THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC TRANSCULTURAL LEADERSHIP IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

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The Problem of Racial Harmony in Urban Southern Africa

There is a continued demographic shift to urban centres of the many different ethnic groupings represented by the two nation-states of South Africa and Zimbabwe. In addition, the cities of South Africa are experiencing an influx of immigrants from other African nations further to the north resulting in racial and ethnic tensions and escalating pressure for employment. These factors underscore the need for an integrated national identity while promoting acceptance of cultural differences in either nation. City centre Christian institutions reflect this diversity and tension, demonstrating the growing demand to provide for a working multicultural model in the greater suburban areas associated with the cities.

Proposition

The Church since the fall of Rome has been very astute at planting the gospel into other cultures. Using indigenous languages to communicate has been a key to this success, even though the scriptures were in Latin for much of the early expansion beyond the Roman Empire, which resulted in cultural, sometimes even national transformation. After the rise of Protestant Christianity, the Church has been even more proficient at translating the gospel into the indigenous cultures and tongues (West 1999:65-66; Walls 1996:40) thereby building renewed yet often monocultural communities. However, despite this proficiency at building monocultural communities, the Church has rarely been able or even willing to translate multiple cultures into one community of the gospel, with the noted exception and early success of the multicultural Pauline community in the Graeco-Roman world.

Objectives

A primary objective of this thesis is to analyse models of multicultural leadership based on the values, styles, structures, transcultural ability and the backing philosophies/belief systems of leadership necessary for effective multicultural synergy. To this end in each of Chapters 4 and 5, two South African and one Zimbabwean, comprising two black and one white Southern African leader (purposely – providing balance regionally and racially) have been chosen who were known for their abilities in crossing socio-political boundaries. There are many church leaders, who with good intent set out to attract new residents from different cultural groupings to their churches with limited success. This proposal argues: if a model of leadership that both enhanced multicultural interaction and promoted the underlying micro-cultural aspirations was actively used, the chances of creating a successful multicultural congregation might possibly be radically altered.

The Major Areas of Research

Early church models of leadership :This thesis will explore the models of leadership that were employed by the Early Church. For the purposes of this analysis, the Early Church is defined as the first century Church with a specific focus on the Gentile Branch. Thus, this thesis will look predominantly at Paul and the leadership model – inspired by his theology – that he and his missionary teams employed in establishing the Gentile Church. It will also look at his belief in Christ as the only true Kyrios in inspiring cultural change. Using Antioch as the Pauline prototype, the theological reflection of this thesis will provide a framework and a missiological perspective which will inform church development in the present day Southern African urban context. The thesis will also conduct preliminary primary research into Pauline structures of belief and of community which in part reflect the values and the leadership styles employed by Paul. However, this preliminary research into structures of belief and community will not be conclusive but rather is intended to be a starting point for future research. Any model of leadership proposed in this study for application within Christian organizations will be suggested as a synthesis (see Section 1.7, Definitions) taking into account historical and current 21st Century events and conditions in Southern Africa.

