Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity

The overall purpose of this article is to provide biblical evidence for the church’s effectiveness in legitimating and maintaining a Christian identity, a matter which has recently been silenced by African government efforts on lockdown measures on the church during the emergence of Coronavirus in A...

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Main Authors: Dr. Fednand Manjewa M’bwangi, Dr. Zorodzai Dube
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Africajournals 2020-12-01
Series:Pharos Journal of Theology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_53_vol_101__2020__up.pdf
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author Dr. Fednand Manjewa M’bwangi
Dr. Zorodzai Dube
author_facet Dr. Fednand Manjewa M’bwangi
Dr. Zorodzai Dube
author_sort Dr. Fednand Manjewa M’bwangi
collection DOAJ
description The overall purpose of this article is to provide biblical evidence for the church’s effectiveness in legitimating and maintaining a Christian identity, a matter which has recently been silenced by African government efforts on lockdown measures on the church during the emergence of Coronavirus in Africa. The objective of this study is to use social sciences alongside literary criticism to analyse Matthew 26:26-28 to explain the importance of the Eucharist and by large of the church in legitimating and maintaining a Christian identity as a response to narratives that seem to subordinate the basis for Christian identity. Critical analysis of the Roman banquet and Jewish Passover as reflected in Petronius’ Satyricon and Mishnah’ Pesachim 10, respectively, collectively present the social setting in the Roman Empire as the backdrop that prompted Matthew to employ the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper) to legitimate and maintain a Christian identity for his community. This study attempts to answer this question; why did some Christians contest the recent government lockdown measures on the church during the advent of Coronavirus in Africa? Consequently, we argue that when circumstance arise that tend to subordinate the basis of Christian identity to some authority, the disadvantaged Christians will normally appeal to Christian belief systems that encompass traditions, norms and values not only to contest that authority but also to legitimate and maintain a Christian identity.
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spelling doaj.art-89d12ac8a95f45a6aa3ac40f20be23992022-12-21T23:26:30ZengAfricajournalsPharos Journal of Theology2414-33242020-12-01101Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identityDr. Fednand Manjewa M’bwangi0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1450-2699Dr. Zorodzai Dube1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1859-2043Pwani University (Kenya) and a Post-Doctoral Research fellow, University of PretoriaUniversity of PretoriaThe overall purpose of this article is to provide biblical evidence for the church’s effectiveness in legitimating and maintaining a Christian identity, a matter which has recently been silenced by African government efforts on lockdown measures on the church during the emergence of Coronavirus in Africa. The objective of this study is to use social sciences alongside literary criticism to analyse Matthew 26:26-28 to explain the importance of the Eucharist and by large of the church in legitimating and maintaining a Christian identity as a response to narratives that seem to subordinate the basis for Christian identity. Critical analysis of the Roman banquet and Jewish Passover as reflected in Petronius’ Satyricon and Mishnah’ Pesachim 10, respectively, collectively present the social setting in the Roman Empire as the backdrop that prompted Matthew to employ the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper) to legitimate and maintain a Christian identity for his community. This study attempts to answer this question; why did some Christians contest the recent government lockdown measures on the church during the advent of Coronavirus in Africa? Consequently, we argue that when circumstance arise that tend to subordinate the basis of Christian identity to some authority, the disadvantaged Christians will normally appeal to Christian belief systems that encompass traditions, norms and values not only to contest that authority but also to legitimate and maintain a Christian identity.https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_53_vol_101__2020__up.pdfafricaeucharistsocial sciencesgospel of matthewcoronavirus
spellingShingle Dr. Fednand Manjewa M’bwangi
Dr. Zorodzai Dube
Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity
Pharos Journal of Theology
africa
eucharist
social sciences
gospel of matthew
coronavirus
title Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity
title_full Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity
title_fullStr Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity
title_full_unstemmed Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity
title_short Covid-19 and Eucharistic fellowship in Matthew 26.26-28: A legitimation and maintenance of Christian identity
title_sort covid 19 and eucharistic fellowship in matthew 26 26 28 a legitimation and maintenance of christian identity
topic africa
eucharist
social sciences
gospel of matthew
coronavirus
url https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_53_vol_101__2020__up.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT drfednandmanjewambwangi covid19andeucharisticfellowshipinmatthew262628alegitimationandmaintenanceofchristianidentity
AT drzorodzaidube covid19andeucharisticfellowshipinmatthew262628alegitimationandmaintenanceofchristianidentity