Lineage, Identity and Equality: Theological and ATR Perspectives on Surname Adoption

The Constitutional Court of South Africa issued a landmark verdict permitting men to adopt a woman’s surname, marking a significant advancement for gender equality and identity. ATR and Christian theology were premised on the same connecting principle: the transmission of authority through male inheritance, as signified by shared surnames that marked belonging across generations within social hierarchies. This study is positioned within the South African constitutional, cultural, and theological framework, which contextualises patriarchal naming norms as profoundly ingrained in both religious and customary systems. An interdisciplinary qualitative methodology was utilised, integrating constitutional jurisprudence with theological contemplation and the study of African Traditional Religion through critical textual analysis of court rulings and naming conventions. The verdict affirmed constitutional principles of equality and dignity against established patriarchal constraints on lineage and identity, revealing progressive aspects within both traditions that may be utilised for more inclusive interpretations of identity. The verdict represented a legal progression as well as a cultural and spiritual intervention; the decision prompted contemplation on nomenclature, identity, and gender justice within religious traditions. This study illustrates that constitutional law might stimulate theological renewal and reinterpretation of African Traditional Religion concerning gender equality through an interdisciplinary communication between the two domains.