The Approach Of Churches And Church Related Organizations To Hiv Aids Programmes Based On Case Studies In Ethiopia And Southern India

Master's Thesis from the year 2005 in the subject Politics - Topic: Development Politics, grade: 1,4, University of Bremen, language: English, abstract: The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (hereafter, AIDS) pandemic has changed many parts of the world in just a short time despite efforts aimed at controlling it. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (hereafter, HIV)/AIDS is predominantly a sexually transmitted disease that causes illness and death. The groups most at risk are those between 15 and 49 years, often described as the “sexually active”, who are the most reproductive people in society and the backbone of the productive forces of any country. The particularities of this disease are not only the large number of victims, but also the suffering of those affected. AIDS is related to two deep dimensions of the human existence: sexuality and death. The impact of HIV/AIDS is multi-dimensional as the disease affects social, economic, political, psychological, cultural, ethical and religious areas. Additionally, the connection of sexuality and death is often linked to the questions of guilt and innocence, chance and causality. Wherever such deep dimensions of human existence are raised, religion may be called upon. The questions of the why and whereto are not purely questions of medical science but often involve transcendence and therefore religion. HIV/AIDS and the approach of churches and church-related organizations is a complex issue. In many countries, congregations and parishes are seen to be in the forefront of effective contributions to sexual education and prevention, especially in the form of care and support programmes. AIDS thus mobilizes churches as healing communities. On the other hand, churches are often accused of being a sleeping giant, of promoting stigmatization and discrimination based on fear and prejudices, of reducing issues related to AIDS to simplistic, rigid sexual and moral judgements. [...]

Looks at how churches in Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa challenge public and official denial of HIV and AIDS; confront stigma, discrimination and judgementalism; educate communities about HIV/AIDS and sexual health; support orphans; campaign for political action; and, provide social support, counselling and health care.

A new title in the ISG series to help Christians and churches around the world meet the enormous challenges that HIV/AIDS presents, particularly in African countries.

In response to HIV/AIDS and its consequences, this collection of essays by young African scholars proposes a pattern of Christian education designed to equip churches for ministry in a time of crisis. Theological institutions are urged to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic through the academic disciplines of ministerial preparation as well as in continuing education opportunities, short courses for laity and training-of-trainers seminars for parish workers. Practical guides for classroom discussion are provided in the areas of health and human sexuality, biblical interpretation, theology, counseling, gender perspectives, project design and management. The book ends with a detailed "HIV/AIDS Curriculum for Theological Institutions in Africa", which can be adapted easily for other regions.

Churches and other faith-based organizations continue to play an important part in responding to the AIDS epidemic. This report of a workshop held in Windhoek, Namibia explores some issues in thinking theologically about AIDS and stigma. Participants were from different Christian traditions and countries; future workshops will cover Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist perspectives.

The global spread of HIV/AIDS poses grave challenges for individuals and institutions alike -- not least for Christians and the churches. What are the latest scientific findings about AIDS? How can we address the theological and ethical issues raised by AIDS? How can the churches respond to their members who are directly affected by AIDS? How can the churches help to prevent its spread? How are issues of human rights directly related to the spread of AIDS? This WCC study document is the fruit of two years of intensive consultation by an international group of pastors, theologians and ethicists, scientists, doctors and nurses, people living with AIDS and people working with those touched by it. Successive chapters focus on the scientific facts and social, economic and cultural context; theological perspectives; ethical and medical-ethical issues; human rights and responsibilities; and pastoral care by the church as healing community. The challenge of AIDS calls for a forthright and faithful response from Christians and the churches. This book is an important resource for shaping that response.

While there is a general acknowledgement within the church itself that the Church was initially slow to respond to the magnitude of the problem of HIV and AIDS, during the recent past, as the effects of HIV and AIDS within the congregations and communities of the church have become progressively more evident, the Catholic Church has emerged as an increasingly central role-player in a range of initiatives to combat the pandemic. This publication describes the work of the 'Choose to Care' initiative and the way it has been successfully scaled-up through the diocesan and parish network so that programmes are formed by local needs but work with common guidelines and can draw on central support.