Original Research

The use of Imago Dei as a pastoral healing vision against women killings in the South African context

Elijah M. Baloyi
Verbum et Ecclesia | Vol 33, No 1 | a703 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v33i1.703 | © 2012 Elijah M. Baloyi | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 06 December 2011 | Published: 09 May 2012

About the author(s)

Elijah M. Baloyi, University of South Africa, South Africa

Abstract

The exploitation and killings of women in South Africa are a concern not only for the government, but also for pastoral caregivers as well. Although the government has introduced institutions like the Commission for Gender Equality with responsibilities to ensure that there is equality between genders, it seems that the supposed patriarchal masculine superiority continues to demonstrate its dominance through the abuse, as well as the killings of women. Assigning women to the status of secondary citizens who are tortured and exposed to gender-based violence is not only unconstitutional, but also biblically wrong, as we can see from the biblical message of the creation of human beings. The goal of this article is to use the premise of ‘the image of God’ to argue that women also are created in the image of God and hence they are worthy to be treated as such, from sexual harassment, sexual abuse and violence to murder. This is my personal observation as women of this country are being killed by their husbands and boyfriends. This article will use case studies to argue that women (just like men) deserve, as images of God, to live freely without fear of being killed by their husbands and boyfriends for whatever wrongdoing.

Keywords

Imagio Dei; women; killings; Commission for Gender Equality; Noxolo Nogwaza

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Crossref Citations

1. A pastoral care of female teachers facing work-related challenges – A South African view
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doi: 10.4102/ids.v56i1.2802