Black women’s bodies as sacrificial lambs at the altar

Abstract

The youth in South Africa are subject to unemployment and the pressure to fit into society. The unemployment rate in South Africa is high; therefore, some find themselves desperate for employment and often find themselves hoping and praying for a miracle; hence, the number of churches in South Africa is increasing. People go to church to be prayed for by ministers in a hope to better their lives and that of their families. Some of these young South Africans became victims of sexual harassment, rape and gender-based violence (GBV) at the hands of their pastors. The aim of this article was to challenge the church in identifying ways to break the cycle of perpetrators among pastors and help find the role pastoral counsellors can play regarding both victims and offenders to prevent history from repeating itself. Domestic violence and abuse in South Africa have been investigated by various disciplines. One of the most difficult realities for the church is the existence of clergy who abuse their female congregants. The article will create an awareness of violence against black women at the temple of black churches which is vindicated by Christian faith as miracle and healing. The violence against black women at the temple of the churches is patriarchal violence as male clergy sacrifice them in the name of faith using the bible. Some scholars of Black theology of liberation (BTL) argue that Elmina Castle had a chapel where women trading took place. Elmina Castle had a dungeon that kept black women who were waiting to be sold to a trade master. This article also exposed patriarchal violence that has been engraved on black women using the Bible by male clergy and connected Elmina Castle to Bishops Israel Makamu and Stephen Bafana Zondo to see the position of black women in these temples. Black theology of liberation was used to expose oppression of black women, by black men, in black churches.

Contribution: This article aimed to challenge pastoral care givers to remain ethical during pastoral care and counselling to those in need, especially young women. This study was a literature review study.

Full text

hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies
ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422
Page 1 of 7 Original Research
Read online:
Scan this QR
code with your
smart phone or
mobile device
to read online.
Authors:
Sandisele L. Xhin1
Hundzukani P.
Khosa-Nkani2
Aliaons:
1Department of Philosophy,
Praccal and Systemac
Theology, Faculty of Human
Sciences, University of
South Africa, Pretoria,
South Africa
2Faculty of Humanies,
Tshwane University of
Technology and Naonal
Instute for the Humanies
and Social Sciences (NIHSS),
Pretoria, South Africa
Corresponding author:
Sandisele Xhin,
xhintsl@unisa.ac.za
Dates:
Received: 19 July 2022
Accepted: 13 Oct. 2022
Published: 13 Apr. 2023
How to cite this arcle:
Xhin, S.L. & Khosa-Nkani,
H.P., 2023, ‘Black women’s
bodies as sacricial lambs at
the altar’, HTS Teologiese
Studies/Theological Studies
79(1), a7940. hps://doi.
org/10.4102/hts.v79i1.7940
Copyright:
© 2023. The Authors.
Licensee: AOSIS. This work
is licensed under the
Creave Commons
Aribuon License.
Introducon
As the starting point, this article investigates the triple jeopardy oppressed black women in South
Africa face; they encounter oppression from three angles: violence, victimisation and abuse. All
forms of oppression are vindicated by the Bible in the Christian faith through teaching, preaching
and exercise. Black women’s bodies at the Elmina Castle will be used as a mirror to argue that
black women’s bodies were sacrificed at the temples, as described by Kobo (2018a). Patriarchal
violence needs to be addressed as soon as possible as it is a huge social ill that oppresses black
women. Black women in South Africa need to be liberated from patriarchy and sexism in the
church, and black theology of liberation must take seriously the matter of violence against black
women as argued by Xhinti (2021). Patriarchy is an organised system for men to dominate women
in church and society. According to Davies and Dreyer (2014:1), pastoral care and counselling
comprise both spiritual and emotional support. However, in the absence of both spiritual and
emotional support, where young women become victims of abuse by their ministers, the church
can not remain silent. We cannot speak about black liberation theology when black women are
oppressed and abused by the liberated. Both authors of this study are ordained ministers of the
Word and have observed how fellow Africans are afraid to question their ministers. This gives
ministers power over their congregation; hence, young women remain silent about the abuse they
experienced from their ministers. This study aims to challenge the church to relook at how pastoral
care is practised in the church and encourage victims of abuse in the church to speak out. Kobo
(2018a:2) argues that black women were raped at the Elmina Castle by guards first while preparing
them for trade experts who also raped them. Kobo continues to say that some black women would
be chained as they refused to be sexually abused and they were deprived of food.
The youth in South Africa are subject to unemployment and the pressure to fit into society. The
unemployment rate in South Africa is high; therefore, some find themselves desperate for
employment and often find themselves hoping and praying for a miracle; hence, the number
of churches in South Africa is increasing. People go to church to be prayed for by ministers in
a hope to better their lives and that of their families. Some of these young South Africans
became victims of sexual harassment, rape and gender-based violence (GBV) at the hands of
their pastors. The aim of this article was to challenge the church in identifying ways to break
the cycle of perpetrators among pastors and help find the role pastoral counsellors can play
regarding both victims and offenders to prevent history from repeating itself. Domestic
violence and abuse in South Africa have been investigated by various disciplines. One of the
most difficult realities for the church is the existence of clergy who abuse their female
congregants. The article will create an awareness of violence against black women at the
temple of black churches which is vindicated by Christian faith as miracle and healing. The
violence against black women at the temple of the churches is patriarchal violence as male
clergy sacrifice them in the name of faith using the bible. Some scholars of Black theology of
liberation (BTL) argue that Elmina Castle had a chapel where women trading took place.
