A new book, Bonding in Worship: A Ritual Lens on Social Capital in African Independent Churches in South Africa, co-authored by UP Professor Cas Wepener has been published by Peeters Press in Leuven, Belgium. 

Prof Wepener, Head of the Department of Practical Theology, was the leader of the research project and is an editor and co-author of this publication. Other staff members of the Faculty of Theology and Religion who contributed include Professor Sias Meyer and Professor Thias Kgatla.

In sub-Saharan Africa Christianity is experiencing unprecedented growth and many people worship on a regular basis. Simultaneously, many parts of sub-Saharan Africa experience challenges such as poverty and inequality. 

Given this reality and these challenges, a group of international scholars investigated the ritual practices of one of the fastest growing traditions, namely African Independent Churches, over a period of more than four years. 

The research team set out to explore the role of religious rituals in social capital formation and social development at community level in an African Independent Church in South Africa. This book is the final, comprehensive and synthesising product in which the international and interdisciplinary team of scholars from theology, religion and development present their findings.