Critical evaluation of the doctrine of predestination within black-African theology: Christ the elected and electing

Leepo J Modise

doi:10.4102/tv.v46i1.118

Abstract

This article aims to deconstruct the ideology about God’s election in South Africa, which is attached to capitalism. I will discuss about its impact on the South African socio-politico-economic situation in the apartheid and post-apartheid era. Furthermore, I will critically discuss the equality of human beings in the eyes of Triune God and focus on the centrality of Christology from the African and black theology. One cannot divorce the Providence of God from the doctrine of predestination. The God who creates is the same God who elects and provides for his people. This argument will lead to the critical question: Who are the elect, rich or poor? Free or oppressed? This article’s final thesis is to deconstruct the ideology that God elects according to God’s grace.

Highlights

When one reflects on the theological justification of separation and capitalism in South Africa, John Calvin and Reformed theology are frequently echoed to justify dualism or paradox of the rich and the poor, oppressed and the free human beings (Resane 2017:116)
The doctrine of predestination was and is distorted in South Africa to ease the consciousness of the oppressors to oppress, dispossess and exploit the black people
The central problem is that who are the elect? The poor or the rich? The black people or the white people? Throughout the history of theology, this doctrine is hanging without locating the elects to people of God

Summary

Introduction

When one reflects on the theological justification of separation and capitalism in South Africa, John Calvin and Reformed theology are frequently echoed to justify dualism or paradox of the rich and the poor, oppressed and the free human beings (Resane 2017:116). In this article I will wrestle with this doctrine by using the Political theology, black theological methodology in particular and African approach to deconstruct the constructed sense-making that God chooses individuals or specific people and left the others outside God’s grace. This doctrine’s origin will be traced back to John Calvin and Theodore Beza, with references to other Reformed theologians. The particular focus will be on Karl Barth Christology on this doctrine, evaluating this Christology by using James Cone’s Christology on the very same doctrine This lecture will fall within Political by theology using the descriptive-normative methodology

Objectives

Conclusion