Elmina Castle had a dungeon that kept black women who were waiting to be sold to a trade
master. This article also exposed patriarchal violence that has been engraved on black women
using the Bible by male clergy and connected Elmina Castle to Bishops Israel Makamu and
Stephen Bafana Zondo to see the position of black women in these temples. Black theology of
liberation was used to expose oppression of black women, by black men, in black churches.
Contribution: This article aimed to challenge pastoral care givers to remain ethical during
pastoral care and counselling to those in need, especially young women. This study was a
literature review study.
Keywords: black theology of liberation; pastoral care; counselling; women; patriarchy;
patriarchal violence; church; abuse.
Black women’s bodies as sacricial lambs
at the altar
Read online:
Scan this QR
code with your
smart phone or
mobile device
to read online.

Page 2 of 7 Original Research
hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
Black women guided by black men
at the altar
According to eNCA news, one of the many girls, Cheryl
Zondi who was sacrificed at the altar by Pastor Tim
Omotoso, took a stand in court on 10 October 2018, to testify
on how she was sacrificed. The scene Zondi testified on was
a example of what Kobo (2018) explains when reflecting on
Elmina Castle in Ghana. Kobo 2018 and Vellem (2016) argue
that she saw structural oppression at Elmina Castle where
black humanity was enslaved and where black women
were among the slaves. Kobo asserts that black women
were oppressed more than their male counterparts as black
women were sex slaves to patriarchs who came to the castle.
Both male and female dungeons were on the same level of
the building, and on top of these dungeons there was a
Dutch Reformed Chapel (Vellem 2018). Pastors, governors,
and the Dutch Reformed Chapel were on the same level in
the building and women slaves would be called up so that
male leaders could choose from them and sexually exploit
the ones they chose Kobo argues. We identified a similar
pattern on what Zondi testified and what Kobo (2018)
displays, as Pastor Omotoso would choose which girl to
sleep with from the girls he promised to mentor.
Tim Omotoso puts the Bible on the heads of the girls or
quotes a biblical text to justifiy the sexual exploitation of the
girls (Zondi, eNCA news), in the same way the Dutch
Reformed Chapel had a biblical text (Ps 138) at the door,
asserts Kobo (2018). Vellem (2013:4) argues that black
womens oppression is a matter of faith. He argues as he
engages REFORMED faith which had black women dungeons
in Elmina Castle where black women slaves were kept. The
authors of this article asserted that on top of black women’s
oppression, the Bible is used to maintain black men’s
dominance in the temples. These altars do not allow black
girls to engage with the outside world, not even their families.
If these girls try to contact any person outside the temple,
they are told of the wrath of God in their life or huge
punishment from God, Zondi testified. Zondi’s testimony in
court displays a rebellious spirit against patriarchal violence,
similar to that shown by some black women who refused to
be raped by powerful men at Elmina Castle.
Saint at the altar and monster
during pastoral care consultaons
Patriarchal violence towards black women needs special
attention in our black communities and black ecclesiology.
Mofokeng (1987) argues that black theologians investigate class
and race with passion, and pay little attention to gender. The
authors concur with Mofokeng that class and race were engaged
more than gender issues. However, currently gender oppression
has taking precedence as violence towards women has reached
high levels. Television news channels usually show special
programmes on the oppression faced by black women where
some of the victims relate how they have experienced
patriarchal violence at home and in church or temple.
DSTV Channel 157 started a programme called AmaBishop to
expose what black men do in black churches and homes.
Black women are slaughtered on the altar by their pastors,
reverends and bishops. Bishops Israel Makamu, Stephen
Bafana Zondo and others were exposed on rape allegations
on a AmaBishop DSTV programme. They both appear to be
saints at church during worship and turn into monsters
during pastoral counseling in church offices and home as
they were accused of rape. We concur with Mofokeng when
he says black men need to be ashamed of themselves for
ignoring the black women’s struggle. Koloti (2021:2) asserts a
key issue or proof on allegation on Bishop Makamu that are
recorded on voice telephone conversation between Makamu
and the victim. Koloti continues to give account of a case
opened and that Bishop Makamu was released on bail for
sexual abuse allegations. Koloti makes a very powerful
statement saying that it is impossible to eliminate the South
African faith community when we engage leaders who
exploit black women in South Africa. Many church pastors
are currently implicated in the rape and sexual problems;
Methodist Church of Southern Africa in the Eastern Cape for
instance, has Reverend Mthuthuzeli Ndlaku as an accused
person on rape allegations. The current surge of patriarchal
violence resulted from not paying attention to gender in the
same way that class and race were treated by black theologians.
