Alison Harwood Student Number

123 Pages·2017·1.16 MB·English

PERSPECTIVES OF INFERTILITY-A COLOURED WOMAN’S READING OF
1 SAMUEL 1-2

Student Name: Alison Harwood
Student Number: 205509459

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Master of Theology in the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics
in the College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg

Date
March 2017

Supervisors:
Prof Susan Rakoczy
Dr Helen Keith-Van Wyk
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES

DECLARATION - PLAGIARISM

I, Alison Cathrine Harwood……………………….………………………. declare that

1. The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated, is my original
research.

2. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other
university.

3. This thesis does not contain other persons’ data, pictures, graphs or other information,
unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other persons.

4. This thesis does not contain other persons' writing, unless specifically acknowledged as
being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted,
then:
a. Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has
been referenced
b. Where their exact words have been used, then their writing has been placed in italics
and inside quotation marks, and referenced.

5. This thesis does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet,
unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the thesis and in the
References sections.

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Student Supervisor
Alison Harwood Professor Sue Rakoczy

________________________
__________________ Signature

27 January 2017 23 January 2017
Date Date

Co-Supervisor
Dr Helen Keith-van Wyk

______________________
Signature

31 January 2017
Date

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DEDICATION
To Alex and Zoë

I dedicate this dissertation to my late son Alex Harwood. Your brief presence has touched
our lives forever and in immeasurable ways. You will always be remembered in our thoughts
and your brief life will always be valid, valued and cherished.

To our beautiful daughter, Zoë Harwood; you are the light of our lives and our greatest joy.
Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All glory, honour and praise belongs to God, my mother and father, who have been my
source of strength, granting me good health, and who have given me the opportunity to
complete this project.
This thesis would not have been completed without the assistance, encouragement, advice
and contributions from my supervisors; Professor Susan Rakoczy and Doctor Helen Keith
van Wyk. Their commitment to academic excellence and feminist scholarship has made this
study possible. Thank you for your availability, time, effort and enthusiasm, and for
constantly reminding me that I can do this.
Thank you to the Church of Sweden for the scholarship that was awarded to me through the
Gender, Religion and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights programme.
A special word of thanks and appreciation to all the academic staff involved in the Gender,
Religion and Health programme especially Doctor Fatima Seedat, Professor Nadar and
Doctor Reddy. Thank you for your encouragement and commitment to transforming the lives
of women in the margins.
This project would not have been possible without the support, encouragement, commitment
and love from my dear husband, Eugene Harwood. Thank you for believing in me and
reminding me that education is the key to a brighter future. I am truly blessed to have you in
my life.
To my two and a half year old daughter Zoë, thank you for loving me. Thank you for
unexpected hugs and kisses when I needed it the most and for being patient with me
especially when I was away from home and out of town. You are my greatest joy and I love
you more than you will ever know.
I should like to extend a special word of thanks and appreciation to all the participants of the
Contextual Bible study who gave a voice to this thesis with their stories and experiences.
To my extended family, especially my parents, thank you for your encouragement and
support.
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ABSTRACT AND KEY TERMS

In Africa, procreation is held in high regard even though many women are affected by
infertility, miscarriage and stillbirth. The subject of infertility is addressed in cold clinical
terms or in silence, even in the modern world. This empirical study has analysed how
perspectives and understandings of infertility, miscarriage and stillbirth have been
constructed by women from African and Western perspectives. Furthermore, it has
investigated the ways in which women from the St. Johannes Parish, in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Cape Town, perceive, understand and approach miscarriage, stillbirth and
infertility. In addition, the study analysed all these perspectives and presented their
similarities and differences.
The overarching framework that has been applied for this study is narrative theology and
African feminist theology which draw on the real life experiences of African women that are
expressed through narratives. Contextual Bible Study, as a methodology, has been applied to
explore the ways in which 1 Samuel 1-2 has been appropriated by the women from Cape
Town referred to above. Additionally, the perspectives of infertility, miscarriage and stillbirth
gained from the experiences of scholars and the participants of the Contextual Bible Study
have been analysed together, to see how they complement each other and where gaps may
exist. Finally, I have presented a life-giving interpretation of the role of God in human
suffering, specifically in the lives of women who are unable to have children.
The purpose of this research project is to argue that all women are complete women; fertility
does not define the value of a woman. Infertility therefore, is an experience and not an
identity.

Key Terms infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, procreation, motherhood, Coloured identity, 1
Samuel 1-2

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
Declaration ii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Abstract and key terms vi
Chapter One: Introducing the rationale and background for the study 1
1. Introduction 1
2. Background 1
3. Theories and methodologies guiding the study 4
4. Research question 6
5. Objectives 6
6. Structure of dissertation 6
7. Summary of chapter one 7

Chapter Two: Literature Review
2. Introduction to chapter two 8
2. Perspectives of infertility, childlessness and miscarriage 8
2.1 African perspectives of infertility and childlessness 8
2.2 Infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth and childlessness: A perspective from the West 18
2.3 Chapter summary 23

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Perspectives of infertility based on 1 Samuel 1-2 23
2.4 Infertility, miscarriage and childlessness theories from 1 Samuel 1-2 23
2.5 Summary of an exegetical analysis on 1 Samuel 1-2 31

Chapter Three: Theoretical Frameworks and Methodologies
3. Introduction to chapter three 32
3.1 Theoretical Frameworks 32
3.2 African feminist theology and the matrix of domination 32
3.3 Narrative research within African feminist scholarship 35
3.4 Feminist theory in relation to miscarriage, stillbirth and infertility 36
3.5 Standpoint theory 38
3.6 Summary of theoretical frameworks 39
3.7 Methodology 40
3.7.1 Research participants 40
3.7.2 The Coloured Identity 42
3.7.3 Qualitative research 44
3.7.4 Limitations of the study 44
3.7.5 Reflexivity 45
3.7.6 Procedures and instruments 47
3.7.7 Validity and Reliability 49
3.7.8 Contextual Bible Study 50
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3.7.9 Intercultural Bible reading 51
3.7.10 Narrative theology method 52
3.7.11 Summary of methodologies 52
Chapter Four: Data Analysis
4. Introduction to chapter four 54
4.1 Narrative epistemology 54
4.2 Summary of the Biblical narrative of 1 Samuel 1-2 based on a feminist re-reading of the
text 55
4.3 Summary of scholars’ exegetical analysis of 1 Samuel 1-2 56
4.4 The narratives of participants presented at a Contextual Bible Study 58
4.5 Emerging themes 58
4.5.1 Infertility 58
4.5.2 Polygamy 61
4.5.3 Depression 65
4.5.4 Patriarchy 68
4.5.5 Agency 70
4.5.6 Gender preferences for children 73
4.5.7 Motherhood 74
4.5.8 Faith and belief 77
4.5.9 Theme appropriating loss in the womb 82
4.5.10 Narratives from participants during the CBS referring to loss in the womb 85
4.5.11 Liberation 86
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4.5.12 Summary of chapter four 87

Chapter Five: Theological conclusions
5. Introduction to theological conclusions 89
5.1 The concepts of God 89
5.1.1 The will of God 89
5.1.2 The omnipotence of God 90
5.1.3 The role of God in human suffering 90
5.1.4 The portrayal of God in patriarchal scriptures 91
5.1.5 Infertility and a relationship with God 91
5.1.6 Agency/Passivity in relation to God 92
5.1.7 Personal reflection 92
5.1.8 General conclusion to the thesis 93
References 99
Appendix A – Gate keepers letter 106
Appendix B – Contextual Bible Study Questions 107
Appendix C- Participants’ letter 108
Appendix D- Ethical Clearance 112

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