Healing and deliverance ministry in Kitunga archdeaconry, Diocese of South Ankole: opportunities and challenges

Abstract

This study dealt with examining the current state of healing and deliverance ministry in Kitunga Archdeaconry, Diocese of South Ankole, with the aim of identifying opportunities for growth and development while addressing existing challenges and gaps in practice, training, and oversight. It was guided by the following objectives; to assess the practices and theological foundations of healing and deliverance ministry in Kitunga Archdeaconry, Diocese of South Ankole, to identify the opportunities and challenges faced by practitioners and beneficiaries of healing and deliverance ministry in the archdeaconry, and to develop recommendations for improving the effectiveness, theological soundness, and pastoral sensitivity of healing and deliverance ministry in the study area. This study employed a qualitative research approach, incorporating qualitative methodologies to provide a comprehensive understanding of healing and deliverance ministry in Kitunga Archdeaconry. The qualitative component involved in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation to capture the experiential dimensions of the ministry. For this qualitative component, purposive sampling was employed to select 25 key informants including 5 senior clergy, 8 experienced lay practitioners, 6 long-term beneficiaries, 3 diocesan officials, 2 medical professionals. From the study, the assessment of practices and theological foundations of healing and deliverance ministry in Kitunga Archdeaconry reveals a complex situation characterized by tension between traditional Anglican liturgical approaches and the spiritual expectations of congregants, significant theological syncretism blending Christian teaching with African traditional religious worldviews, and the adoption of neo-Pentecostal healing and deliverance methodologies by practitioners claiming prophetic gifts. From the findings of the study, it was recommended that the Diocese of South Ankole should establish a comprehensive theological training program specifically designed to equip clergy, lay readers, and healing and deliverance practitioners in Kitunga Archdeaconry with robust biblical and theological foundations for ministry within the African spiritual context. The Diocese of South Ankole should immediately develop and implement comprehensive ethical standards and anti-exploitation policies governing all healing and deliverance ministry activities within Kitunga Archdeaconry to address the serious problems of commercialization, financial exploitation, and creation of unhealthy dependencies revealed in the research findings. The Diocese of South Ankole should establish a comprehensive framework for healing and deliverance ministry throughout the diocese including Kitunga Archdeaconry, consisting of mandatory training and certification programs, clear theological and ethical guidelines, liturgical resources, oversight structures, and ongoing support systems addressing all dimensions of ministry improvement identified in the research.