The liberation of black women from patriarchal violence and
sexism needs to be taken seriously in South Africa by black
men, Xhinti (2021) argues. Patriarchal violence has a way or
tendency of vanishing from black theologians as they argue
less around it. During the pastoral counselling, women find
themselves victimised by ministers who are supposed to care
for them. Pastoral counselling is often given behind closed
doors in the minister’s office or a place away from the rest of
the congregation. The reason for this is to give the person in
need of pastoral counselling, a safe place to talk without fear
of their problems being heard by the rest of the congregation.
The ministers’ offices are supposed to be one of the safest
places in the world, yet the media has, in many cases,
reported on how the abuse of women in church often occurs
in such places. This study, therefore, seeks to explore the
pastoral counselling services that are conducted by pastoral
counsellors, the social relevance of this intervention and to
examine implications related to pastoral counselling practices
conducted by pastoral counsellors in the church. The findings
that this study will generate will contribute to the body of
knowledge in the fields of pastoral counselling and black
liberation theology and open opportunities for further
developments by researchers about gender-based violence
(GBV) in the church. Pastoral counselling is a form of
supportive intervention for people who have problems, and
it is conducted by a pastor with an individual who is seeking
help to deal with a family problem. Trained pastoral
counsellors are accountable to a regulatory body. Their
churches are under the auspices of the South African Council
of Churches (SACC), and they are therefore accountable to
the SACC. Their practices and services are meant to restore

Page 3 of 7 Original Research
hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
life and hope to the souls, both men and women of whom
those who suffered abuse and/or problems in their lives.
Patriarchal inuence in churches
Christianity is based on the ideologies of the patriarchy
where men are seen as the superior sex. This allows men to
be able to manipulate how women in their churches conduct
themselves. They rely heavily on obtaining approval from
their church leaders which curtains actual reality. In most
instances the pastors are aware of the circumstances of their
congregants’ lives. These include their source of income,
marital status, employment state and whether they have
children or not. They then use all this information in order to
manipulate them under the pretence of helping them. This is
also the operational methodology that rapists, serial killers
and cult leaders use to lure their victims under the pretence
of helping them.
The Bible also plays a significant role in allowing men to take
advantage of women. In most Bible stories, the women are
never mentioned and when they are it is because they
performed a misdeed. This was the case with Mary
Magdalene, Jezebel and Eve. This has allowed most church
leaders to view women as second-class citizens within the
ministry. The Bible also mentioned women with matters that
are related to childbirth. This has allowed Christian men to
regard women as only being useful for reproductive
purposes. This perspective is what allows some pastors to see
women as sexual objects.
The signicance of name-calling
women
Society gives women who go against their expected gender
roles names. This is what allows the pastors to be able to
manipulate the women as they have already been branded
by the society. They come to church with a need to redeem
themselves but in most instances their confidence is already
shattered. Some South African girls are subject to teenage
pregnancy. This leads to them not being able to pursue their
studies which thus results in most of them being
unemployed. They become heavily dependent on their
pastors making it easy for them to be used. The verse stated
below highlights how having children out of wedlock is
viewed in Christianity.
Deuteronomy 23:2 ESV / 361
‘No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of
the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants
may enter the assembly of the Lord.
The general perception is that one cannot be cleansed after
partaking in extra-marital activities. This victimises women
more than men as women are then viewed as being unclean.
Women are therefore desperate to redeem themselves in a
bid to fit into the society again. Society plays a significant role
in the victimisation of women. The pastors also victimise
women by telling them that they have spirits that hinder
them from being married. They will use this to emphasise
how they got children out of wedlock. The church worsens
instead of correcting the problems the women face.
Pastoral care as a danger to black
women
Kobo (2018) argues that black women cry in prayer, faith and
spirituality are intertwined with patriarchy and oppression
of black women face on in church and home which continues
to be acceptable and supported by the certain biblical
interpretation. Tshaka (2014) concurs with Kobo (2018a)
when he argues that black humanity started fighting for their
liberation when they fought in Elmina in the 15th century.
The authors of this article assert that some black women cry
when they pray because they see this evil person at home
acting holy during worship. Black men violate black women
in church and at home like what the governors and slave
masters did at Almina Castle. One of the powerful things is
that God is always by the side of the oppressed so that they
can be liberated. Rakoczy (2004:30) says ‘Christianity, as a
patriarchal religion, does violence to women through its
preponderant use of male language for God, its traditional
teaching on women’s inferiority’. Mosala (1987) argues that
one of the truths found in the biblical text is that God is
always on the side of the oppressed while fighting for their
complete liberation. Black women who are sacrificed at the
altars by patriarchs have God on their side until they are
liberated from sexual exploitation by black men who are
pastors, preachers, reverends and bishops. Vellem (2014)
argues that there is a relationship between reformed faith
and slavery, and he also suggests that racism, sexism and
patriarchal violence are seen to be part of black persons’ lived
experiences. Chima (2016:1) noted that other victims of
sexual abuse were being convinced by their ministers that the
only way of delivering them from evil spirits or poverty was
to have sex with them, that through sex they would be
cleansed of any evil spirit or bad luck. These suggestions are
made during pastoral counselling. The term ‘Pastoral
Counselling’ has its roots in Latin, as Louw (ed. 2011:155)
noted. Louw wrote that the Latin word pascere has been
interpreted in English as pastor, denoting that the pastor
must feed and take care of the flock. Therefore, these
suggestions are made to someone who is vulnerable and in
need of help from their minister.
