Unity Through Belonging: A Grounded Theory of Division in the Mauritian Church

Abstract

This study constructs a grounded theory that suggests division occurs within the Mauritian Church when believers attempt to reconcile a contested sense of belonging. The study draws upon 30 interviews to uncover how Mauritian Christians experience social loss and institutional invisibility. The interviews suggest that colonial epistemologies exacerbated by foreign influence provide explanatory power to data collected. The article advocates for an adaptive ecclesiology rooted in Mauritian cultural forms and the reimagining of leadership as a dialogical, inclusive practice to foster unity among believers.