1. THE OUTLINE AND PARAMETERS OF THE THESIS
1.1 Objective Statement/ Title
1.2 The Problem of Racial Harmony in Urban Southern Africa
1.3 Proposition and Objectives
1.4 The Major Areas of Research
1.5 The Axioms and Limits of this Research
1.6 Methodology and Process
1.7 Definitions
2. THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC TRANSCULTURAL LEADERSHIP IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Strategic Transcultural Leadership and Africa’s unresolved problems
2.3 The Strategic Transcultural Leader’s Role in Creating a New Tribe or Nation
3. EARLY CHURCH MULTICULTURAL LEADERSHIP MODELS
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Jerusalem Church Model
3.3 The Pax Romana and The Antioch Church Model
3.4 Paul – The Man of Two Worlds but One Empire
3.5 The Pauline Structures of Leadership and Training
3.6 Paul’s Style of Leadership and Teaching
3.7 Paul’s Values
3.8 Paul’s, His Churches’ and His Team’s Ability to Cross Socio-Political Boundaries
3.9 Pauline Belief Structures and His Theologies of Reconciliation and Election
3.10 Pauline Church Structure(s) of Community
3.11 Overview of the Roman, Antioch and Pauline Contribution
4. LEADERSHIP MODELS OF THREE SOUTHERN AFRICAN POLITICAL LEADERS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Moshoeshoe
A brief commentary on Moshoeshoe’s life and rise to leadership
Structures employed in Moshoeshoe’s model of leadership
Styles of leadership used by Moshoeshoe
Values of Moshoeshoe’s leadership
Moshoeshoe’s traditional and Christian beliefs
The basis for Moshoeshoe’s ability to cross socio-political boundaries
How Moshoeshoe’s traditional/Christian convictions effected lasting national change
4.3 Jan Smuts
A brief commentary on Smuts’ life and rise to leadership
Structures employed in Smuts’ leadership model
Styles of leadership used by Smuts
Values of Smuts’ leadership
Smuts’ philosophy of holism, love of nature and his Christian beliefs
The basis for Smuts’ ability to cross the white socio-political boundaries
How Smuts’ political convictions effected lasting national change
4.4 Nelson Mandela
A brief commentary on Mandela’s life and rise to leadership
Structures employed in Mandela’s model of leadership Styles of leadership used by Mandela
Values of Mandela’s leadership
Mandela’s Christian and political beliefs
The basis for Mandela’s ability to cross socio-political boundaries
How Mandela’s political/Christian convictions effected lasting national change
4.5 A Brief Comparison and Initial Implications of the Three Political Models for a Multicultural Leadership Model
The historical context of the three political leadership models
A brief comparative analysis and initial application of the three political models
5. LEADERSHIP MODELS OF THREE SOUTHERN AFRICAN CHRISTIAN LEADERS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Bishop Mutendi 16
A brief commentary on Mutendi’s life and rise to leadership
Structures employed in Mutendi’s model of leadership
Styles of leadership used by Mutendi
Values of Mutendi’s leadership
Mutendi’s belief system underpinning his model of leadership
The basis for Mutendi’s ability to cross the tribal boundaries
How Mutendi’s Zionist convictions affected lasting national change
5.3 Michael Cassidy 1
A brief commentary on Cassidy’s life and rise to leadership
Structures employed in Cassidy’s model of leadership
Styles of leadership used by Cassidy
Values of Cassidy’s Leadership
Cassidy’s Christian beliefs and philosophical framework
The basis for Cassidy’s ability to cross socio-political boundaries
How Cassidy’s Christian convictions helped to effect lasting national change
5.4 Desmond Tutu
A brief commentary on Tutu’s life and rise to leadership
Structures employed in Tutu’s model of leadership
Styles of leadership used by Tutu
Values of Tutu’s leadership
Tutu’s Christian belief’s and the bases to his multifaceted theology
The basis of Tutu’s ability to cross socio-political boundaries
How Tutu’s Christian convictions helped to effect lasting national change
5.5 Comparison of the Three Southern African Christian Leaders and Application Using All Six Models
The historical contexts of the three Christian models
A brief comparative analysis of the three Christian models of leadership
Initial implications from all six leadership models for a multicultural leadership model
6. POSTMODERN, TRIBAL, NEO-AFRICAN AND MULTICULTURAL PARADIGMS 2 OF LEADERSHIP
6.1 Introduction and the Concept of Multiple Coexisting Paradigms 26
6.2 The Postmodern Paradigm for Leadership 26
6.3 The Tribal Paradigm for Leadership 26
6.4 Ideologies and Socio-political Forces Impacting on South Africa 26
6.5 The Neo-African Paradigm for Leadership 27
6.6 The Multicultural Paradigm for Leadership 27
7. SYNTHESISING A STRATEGIC TRANSCULTURAL LEADERSHIP MODEL 28
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Investigating any North American Multicultural Models Posited and Their Relevance in Developing a Model for the Southern African Context
7.3 A Brief Overview of the Pauline-Antiochan Model of Leadership
7.4 Pauline Models of Community and Belief
7.5 The Evolving Model Screened Against Three Working Multicultural Scenarios
7.6 Final Schematic and Evaluation of the Strategic Transcultural Leadership Model
7.7 The Application of the Strategic Transcultural Model of Leadership to Today’s Urban Southern African Christian Organisational Context
7.8 The Relevance of a Strategic Transcultural Model to a Macro-cultural Identity
7.9 The Ongoing Synthesis and Vision for a Strategic Transcultural Community
7.10 Concluding remarks
REFERENCES