Black women and black theology of
liberaon
Black theology is a liberation theology and situational
theology as defined by Boesak (1977). Therefore, black
theology of liberation is a theology that speaks to lived
experiences of black persons. The lived experience of black
women in the temples is what black theology of liberation
has been talking about when critiquing patriarchy and
headship theology. Black women are the majority in black
churches. However, they put black men in leadership positions;

Page 4 of 7 Original Research
hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
hence, black men teach and practise patriarchy in most spaces.
Even spaces like fellowship of women in churches who are for
women in design however, they are filtrated by patriarchy.
Kobo (2018) asserts that women’s platforms are male-
dominated, and these platforms use women as pawns of
patriarchy. She continues to argue that patriarchy has a
tendency of making women to participate in their own
oppression using headship theology. In the Omotoso trial, two
others accused are black women who knew what Pastor
Omotoso was doing to Zondi, other black women. These two
co-accused played a role of trafficking Zondi and other gilrs to
Omotoso’s bed. During the Omotoso case, the SACC called for
the churches to be regulated and Human Rights Commission
tried to engage church leaders to look at this sexual abuse
challenge that seem to be taking place in churches. Koloti
(2021:15) argues that SACC used Omotoso case to create an
open dialogue to expose this ill behaviour of church leaders.
We argue that Timothy Omotoso is the church leader who
teaches and represent type of leaders who abuse women and
be happy to read Psalm 51 in the face of his perpetrate, his acts
of dishonest, coercion and, violence through their invitations
to young compliant victims, schooled with certain biblical
interpretations. Black women (co-accused in Omotoso case)
participating in sexual exploitation of other women, that how
patriarchy operates. Patriarchy uses women against women
for its benefit. You hear women saying ‘he is the head of the
house’ using Ephesians 5:22–25 and headship theology makes
sense to many. Mosala (1987:39) agrees with Sankara (1985:44)
when they both say there is no true liberation if women are not
liberated from their struggle. The sexual oppression faced by
black women at the black altar shows that black humanity is
still not yet liberated from black men who are oppressive
towards women.
Patriarchal social structures
increase in the religious context
According to Wepener and Meyer (2012:305), ‘liturgical
inculturation is the dynamic interaction between worship/
liturgy/culture and the surrounding culture’. One cannot
speak about the black church without looking into our culture
involving the African church. The leadership, worship setting
and patriarchal systems are rooted in culture. In some African
culture, women are taught not to question men; therefore,
scriptures that are misquoted by ministers to abuse black
women in the church are often not challenged by black
women. Having women without names in scriptures and
without a voice is not foreign.
In most of the narratives in the sacred texts of Christians, women
are seen and not heard. As is the case in a patriarchal world,
women are not named by their personal names, but in terms of
their relationship to their male patrons, thus victimising them
even more. (Masenya 2012:212)
Baloyi (2010:3) highlights that among the Jews, men were
forbidden from talking to women in public. This was
influenced by the belief that women might seduce men and
lead them into temptation (Baloyi 2010:3). Rakoczy (2004:31)
states that ‘patriarchy is interwoven in the Christian tradition
in distinct and pervasive ways. The image of God in scripture
and liturgical prayer are overwhelmingly male: Lord, King,
Father’. According to Rakoczy (2004:31), ‘the oppression of
women through patriarchal social structures increases in the
religious context since the maleness of God and the male
identity of Jesus are used to justify women’s subordination’.
Pillay (2015:565) in fact identified patriarchy as a hierarchy of
power and that in its absence of power it is ‘sustained and
perpetuated by the hierarchies of patriarchal power,
embedded in culture and religion’. According to Kinukawa
(1995), when the scripture tells about a woman who was
brought to Jesus because she was caught in adultery, the man
she was caught with, was not mentioned, despite
Deuteronomy prescribing the same death penalty for both
the man and woman accused of adultery (Lv 20:10; Dt 22:22–
29; Reinhartz 2000:455).
A study has found that by the year 2025, churches will
continue to grow in great numbers, and it is expected that by
the very same year, the number of churches in Africa will
have grown up to 640 million (Campbell, Skovdal & Gibbs
2011:1204).
