Situated in Practical Theology, the book contributes to academic scholarship in Ecumenical Diakonia Studies and African Theology. The research on the interplay of faith and gender dynamics highlights grassroots women's emancipation and spiritual and holistic development through Femmes Pour Christ in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon.

This book bridges theological, historical, and sociocultural perspectives to explore the lives and church experiences of women in Femmes Pour Christ in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon. Using a practical theological method, diakonia theories, and African feminist perspectives, it examines women's personal and collective empowerment and transformation in the home, church, and society. While the movement fosters dignity and creates space for women in the church, they continue to face oppression in a patriarchal context. This work makes a significant contribution to African theology. "Dr Bue Kessel's research on Femmes Pour Christ highlights the movement's role in empowering semirural women. The book details their mutual diaconal efforts within complex gender dynamics, emphasising their Christian identity as fundamental to their dignity. This compelling work illuminates the resilient and transformative power of faith in the face of adversity." Rev Dr Jeannette ADA EPSE MAINA, l'Institut Luthérienne de Théologie de Meiganga, Cameroon "Dr Bue Kessel's book provides an engaging encounter with an influential movement within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon. Yet it deserves a readership far beyond the Lutheran and Cameroonian contexts. Analysing solid empirical data, this book demonstrates how women in a mainstream Protestant church in Central Africa navigate challenging life experiences." Rev Dr Olivier Randrianjaka, Lutheran Graduate School of Theology, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar

Autorentext

Terese Bue Kessel is Associate Professor of Practical Theology and former Head of the Department of Theology at VID Specialized University, Stavanger, Norway (2016-2025). Her research explores the church's transformative role in intercultural contexts, focusing on diaconal work, pastoral counselling, and faith and gender dynamics.

Inhalt

Preface - Abstract - LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS - Chapter 1 - Women for Christ in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon - Chapter 2 - Dancing to the Sound of a Jembe Drum on the Savanna - Chapter 3 - Historical and Theological Perspectives on Diakonia - Chapter 4 - Semirural Women in Ngaoundéré in Northern Cameroon - Chapter 5 - Identification Markers of Femmes pour Christ - Chapter 6 - Teaching and Sensitisation Programme in Femmes pour Christ - Chapter 7 - Caring Practices of Femmes pour Christ - Chapter 8 - Negotiating Empowerment within the Space of the Church - Chapter 9 - Negotiating Transformation within the Space of Home - Chapter 10 - Navigating Limitations and Prophetic Protest - CHAPTER 11- Negotiating Space between Men and God - Appendices