Impact: Journal of Transformation

Contextual Scriptural Reasoning

Judy Wang’ombe — 2024-05-18

The religious landscape of sub-Saharan Africa in the twenty-first century has witnessed
drastic changes that include the spread of both Christianity and Islam. A further dimension to
this scenario is the inter-religious mingling of adherents from the two religions as people
migrate between regions and access to technology makes new information available. These
religious encounters have tended to be violent in pockets of the African continent. Such
violence has been propagated by ideological precepts that are based on religious texts and
their varied interpretations. Additionally, there have arisen different models used for interreligious
dialogues as adherents of the two religions find themselves neighbouring each other.
A popular model has been the public debates (mihadhara in Kiswahili), which have generally
been characterized by ambivalent relations between Muslims and Christians in Kenya, where
this paper is situated. The mihadhara concept is basically steeped in polemical engagements
which aim at outshining the other in the religious debates. Different scholars have studied the
phenomenon of mihadhara in Kenya, and there is a consensus that the competitive nature of
the debates is more confrontational than peacebuilding. This study offers an alternative model
of inter-religious engageme contextual nt that enhances socio-religious peace. The model is called Scriptural Reasoning (SR), which aims at offering religious hospitality. The
African context is no stranger to the virtue of hospitality. The Ubuntu philosophy buttresses
the need for African Muslims and Christians to offer each other religious hospitality. The
Ubuntu philosophy and the African hospitality virtue serve as bedrocks underlying the
contextual SR model. The essence of the model is to “listen” to each other’s scriptural basis
of common themes found in both the Bible and the Qur’an. It is not about agreeing on
contentious scriptural issues, instead it is about striving, even when the parties disagree, to
encounter the other in an amicable and peaceful way. In so doing, the premise aligns with the
theme of promoting contextual peacebuilding within the African context.

Space for Religion in Local Peacebuilding

Nathan Nzyoka Joshua — 2024-05-19

Many individuals and large communities in the world lack the will and the ability for true
peacebuilding. Truly born-again Christians are best endowed and mandated to be effective
peacebuilders, starting from their respective local spaces. Although it is true that Jesus
himself was born and lived all his earthly life in a very troubled and peaceless space and died
a very violent death, it had been prophesied that, among his other real identities and offices,
he would come as the Prince of Peace. Although in his radical teaching he said he did not
come to bring peace but a sword, he himself was the most peaceful human being and the most
effective peacemaker. He also sent his disciples to violent communities as peaceful
emissaries. Before his death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven he gave his special divine
peace to his disciples (the first church). Sin is the cause and breeding ground for hatred,
conflict, and lack of peace. True salvation in Jesus Christ is the only remedy for sin and the
source of power for true love, true personal peace, and genuine peacebuilding. When a person
is made righteous through our Lord, Jesus Christ, he or she acquires peace with God. A
person who is genuinely justified is able to love genuinely, deliberately abhor wickedness,
and decisively live peaceably with all people, thus being a pragmatic peacebuilder. My
research method for the paper is historical-grammatical exegesis. Through it, I seek to
discover the meaning of peace and peacebuilding in various Bible texts as was intended by
the authors to be understood and applied by the original hearers Theological application and recommendations for peacebuilding are proposed for the church
in the African setting based on specific Bible texts for specific needs.

Contextualizing Peacebuilding Ambassadors of Peace and Reconciliation

Phil Wagler — 2024-05-19

The mission of God requires both the demonstration and the proclamation of the Good
News of the Kingdom. Mission requires a vehicle or vessel through whom demonstration and
proclamation of God’s mission can be seen and heard. Mission needs a people called, formed,
and surrendered to the Lord of mission. In this paper we will explore Biblical mission as an
unbroken whole of proclamation and demonstration of the Good News of Jesus and the Kingdom
of God. Biblical mission is not only interested in saving souls but brings God’s intended
abundant life into the world as a foretaste of what is to come. This paper will argue God is
uniquely concerned for and seeking to redeem all localities and peoples with their distinctive
beauty and brokenness. God is at work to bring the shalom of his Good News Kingdom into
redemptive and transforming reality. And, furthermore, the primary agent of God’s integral
mission everywhere is the ekklesia that takes its locality, context, space and place seriously. The local ekklesia – whom God has called to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ and sent as Jesus
is sent – takes responsibility for their locality through the ambassadorial ministry of
reconciliation that has been gifted to it. The local church is set apart by God to be the local
ambassadorial agents of God’s plan to reconcile all things to Himself in Christ. And, finally, this
paper will present practical and challenging ways in which every local church, a community
consisting of those reconciled to God who are now ambassadors of peace and reconciliation,
must in their way of life as a community and in their planting of new churches embody the
ministry of reconciliation giving to the church by God.

