The Missional calling of the church in post-genocidal societies in diaspora : the case of the descendants of Herero survivors in Botswana

Abstract

This dissertation critically examines the missional calling of the church in post- genocidal societies, focusing on the descendants of the Herero people dispersed across the Southern African diaspora, particularly in Botswana, following the 1904– 1908 German genocide in present-day Namibia. It interrogates the enduring socioeconomic, cultural, and spiritual repercussions of this historical trauma, highlighting systemic marginalisation, cultural erosion, and the persistent struggle for justice and recognition. By synthesising focus group discussions, interviews, scholarly literature, newspapers, government archives, and missionary records, the study foregrounds the lived experiences of the Herero diaspora. An ethnographic lens—shaped by the researcher’s own heritage as a descendant of genocide survivors—provides a critical vantage point, deepening engagement with these narratives. Through the framework of biblical exilic accounts, such as the Israelites’ captivity, the research develops a theology of reconstruction that underscores the Herero’s resilience, their longing for ancestral lands, and their struggle for cultural preservation. It demonstrates that the church has a profound transformative role in post-genocidal settings, challenging conventional reconciliation models that often neglect the lived realities of affected communities. In critiquing contemporary reconciliation efforts— particularly the inadequacies of the Germany-Namibia negotiations—the study exposes the exclusion of Herero descendants from meaningful dialogue and the reduction of reparations to development aid. By integrating biblical theology, missional praxis, and ethnographic insights, this dissertation provides a contextualised framework for addressing the complexities of post-genocidal societies. It affirms that language, kinship structures, and access to ancestral land are fundamental to cultural identity and community resilience. Ultimately, the study meets its objectives by demonstrating that the church’s missional calling in post-genocide settings must prioritise anti-colonial, non-racial, and nonhierarchical paradigms. It calls for a renewed ecclesial engagement—one that actively fosters justice, healing, and systemic transformation in the wake of historical atrocity.