In traditional societies, religion is of the utmost importance for a
sense of solidarity and cohesion, as they do not have alternative
systems of belief and memory which can create solidarity, unlike
post traditional societies. (Keenan 2002:282–283)
Hughes, Sharrock and Martin (2003:98, 118). Have identified
the religious attachment is particularly essential for many,
and for much spirituality can be just as strong and relevant
for them as their more ‘primitive’ needs, for food and
shelter.
If Africans are of the view that all power is spiritual which
is the invisible world, this view can have serious
implications for religious leadership, political leaders and
to everyday lives of Africans. This perspective can also be
used as an argument to explain why some religious
leaders/clergies in Africa power beyond the religious
sphere have, why some political leaders access religious
institutions, and why some African Christians turn to
religion for answers and miracles when they feel that
political structures have failed to deliver. We cannot discuss
nor examine African religion and/or spirituality separately
from African culture; it is worthwhile noting the importance
of inculturation practice for Africans. Churches are a
valuable resource for the poor and marginalised people in
Africa. According to Omede (2011), dressing code may
vary according to culture. Some churches would blame the
victim for the abuse they have experienced from their
ministers and would be questioned on how they were
dressed when they went for pastoral counselling. To affirm
this, Ebede (2013) argues that the eradication of indecent
dressing by the church leaders cannot be overemphasised
as many leaders such as pastors, evangelists, reverends,
fathers, and prophets preach against it during sermons and
revealed the consequence that is likely to occur when one
indulges in such an abnormal act, for Nkem (2021):

Page 5 of 7 Original Research
hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
The truth is, each time you dress in a seductive manner, you are
only advertising your body and you are saying, ‘everybody sees
me, look at how physically endowed I am: look at my chest, look
at my back, look at how big my hips are; just look.’ If you are
such a person, the only thing that is your most important asset is
your body. One of the worst things that can happen to a person
is to become a tool in the hands of Satan unknowingly. The
challenge is many children of God have joined the children of the
devil in fulfilling Satan’s vision by directing people to the path
that will lead them into damnation with their looks. Endeavour
not to become a tool in the hand of Satan. Stop marketing the
flesh. (p. 7)
Nkem (2021:8) further argues that indecent dressing offends
God and provokes sinful thoughts and desire to the opposite
gender and it leads people to danger or destruction. For
Durojaye (2013:2), culture contributed to discrimination
among women. Baker (1997:5) argues that this relates to
‘anthropological critiques of cultural relativism and this has
been happening since the infusion of postmodern thought
into debate revolve around universalism and human nature’.
For Baker (1997:5), culture and nature are not mutually
exclusive. Baker further argues that even though diversity is
not infinite, yet it is dramatic. Baker (1997:5) states that all
human groups regardless of one’s social groups, race, gender,
sex and diversity are always comprised of common humanity
constituted by universal biological and social characteristics,
yet black women are victimised by ministers while seeking
for help and their human rights are violated.
According to Batchelor (2013:XV), Columbia Theological
Seminary’s Pamela Cooper-White found that 90% – 95% of
clergy sexual misconduct victims were female congregants.
Batchelor points out that some of the victims are often so
trapped in confusion, self-blame, guilt and shame; hence,
they are unable to identify themselves as victims of abuse in
the church. Clinical research conducted by FaithTrust
Institute found that women victims are likely to remain silent
about abuse in church. As result, they suffer severe
consequences including depression which can sometimes
lead to suicide. Further reasons for this study are the failures
of the church to address the issue of power imbalance
especially in the black churches between clergy and sexually
abused adult parishioners. Every argument in this article
raises the issue of power, is a huge contribution for women
abuse in black churches. Yet disclosures of sexual abuse of
adult victims are easily dismissed or interpreted as
‘consensual affairs, even in the church this is sometimes done
without taking into consideration the factual issues, which is
the abuse of power. The clergy’s violations of the sacred
trust, the breach of fiduciary responsibility by clergies and
the violation of professional boundaries is a problem. It
would be wrong for the authors of this study to say that the
church has not said anything regarding GBV as a crisis in
African countries. Even though black churches have begun
developing public policies and procedures to respond to
disclosures of abuse of women and children, unless the
underlying attitudes of those who administer and are bound
by them are changed these policies and procedures will
remain undermined. We are of the view that clergy sexual
abuse of black women and women in general is one of the
most horrific expressions of longstanding Christian
misunderstanding and mistreatment of black women.
Vredenburgh and Brender’s (1998) found that:
[T]he primary causes of abuse of power come from the leader’s
lack of moral ethical values. This calls for a need for control, the
desire for personal service, achieving personal and/or
organisational goals, the need for expressions of loyalty and
obedience, as well as punishing of clergy individuals who abuse
power. (p. 1342)
The practices and services of ministers of the word are to
restore life and hope to the souls of those who suffered
abuse and/or problems in their lives. They usually sign a
document or take an oath before God regarding the
responsibilities entrusted on them as religious leaders.