Conflict Resolution in Homes and Its’ Implications for Adolescents

Ruth Adeola Odejayi — 2024-05-19

Conflict resolution is an essential aspect of family living for developing assertive moral
behaviour in children, especially adolescents. Adolescents can develop disputes with their
parents due to unconscious opposition between incompatible desires, needs, drives, or impulses.
The adolescents navigate between disputes and resolve conflicts with their parents or within
themselves. Unresolved conflicts can make adolescents swing in moral judgement, which may
make them develop bad morals towards peaceful relationships with their environment. The
research examined the longitudinal effects of adolescents’ constant exposure to interparental
conflict and the impact on their moral behaviour. Therefore, the paper proffers solutions on how
adolescents can cope with conflicts to develop morally. The research was conducted in three
selected private schools in Oluyole Extension of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Nigeria. The choice of adolescents from Oluyole Extension is due to the geographical location and
accessibility to the writer. Thirty-six students were randomly selected from three schools
comprising boys and girls aged 13-17 years who were already in the Senior Secondary class
(S.S. 1-3). Quantitative proportionate and simple random sampling techniques were used to
select sample respondents, and information was collected through questionnaires. The findings
disclosed a significant relationship between family conflict and adolescent moral behaviour. The
majority (88.9%) of the respondents reported that their parents quarrel once in a while. A
significant number of respondents (66.1%) often pick up quarrels with their parents, while 27.8%
said they behaved like their parents. Also, 52.8% of the respondents claimed they love peace to
reign within them and their parents.

Effect of Corporate Governance Dimensions on Financial Performance of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies in Nairobi County, Kenya

Josephine Mumbe Maingi — 2024-05-19

The study sought to examine the influence of corporate governance dimensions on SACCOs’
financial performance in Nairobi County. Specifically, the study sought to determine the
effect of board independence, board accountability, audit committee and financial disclosure
on financial performance of SACCOS in Nairobi County. The study was anchored on agency,
stewardship, and stakeholder theories. This research used descriptive survey design. The
target population was the heads of finance and administration in all the 43 SACCOs in
Nairobi County. The study applied census given that the target population was small.
Secondary data on return on assets, total deposits, total assets and non-performing loans was
collected from the annual reports of the SACCOs. Primary data was collected using semistructured
questionnaires. Quantitative data was then analyzed using inferential
and descriptive statistics which comprised of mean, frequencies, standard deviation, and percentages. The study found that board independence, board accountability and audit
committee have a positive and significant effect on the financial performance of SACCOs in
Nairobi County, while financial disclosure has a positive and insignificant effect on the
financial performance of SACCOs in Nairobi County. The study recommends that SACCOs
should select independent members of the boards to help the societies run honestly and
efficiently since they are not under the influence of the management teams. In addition,
SACCOs should make sure that the board of directors actively oversees and holds
management accountable for financial decisions, risk management, and strategic planning.
They should select the audit committee to monitor financial reporting, audit process, internal
control system of the organization, and legal and regulatory conformity. They should also
clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the audit committee in the SACCO's bylaws.
Further, SACCOs should also establish a system for regular reporting to the board on
financial performance, risk exposure, and compliance with financial policies and regulations.

Exploring the Synergy between Mediation and Diplomacy in Strengthening Peacebuilding Efforts

Abraham Ename Minko — 2024-05-19

Peacebuilding is a complex process that requires various strategies and approaches to address conflicts and promote lasting peace. Mediation and diplomacy are two crucial components of peacebuilding efforts, each contributing unique strengths to the overall process. This research aims to explore the synergy between mediation and diplomacy and how their integration can enhance peacebuilding outcomes. The research will begin by providing a comprehensive overview of mediation and diplomacy as separate mechanisms for conflict resolution and peace promotion. It will examine the principles, methodologies, and key actors involved in both mediation and diplomacy processes. Furthermore, it will analyze successful case studies and existing literature to highlight the effectiveness and limitations of each approach when applied independently. The study will then delve into the potential benefits of combining mediation and diplomacy in peacebuilding efforts. It will explore how mediation can facilitate dialogue and foster trust between conflicting parties, while diplomacy can provide a platform for high-level negotiations and international engagement. By leveraging the strengths of both mediation and diplomacy, peacebuilding initiatives can achieve a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to resolving conflicts. Additionally, the research will address the challenges and obstacles that may arise when integrating mediation and diplomacy. It will examine potential power. dynamics, cultural sensitivities, and logistical considerations that need to be taken into account when implementing a synergistic approach. Recommendations and best practices for effectively integrating mediation and diplomacy will be outlined based on lessons learned from previous experiences of other people and regions. The findings of this research will contribute to the existing body of knowledge on peacebuilding and conflict resolution by shedding light on the potential synergies between mediation and diplomacy. It will provide policymakers, practitioners, and scholars with insights into how these two approaches can complement each other and strengthen peacebuilding efforts in various contexts.