens the section with his contribution on the politics of biblical
manhood. This is a contribution that raises critical questions on con-
cepts of masculinities and with a case study from a Zambian Pentecostal
Church; this is a thought provoking contribution in an area that remains
fairly new and largely still developing within African studies. Central to
the subject of masculinities both in the case study of van Klinken and in
general masculinities studies is “the ‘distortion’ of manhood perceived
in society, for example in phenomena such as violence against women,
men’s sexual performances, homosexuality, alcoholism, and an overall
irresponsibility of men in matters concerning marriage and family life.”
The chapter shows how the Zambian Northmead Assembly Church has
tried to use the Bible to reconstruct a responsible manhood. Elizabeth
Vengeyi looks at the manner in which Zimbabwean women engaged
with the Bible during the crises decade 2000-2010. She observes that
“due to colonial and contemporary factors especially the emergent Pen-
tecostalism that has dominated Zimbabwe, which views the Bible as so
central to daily living that it is consulted on every subject of life and
treated as fetish by the members, the Bible has become crucial in socio-
economic and political discourses.” This importance attached to the
Bible means that the Bible is the readily available resource for those in
need of hope and legitimacy. She shows how a female politician “pre-
sented herself as a woman who fears God and who gets inspiration from
the Bible for her political path. She, in an interview argued that when
she talks about injustice, she is basically referring to all the things that
are forbidden in the Bible.” Finally, Tapiwa Mapuranga considers the
contribution of Pentecostalism in the empowerment of women in minis-
try and how some have tried to undermine the same through a reading
of 1Cor. 14:34-35 as well as 1Tim. 2:11-14. “Pentecostalism has brought
with it an influx of women pastors and preachers in the church. This
new (or rather revived) phenomenon of women and leadership roles has
sparked fierce social debates. The central question being, ‘should
women be allowed to preach and teach in the church?’” While in some
churches, ordination remains a preserve of men, there are many among