Moreover, trained pastoral counsellors are accountable to
their churches as well as to their regulatory professional
bodies of their countries. Ministerial ethics should prohibit
them from having sexual relations outside of their marriages
and from sexually assaulting women. Kessler and Kessler
(2017) identified eight reasons why it is so easy for power
seekers to be influential to their victims, especially in
Christian organisations:
• Spiritual leaders have power and wherever there is power
there is the potential for abuse.
• Some Christians do not believe that abuse can take place
in Christian organisations.
• Abuse does not fit into the moral Christian standards,
resulting in the ignoring of any abusive situations.
• Many Christians have a view of humility that is conducive
to abuse.
• Christians have an exaggerated need for harmony,
resulting in difficulties in problem solving.
• Leadership structures in many Christian organisations
are not clearly defined.
• Leaders in Christian organisations can claim the spiritual
authority given to them by God and can therefore not
be questioned.
• Christian organisations attract unstable personalities
looking for leaders that they can look up to, resulting in
unwanted abuse (Kessler & Kessler 2017:41–42).
The above-mentioned reasons may also be contributing
factor to clergy sexual abuse in the black churches and the
reasons victims do not speak out. The black church should
have programmes and give awareness around clergy abusers.
The challenge might be that those who are supposed to run
these programmes are the perpetrators.
A challenge for pastoral and black
theology of liberaon
When the position of women as being submissive in marriage
is portrayed in the marriage liturgy, women are bound to
accept that their role is to be submissive and dependent on
their husbands. While men assume the dominant position of

Page 6 of 7 Original Research
hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
superiority as portrayed in marriage liturgy, as being said to
being more like God, aligning themselves superiority, power
and authority. Pillay (2015:565) argues that church has not yet
rightfully responded to intimate partner violence while
perpetuating governance practices that condone hierarchical
relationships which are found to be at the root of the violence
and the government call to end all violence. The church
should rightfully respond to intimate partner violence as
much as it should respond to abuse of women in the church
by ministers that are trained to care for God’s children.
Jackson (2012:5) noted that pastoral counselling is a
specialisation engaged in by clergy people who have had
special training in counselling under supervision. Writing
about untrained pastoral counsellors, McMullin (ed. 2013:183)
noted that untrained pastoral counsellors have provided
advice that is misinformed, unhelpful, hurtful, and even
dangerous to both the victims of domestic abuse and to the
Christian church at large. Therefore, this article recommends
the church to take strict action against ministers who abuse
women. This article challenges the church to re-look into how
pastoral care is conducted especially between opposite sex.
Ministers should be held accountable for their actions and
victims should be protected instead of being blamed.
Black women’s bodies at the altars
as a theological problem
Black women are treated differently from black men as
women are made to feel like second-class citizens. Landman
(2017:4) uses Boesak’s the story of Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham,
and then explains how Sarah was made a slave in a patriarchal
home. Sarah was also forced to have a baby with Abraham
and remained a slave in the patriarchal home and even Hagar
treated Sarah violently, Landman continues to argue. Sarah
did not receive favour even after giving birth to the baby as
her status did not change; she remained a slave. While
Abraham was busy celebrating the gift of the baby, Sarah was
helpless. Landman uses Boesak’s powerful points when he
uses a biblical text ‘If you love me, you will pretend in front of
Pharaoh that you are my sister’. The patriarch Abraham
makes this statement to extortion and to control how Sarah
feels and to silence her. In a patriarchal home or society, a
great woman is the woman who is submissive to men. Silent
and submissive women are applauded by patriarchal society
and continue to use them to support any patriarchal habit.
Patriarchal habit makes women submissive and allow men to
guide what they do and how they think. Men are known to be the
ones speaking to God while women are made to be submissive.
Oduyoye (1998:201) argues that women talk to God in church as
subordinates; they are the ones who always serve others and
never expect to be served. Men in the black church refuse to serve
women as they need women to be submissive. Oduyoye
continues to argue that both God creates people; however,
women in the black church experience oppression and gender
discrimination in the name of Jesus. Jesus is the author of women’s
gender discrimination in the black church as the Christian
tradition forces women to love and conform to men, Oduyoye
argues. Some women accept the Christian tradition as what God
wants from them; however, some women reject the tradition that
makes them servers of men. Women who reject
patriarchy experience God differently from those who
accept male domination. Oduyoye (1998:202) asserts that
it is unacceptable to use the androcentric Bible and church
to cover the nature of God as the liberator of all humanity.
For women, it is difficult to experience their full potential in the
church as male domination blocks their way to their full potential.
Women who reject male domination are condemned for wanting
to experience God on their own with the help of a man.
Women are made to work hard under male-dominated
leadership to a point of other churches refused to ordain
women to ministry of word and sacrament. However, black
theology in South Africa tells a different story as it introduced
God as a liberator of all persons, Boesak (1977:20). Black
theology in South Africa challenged many oppressions like
classism and racism; now they needed to address the gender
oppression. Black theology needs to address the gender
oppression as Boesak (1977:17) defines black theology as a
situational theology. Vellem (2015:660) asserts that BTL uses
Black consciousness, african philosophy and liberation
philosophy to reflect on black faith in the struggle of
liberation for fixing blackness of humanity. Oppression of
black women can be overcome when we engage it though
the tools used by BTL.
