Public theology as a tool of economic empowerment for the voiceless Basarwa in post-independent Botswana

Abstract

This article attempts to show through correlative methods that public theology has brought in a new awareness of the relevance of theology in post-colonial Botswana and indeed in Africa as a whole. Correlative methods makes public theology a relevant tool of economic empowerment for the voiceless Basarwa as it seeks to influence public policy through engaging with socioeconomic and political issues from a Christian and contextual perspective. Public theology through correlative methods acknowledges that while it is important to recognise significant gains made in the political sphere and a relatively present culture of democracy, some sections of Batswana, particularly Basarwa, remains voiceless because of their economic marginalisation. The article therefore, attempts to locate through this method the role of public theology in economic empowerment for the voiceless Basarwa in post-independent Botswana. It sets out to argue that voicelessness is linked socioeconomic and political injustices. The article concludes that public theological approaches shed a better light onto economic issues because the Christian faith/theology which is so pronounced, not only in Botswana but in many African countries, is a culture that encourages equality among all people regardless of their colour, gender, sex and ethnic background.