Journal: Journal of Church and State. Finally, Albert van den Heuvel’s Shalom and Combat (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1979) is a moving testimony to the struggle of one man against racism. Post a Review . Die Kerkbode, 11 August 1948. Loots, PJ. Here one should tread carefully since the Bible was not read in the same way by the different proponents of a biblical justification of apartheid, and also not in the same way by those who critiqued apartheid. He did, however, write a four part series for Die Kerkbode in which he explicated his views. Kock, FA. God is the author of segregation. "Die Skrif en Rasse-Apartheid." However, in Genesis 11 we read how the tower builders, drawing on their own wisdom and in resistance to God's command ("in hulle eiewysheid en verset"), did not want to trek any further, and wanted to remain one nation with one language. References are further made to the Mission Policy of 1935, which declares the church's opposition towards social "gelykstelling" and affirms the importance of the idea of guardianship. One of the marks of Marais's and Keet's critique is that they seem to be aware of this isolation of the Dutch Reformed Church with regard to the policy of apartheid, and sees this as a serious call to introspection and internal critique. [ Links ], Elphick, R. The Equality of Believers: Protestant Missionaries and the Racial Politics of South Africa. "44It should also be noted that Keet defended to some extent the notion of "kerklike apartheid" on practical grounds, but wants to keep the idea alive that the walls of separation can be broken down. Prof BB Keet was his promoter. Together with national apartheid, Groenewald also affirms social apartheid, since social assimilation leads to miscegenation, and that in turn leads to religious apostasy. Twice while I was in college, Stephen Bradley, the bishop of the breakaway Church of England in South Africa, spoke to us students in support of Apartheid at the invitation of Dr. Knox. Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk 1905-1975. Die Kerkbode, 4 August 1948. The decision to maintain apartheid in order to survive does not mean that a nation does not have any responsibility for others, specifically underdeveloped peoples ("met name teenoor 'n minderontwikkelde"). Papers and Decisions], 124. Learned and seemingly godly Reformed theologians developed an impressive biblical case for apartheid--apartness. Unsurprisingly, the NGK proved to be a reliable supporter of apartheid, which they attempted to justify on Biblical grounds. In 1982, The World Alliance of Reformed Churches passed a motion declaring that Apartheid was a "heresy.". You would never guess from these words that Apartheid theology gave precedence to whites. "Die Skrif en Rasse-Apartheid." He was forced to resign as minister and put out of his home without a salary. 42 Marais, "Die Skrif en Rasse-apartheid", 25. The decisions taken at the "Volkskongres" draw together several of the motifs already highlighted from Totius's address. 45 See Kotzé, Die Bybel en ons Volkstryd. DOI: 10.1093/jcs/38.2.321. As the "great Divider", God separates light and darkness, the dry land from the waters, the living creatures according to their kind. Keet, BB. One of their most respected theologians, F. Potgeiter, summed up what was believed: "It is quite clear that no one can ever be a proponent of integration on the basis of the scriptures. With regard to the calling of Christians, he comments: "We live out our calling not in the first place because we are Afrikaners, but because we areChristian-Afrikaners … (W)ithout the qualification Christian we will have not a calling. ). If it was "misguided," it certainly was not "superficial." South Africa South Africa May 2019 "26, 4.Critical voices against the biblical justification of apartheid: Ben Marais and Bennie Keet, The attempt to give a biblical justification for apartheid found its fullest expression towards the end of the 1940s, albeit that earlier defences of apartheid as Scriptural could already be found in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In the 1940s the process of rapid Afrikaner urbanisation also led to competition with black labour, and the church's role was (in part at least) to create a type of enclave in which (rural) Afrikaner identity was protected and extended into the future. 27 See the letters on Scripture and racial apartheid by P.V. Bloemfontein: SACUM Beperk, nd. They find it hard to It is an evil and Christians should oppose slavery. The Bible and the justification of apartheid in Reformed circles in the 1940's in South Africa: Some historical, hermeneutical and theological remarks Vosloo, Robert R; Open Access Attention is also given to some voices critical of this endeavour. 18 For engagements with Groenewald's text cf., among others, Botha, AJ 1984, Die evolusie van 'n volksteologie (Bellville: UWK Drukkery), 198-201; Kinghorn, J (ed.) The article is especially interested in identifying the constructions of identity and otherness that seem to be operative in the discourse connected to the biblical justification of apartheid during this period. Pistorius "Ons Apartheidsbeleid en die Skrif" and A. van Schalkwyk on "Apartheid en die Kerlike-Godsdienstige Lewe van die Bantoe". "Van die Redaksie," Op die Horison 1/ 2, April 1939. The Nederduitse Gerefor-meerde Kerk (NGK), once again under pressure from its world body to repudiate apartheid, continues to find biblical justification for the separation of races. 24 Cronje, Regverdige Rasse-apartheid, 65. 4 Du Toit and Du Toit, Die Afrikaanse Rassebeleid en die Skrif, 9-10. Yet his arguments were met with strong opposition, as is testified in the correspondence in Die Kerkbode following an extended letter that Marais wrote along similar lines to Die Kerkbode in 1948.37. for a discussion of the congress and report Vosloo, RR, From a farm road to a public highway: The Dutch Reformed Church and its changing views regarding the city and urbanisation in the first half of the 20th century (1916-1947), Studia Historiae EcclesiasticaeXXXIX/2, December 2013:19-32. Kinghorn, J, ed. [ Links ]. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2012. In reading Marais's text one has the feeling that he displays a more fully developed hermeneutical sensibility that some of his interlocutors. 28 Cf. In 2017 the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) issued a report on the conditions of Palestinians under Israeli rule. The former did so while condemning apartheid, the latter in giving it divine justification. 31 Marais, "'n Kritiese beoordeling", 48. And what difference does it make when we employ a hermeneutic marked by hospitality, hybridity, ecumenicity and reconciliation? Without a fence wild boars will destroy the vineyard. Lastly it will be argued that Contextual Bible study has relevance as a tool towards consientizing and mobilization in the Basic Income Grant Campaign. The Nederduitse Gerefor-meerde Kerk (NGK) , once again under pressure from its world body to repudiate apartheid, continues to find biblical justification for the separation of races. 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