Engaging Modernity

The key theme addressed by all the contributors to this book is the relationship between South Africa's indigenous churches (AICs) to modernity. The key question asked by each of the contributors is to what extent, if any, do AICs serve as bridges to tradition or as facilitators for modernizing practices? Although the researchers do not agree on the answer to this question--some argue for the return to tradition, others argue for the facilitation perspective--they do provide provocative and timely insights for prospective researchers interested in exploring concepts and methodologies for understanding modernity and modernization. Based on a number of case studies of AICs in South Africa, this book will also be of great interest to scholars of comparative religion and the role churches play in negotiating the complex terrains of politics, society, and economy in this era of globalization.

DAWID J. VENTER is Adjunct Associate Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. An assistant editor of the official South African journal of sociology, Venter has concentrated on the intersections of religion, politics, and the global system. He holds a Ph.D in religion (l994) and a Ph.D in sociiology (l999), both from the University of Stellenbosch.