Date of Award
4-2026
Document Type
Dissertation - SCU Access Only
Publisher
Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2026
Degree Name
Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD)
Director
Eduardo C. Fernandez
Abstract
This dissertation is an interdisciplinary, intercultural, and theological study that contributes to the emerging field of theocinematics, a concept coined by Joel Mayward to describe film’s capacity to function as theology. Through an analysis of Mark Dornford- May’s Son of Man and U-Carmen Khayelitsha, and in dialogue with scholars working at the intersection of film and theology—especially Antonio Sison, Richard Leonard, and Joel Mayward—the study explores how film can theologize in contextual and transformative ways. It argues that cinema opens pathways for deep inculturation theology amid the social crises of poverty, violence, and xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa. Advancing a new synthesis, the dissertation contends that Dornford-May’s films function as cinematic parables. Grounded in African inculturation theology, it demonstrates that these films do more than reflect theological and ethical concerns; they actively inspire hope, faith, and social transformation within marginalized communities. Methodologically, the study employs A. E. Orobator’s Generative Contextualized Method, complemented by analytical insights from both Western and African theologians. The analysis begins with U-Carmen Khayelitsha as an entry point into Dornford-May’s theocinematic vision. It then examines the emergence of Dimpho Di Kopane, now Isango Ensemble, founded by Dornford-May and others as a collaborative, grassroots initiative shaped by local participation and contextually grounded storytelling, contributing to an African theocinematic approach rooted in street theology. The study situates Dornford-May within the broader landscape of South African opera and film and places Son of Man in dialogue with Cry Freedom to explore cinematic narratives of violence, resistance, and active nonviolence. Finally, it clarifies the concept of inculturation and evaluates Dornford-May as a missionary agent of inculturation, demonstrating how his films constitute a distinctive form of inculturated theology that enriches the Church's witness.
Recommended Citation
Ngwenya, Mark, "Post-Apartheid South African Cinematic Parables: Exploring Pathways in Deep Inculturation Amid Poverty, Violence, and Xenophobia in the Films of Mark Dornford-May" (2026). Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations. 158.
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/jst_dissertations/158