Conclusion
This article has highlighted how black women bodies
become sacrificial lambs at the altars while seeking for
pastoral services from ministers of the word. This article
challenges the church to develop ethical ways for ministers
to offer pastoral care ethically. The authors suggest churches
to take legal actions against ministers who abuse women
they are supposed to take care of; no one is above the law,
including ministers. Policies should be developed and
practised in the church for ministers who are trained to
offer pastoral care counselling. Tim Omotoso’s case might
be one of the few cases while others remain unreported by
the media and never reaches the court. As argued above,
black theology of liberation is a theology that speaks to
lived experiences of black persons. Therefore, it should also
speak to the lived experiences of black women’s bodies as
sacrificial lambs on the altar. We have learnt something in
the case of Omotoso and Ms Zondi, as Zondi displays a
spirit of resistance. Even at Elmina Castle in Ghana, some
black women did resist to be sexually abused. It is vital to
note hope as a spirit of resistance. Black women in Elmina
and Zondi had the hope of a better life or church; hence,
they had resistance spirit in them.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge that all authors are responsible for
ensuring that anyone named in the acknowledgments
agrees to be named.

Page 7 of 7 Original Research
hp://www.hts.org.za Open Access
Compeng interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal
relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them
in writing this article.
Authors’ contribuons
All authors contributed equally to this work.
Ethical consideraons
This article followed all ethical standards for research
without direct contact with human or animal subjects.
Funding informaon
The first author S.L.X. did not receive any funding for this
project. The second author H.P.K.-N. is a postdoctoral fellow
at Tshwane University of Technology funded by National
Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS).
Data availability
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data
were created or analysed in this study.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of
the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or
position of any affiliated agency of the authors.
References
Baker, B., 1997, Anthropology and teacher preparaon: Some possibilies and
precauon. Contents Vol 13. Graduate School of Educaon, The University of
Queensland. hps://www.iier.org.au/qjer/qjer13/baker.html.
Baloyi, E.M., 2010, ‘A re-reading of John 8:1–11 from a pastoral liberave perspecve
on South African women: Original research’, HTS Theological Studies 66(2), 1–7.
hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i2.838
Batchelor, V.B., 2013, When pastors prey overcoming clergy sexual abuse of women,
World Council of Churches Publicaon, Geneva.
Boesak, A., 1977, Farewell to Innocence: A social-ethical study of black theology and
Black power, Ravan Press, Johannesburg.
Campbell, C., Skovdal, M. & Gibbs, A., 2011, ‘Creang social spaces to tackle AIDS-
related sgma: Reviewing the role of church groups in sub-Saharan Africa’, AIDS
Behaviour 15, 1204–1219. hps://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9766-0
Chima, A., 2016, ‘“He Told Me that My Waist and Private Parts Have Been Ravaged by
Demons:” Sexual Exploitaon of Female Church Members by “Prophets” in
Nigeria’, Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitaon and Violence, 1(1), Arcle
10. hps://doi.org/10.23860/dignity.2016.01.01.10
Davies, P.J. & Dreyer, Y., 2014, ‘A pastoral psychological approach to domesc violence
in South Africa’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 70(3), 1–8. hps://
dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v70i3.2802
Durojaye, E.T., 2013, ‘“Woman, but Not Human”: Widowhood Pracces and Human
Rights Violaons in Nigeria’, Internaonal Journal of Law, Policy and the Family
27(2), 176–196. hps://doi.org/10.1093/lawfam/ebt001
Ebede, L.N., 2013, Indecent Dressing on Campus, Forward Ever, Benin.
eNCA, ‘First witness in Pastor Omotoso’s trial teses’, ENCA, 10 October 2018, 16:43.
Hughes, J.A., Sharrock, W.W. & Marn, P.J., 2003, Understanding classical sociology,
The Cromwell Press, Wiltshire.
Jackson, E.N., 2012, Pastoral counselling, Fideli Publishing, Marnsville, IN.
Keenan, W., 2002, ‘Post-secular sociology: Eusions of religion in late modern
sengs’, European Journal of Social Theory 5(2), 279–290. hps://doi.
org/10.1177/13684310222225450
Kessler, M. & Kessler, V., 2017, Die Machalle – Machtmenschen – wie man ihnen
begegnet, Brunnen, Gießen.
Kinukawa, H., 1995, ‘On John 7:53–8:11: A well-cherished but much-clouded story’, in
F.F. Segovia & M.A. Tolbert (eds.), Reading from this place: Social locaon and
Biblical Interpretaon in global perspecve, vol. 2, pp. 82–96, Fortress Press,
Minneapolis, MN.
