| dc.description.abstract | OPSOMMING: Angus Buchan as charismatiese herlewingsevangelis en sy Mighty Men-beweging oefen sedert 2004 'n beduidende invloed uit op die Suid-Afrikaanse godsdienstoneel en spesifiek op konserwatiewe sienings van manlikheid onder blanke Suid-Afrikaners. Buchan verkondig die herstel van manlike hoofskap in gesinne as die redmiddel om die samelewing reg te ruk. In hierdie artikel word Buchan se idees oor manlikheid en die rol van mans, asook die reaksie en kritiek op die Buchan-verskynsel, bespreek, ontleed en beoordeel. Die belangrikste teoretiese vraag is of die feministiese kritiek teen Buchan geregverdig is, naamlik dat sy soort "sagte patriargie" gevaarlik is omdat dit 'n subtiele manier is om patriargale magsverhoudings in die samelewing in stand te hou, wat huishoudelike geweld eerder sal bevorder as verminder. Die bevinding is dat dié monolitiese beskouing van patriargie die feministiese kritiek op Buchan eensydig maak en dit kortwiek, aangesien so 'n siening geen krediet gee aan "sagte patriargie"-bewegings vir die aanduibare positiewe invloed wat hulle op mans se gedrag uitoefen nie. Daar bestaan geen getuienis dat Buchan se weergawe van manlike hoofskap die potensiaal vir huishoudelike geweld onder blanke Suid-Afrikaners verhoog nie. Hierdie opinie-artikel is gebaseer op 'n literatuurstudie. Verdere empiriese navorsing word benodig om die bevindings te bevestig.
ABSTRACT: Palatable patriarchy? Angus Buchan, the "Mighty Men" and masculinity
Angus Buchan as charismatic revival evangelist and his Mighty Men movement have, since 2004, been influential in South African religious circles and particularly in shaping conservative views of masculinity among white South Africans. Buchan preaches the revival of male headship in households as a key to solving societal troubles. In this article Buchan's ideas on masculinity and the role of men, as well as responses to and critiques of the Buchan phenomenon, are discussed, analysed and assessed.
Buchan's position in the evangelical movement and the "men's movement" is contextualised. His strategy as a charismatic leader of identifying problems facing men in the contemporary world and of exploiting the disillusionment of white men with the situation in South Africa to build a following for his conservative male headship concept, as well as his ideas about complementary roles for men and women in the household, the church and society, based on simple and old-fashioned "Biblical values", is outlined. Links between other conservative movements, such as Robert Bly's mythopoetic movement, the Promise Keepers and John Eldredge's ministry, and the Mighty Men movement are indicated. It is shown how Buchan has created his own "trade mark" by projecting himself as a simple farmer, an ambassador of God and "Uncle Angus", the family man. In this way he has succeeded in getting the "man in the street" to identify with him as a role model of conservative masculinity and his "back to basics" message. | en_US |