Kobo, F.A., 2018a, ‘A womanist exposion of pseudo-spirituality and the cry of an
oppressed African woman’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 74(1), 1–7.
hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v74i1.4896
Kobo, F.A., 2018b, ‘Black women’s bodies as reformers from the dungeons: The
Reformaon and womanism’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 74(3),
1–9. hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v74i3.5015
Kolo, R.P.T., 2021, Pastoral care responses to clergy sexual abuse: A case study of
the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, University of the Western Cape,
Bellvile.
Landman, C., 2017, ‘Women ying with God: Allan Boesak’s Contribuon to the
Liberaon of Women of Faith in South Africa’, Studia Historiae Ecclesiacae 4(1),
1–12. hps://doi.org/10.17159/2412-4265/2017/2720
Louw, D.J. (ed.), 2011, Counselling people of African ancestry, 1st edn., Cambridge
University Press, Pastoral Care and Counselling, Cambridge University.
Masenya, M., 2012, ‘Without a voice, with a violated body: Re-reading Judges 19 to
challenge gender violence in sacred texts’, Missionalia: Southern African Journal
of Mission Studies 40(3), 205–216. hps://doi.org/10.7832/40-3-29
McMullin, S., 2013, ‘Clergy and the pastoral response to domesc violence’, in
Strengthening families and ending abuse, Churches and their leaders look to the
future, pp. 183–199, Wipf and Stock Publishers, Eugene.
Mofokeng, T., 1987, ‘Following the trail of suering: Black theological perspecve,
past and present’, Journal of Black Theology 1(2), 21–34.
Mosala, I.J., 1987, ‘Black theology in South Africa and North America: Prospects for
the future: Building of alliances’, Journal of Black Theology 1(2), 35–41.
News24, ‘Moral responsibility for Omotoso lies with the churches’, News24, 26
October 2018.
Nkem, O.F., 2021, ‘The role of the church in stamping out indecent dressing in Nigeria’,
Internaonal Journal of Religious and Cultural Pracce 6(1), viewed from www.
iiardpub.org.
Oduyoye, M.A., 1998, The African experience of god through the eyes of an Akan
woman, Cross Currents, Blackwell.
Omede, J., 2011, ‘Indecent dressing on campuses of higher instuons’, Journal of
Emerging Trends in Educaonal Research and Policy Studies 2(4), 228–233.
Pillay, M.N., 2015, ‘The church, gender, and aids: What is wrong with Patriarchy’,
Missionalia: Southern African Journal of Mission Studies 43(3), 558–567. hps://
doi.org/10.7832/43-3-130
Rakoczy, S., 2004, ‘Religion and violence: The suering of women’, Agenda:
Empowering Women for Gender Equity 18(61), 29–35.
Reinhartz, A., 2000, ‘John 8:3–11: Adulterous woman’, in C. Meyers (ed.), Women in
scripture, pp. 454–455, Wm B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI.
Sankara, T., 1985, Women’s liberaon and the African freedom struggle, Pathnder Press,
Canada.
Tshaka, R.S., 2014, ‘On being African and reformed? Towards an African reformed
theology enthused by an interlocuon of those on the margins of society’, HTS
Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 70(1), 1–7. hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.
v70i1.2070
Vellem, V.S., 2013, ‘The reformed tradion as public theology’, HTS Teologiese Studies/
Theological Studies 69(1), 1–5. hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v69i1.1371
Vellem, V.S., 2014, ‘Black urban public theology’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological
Studies 70(3), 6. hp://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v70i3.2728
Vellem, V.S., 2015, ‘Black ecclesiology. Uprising faith praxis for the blackness of
humanity’, World Council of Churches 67(4), 651–663. hps://doi.org/10.1111/
erev.12196
Vellem, V.S., 2016, ‘Tiyo Soga: Violence, disrupon, and dislocaon in the white polis’,
HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 72(1), a3563. hps://doi.org/10.4102/
hts.v72i1.3563
Vellem, V.S., 2017, ‘Un-thinking the West: The spirit of doing Black Theology of
Liberaon in decolonial mes, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 73(3),
a4737. hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v73i3.4737
Vellem, V.S., 2018, ‘Cracking the Skull of Racism in South Africa Post-1994’, in Hewi,
R. & Chammah, J.K. (eds.), Who is an African: Race, Identy, and Desny in Post-
Apartheid Africa, pp. 31–48, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.
Vredenburgh, D. & Brender, Y., 1998, ‘The hierarchical abuse of power in work
organisaons’, Journal of Business Ethics 17, 1337–1347. hps://doi.org/
10.1023/A:1005775326249
Wepener, C. & Meyer, E.E., 2012, ‘Ritual burning and slaughtering in an AIC:
Perspecves from liturgical studies and Old Testament cricism’, Religion &
Theology 19(3–4), 298–318. hps://doi.org/10.1163/15743012-12341242
Xhin, S.L., 2021, ‘Revising Black Theology of Liberaon in South Africa: Through
“new voices” of women Black theologians’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological
Studies 77(3), 1–9. hps://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v77i3.5816